Marvel Swimsuit Special: Brand New Beach Day #1 (July 2026)

all of them are unread because peter broke his phone

Like, they're both good-looking celebrities, right? They could easily meet as teenagers at the same photoshoot, in which up-and-coming young model MJ and her fiery red hair are paired with the Human Torch for some luxury fashion brand. MJ is a riot, she's so funny. And Johnny is so nice and he wants to gush about his nephew. They're both used to putting on a smile for the cameras and being perceived as shallow partygoers for liking to have a good time. They could both use a friend. And also their agents see some publicity opportunities here.

Ideally, in this AU, I think they'd know each other for a few years before their casual flirting and friendly outings actually go anywhere serious, so that Peter has also met MJ and they're in the same college friend group, and the Human Torch and Spider-Man are also fairly good friends. Peter is regularly interacting with both of them. He has mocked both of them for being vain, probably, and also made incredibly bisexual comments about just how good Johnny and MJ look together. There has been in this universe many a scene that, in the dating simulator that is Peter Parker's life, would signal the start and progression of romantic relationships.

Like I could totally be making stuff up in my head but they seem to share the whole “masking insecurity with fame and popularity” and share a similar attitude towards things. I don’t think I’ve read them interacting yet but idk they seem to share a bit in common, unless i connect unconnected dots lmao

Johnny and MJ are friends, once Peter reveals his identity to Johnny in 616, and in the old Ultimate continuity they were also friendly with each other. Their interactions are kind of minimal, especially because Peter's identity reveal and One More Day happened pretty close together, but they seem very comfortable with each other. They hug! It's cute! They both gawked at Peter getting kissed by an alien!

For me personally I would love to see more stuff that's based on their friendship, because you're right, they do have a lot in common. For me what I'd really love to see, and this is a fever dream because Marvel is Not Good at the celebrity stuff in general, despite the fact that they keep writing it, but if I was writing an MJ and Johnny miniseries I would love them co-starring in a movie together. Something very big budget, because Johnny's the Human Torch and MJ's a supermodel. I was initially thinking romcom, because one of my favorite MJ things is that her party girl mask started out as a class clown act. She's funny! She made herself the center of attention not just because she's tall and gorgeous but because she made people laugh!

(Amazing Spider-Man #259) "Dollink" as a fellow lifelong imitator of this accent, I relate lol.

Johnny's also funny but we know he gets stage fright on set.

(Fantastic Four v3 #51-52)

I love the idea of MJ putting on her old jester act to distract Johnny from his own nerves. She's good at taking charge of situations and being the fearless leader, and she's good at discretion -- MJ "I keep other people's secrets" Watson isn't going to blab to the tabloids that Johnny Storm trips over his own tongue trying to remember his lines, so it's easier for him to relax around her. Anyway, now I think a period piece would be fun, too. Let them star in something Austen. The costumes. The drama. Johnny's atrocious attempt at an accent.

Peter: and he was like: 'here have my login. You need to watch it.'