As I look out at my fellow nerds, geeks, and fanboys, I must say, I am appalled. A few days ago, the identity of the new Ultimate Spider-Man was revealed. Immediately everyone cried Marvel was trying to be PC and that it was racist and that it was a terrible idea. Here are a few facts.
1. They announced that this would happen.
When the Death of Spider-man was announced, they said that Peter would die and that someone new would take over the mantle. Everyone thinking that they know how comic deaths work immediately assumed they were right and knew peter would "live" in some way. Well guess what? Not only were they wrong but they were really wrong. Peter died a heroic death and it was a good story.
2. It's not Politically Correct, it's Statistically correct.
I'm actually half black and I'm from New York. Born and lived there for quite some time and I can verify that New York is a very diverse city filled with people of all ethnicity so if anything a half black/ half latino Spider-Man is not a big shock.
3. Marvel has no reason to appeal to a Black demographic.
Brian Bendis has two black daughters and the Marvel editor in Chief is part Latino. Marvel has a pretty good about of African American hereoes. Misty Knight, Luke Cage, Black Panther, Blade, etc so they have no need to appeal to the black demographic. Marvel even created the first Black Superhero!
4. He's not gay. Not that there is a problem with that.
Going back to the new York thing for a moment, New York in addition to a diverse group of ethnicity's also has a diverse group of gays, lesbians, and bi sexuals. A spokesperson for Marvel Comics confirmed to ICv2 unequivocally that “Miles Morales isn’t gay.” What's the problem with him being gay anyway? We live in a world where same sex marriage is legalized in some states so why not accept a major superhero being gay? Also Marvel also created the first openly gay Superhero. Northstar.
My biggest problem is that everyone is making a big deal out of nothing. So what if he's black, white, latino, gay straight, or anything? At the end of the day, this is still about a kid being a good person. A kid being a good person, taking over the mantle of another good person. The issue that explains his entire history is not out yet, and I will definitely buy the issue because I want to see what will happen with a new character. Spider-Man, like most Heroes is a legacy character. Look at history at when a hero replaces another. Dick Grayson becoming Batman, Bucky Barnes becoming Captain America, and The Multiple Robins. The racism that I've read is ridiculous. We are so much better then this. It's even worse that so many of us complain that story's are becoming repetitive and that there is no variation, and he is one and we shun at it in favor of more of the same old. The new Ultimate Spider-Man is black. That's pretty cool and I hope to some kids and adults, that doesn't even matter.
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