Topic: The new Spiderman is half black and half Latino...and possibly gay

[angrykeebler]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021563/Marvel-Comics-reveal-new-Spider-Man-black-gay-future.html

I....


wat?

[Cobra951]

Don't you know?  Being white and straight is so 20th century.

[idolminds]

Well ok then. I'm glad I dont follow superhero comics. It seems like they love to kill them off only to replace them with someone else.

[Xessive]

I'm not against variation with new superheroes on the rise, I just don't like overtly political decisions affecting them. I've also come to accept death as a potential part of any hero's tale.

Remember the uproar about Night Runner (Batman of Paris)?

I don't really get issues about ethnicity when it comes to Superheroes' origins and backgrounds. Sexuality seems to be the more touchy subject for most people, myself included. If the new Spider-man is revealed to be gay, he wouldn't be the first. There was Northstar, among the first openly gay heroes, who I believe also may have had AIDS. Not long ago there was the new Batwoman story, with the media going on about her ambiguous sexuality. It's a tough nut to crack, especially when its officially in the canonical development of the characters.

I can't think of a favourite sexually ambiguous comic book character, but my favourite gay TV character has got to be Cam of Modern Family.

I remember in high school we had to read and discuss The Story of X by Lois Gould. It was an interesting short story and looking back I realize how progressive my teacher was considering it was 1996-97 and in the U.A.E.

[shock]

I don't follow this at all, but I don't get the continuity. Old Spiderman is white and dead.  New Spiderman is black and alive.  How does that work?  How can you explain that..?

[Xessive]

I don't follow this at all, but I don't get the continuity. Old Spiderman is white and dead.  New Spiderman is black and alive.  How does that work?  How can you explain that..?

Arghh.. Brain.. Too much logic... Must... not.. explode.. must.. retain... cognitive faculties... Ggrrrbblluh.

[Pugnate]

They've killed Peter Parker before or something and he came back.

[Xessive]

They've killed Peter Parker before or something and he came back.

Yeah, that was in the Civil War saga.

[Cobra951]

I'm not against variation with new superheroes on the rise, I just don't like overtly political decisions affecting them.

That's it to a tee.  The entertainment establishment seems determined to rub our noses in the politics.  Movies have been there for a good while.  TV followed.  I guess it's time for comics to catch up.  Next, video games, I guess.

[Quemaqua]

That's really not new for comics, actually.

[Cobra951]

Changing long-established superheroes into politically charged characters is new, as far as I know.

[Quemaqua]

Maybe in such an obvious way with such an iconic figure, but comics in general have very much been given to the expression of political ideas over the years, including superhero comics. I guess what I mean to say is while this may be a rather obvious and sort of ham-fisted way of doing it, I find it in the same spirit as stuff that I've read in years past. I go out of my way to generally avoid political bullshit, in my comics as much as anywhere, but it's there.

[shock]

I don't get why this is being seen as "political" exactly.  Is Spiderman going to promote gay marriage?  Or advocate more entitlement spending?  Doesn't sound like any of that.  He's just your average half black half latino guy with some gay tendencies.  There are tons o' people that fit that mold. 

Speaking more generally, gays should be represented in the media.  I think my generation (young 20's) is so accepting of gays because we see them everywhere.  That's a categorically good thing, both for them and for our society's tolerance as a whole.

So, doesn't really bother me.  Like I said before, though, I just don't understand how you can kill off a character and then have him respawn as something totally different.  Then again, I don't read comics.

[ren]

In the spirit of making radical changes, they should go ahead and make a good movie this time around.

[Pugnate]

The Daily Mirror thing was a clever write up. He isn't gay at all. Some artist said it would be cool if Spidey could be gay in the future, and the Mirror just used clever wording to make it sound like *this* Spidey is gay. Read it again.

Also, I did a blog:

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/7327/why-is-ultimate-spider-man-black/

Read, rate, comment etc.

BTW, I didn't choose that blog title. Not sure why they did that.

Also, I quoted Cobra951 in the "reaction" bit.

But I wrote it as "reactions on the internet" and they changed it to "fan reaction".

Anyway... Cobra is in my blog.

[idolminds]

"Congratulations, you're the new Spiderman!"
"Whats with the bullet holes in this suit?"
"Those are speed holes. They make you go faster."

[Cobra951]

I'm somebody now!  (But where are the new phone books?)

[gpw11]

Great.  First they ruined one of my childhood heroes by making him Toby Fucking Macguire. Now what the fuck are they doing?  Half black and half latino?  Not only is he going to be a villain now, he's going to be the laziest super villain ever.

[Pugnate]

Citizens: Where is Spider-Man?

Random dude: He is making ten dollars an hour, gardening!

[Cobra951]

SPIDERMAN!  THE ORPHANAGE IS ON FIRE!!

EEZ NOT MY JOB, MEHN!

[gpw11]

SPIDERMAN!  THE ORPHANAGE IS ON FIRE!!

EEZ NOT MY JOB, MEHN!

Hahaha.  Reminded me of This

[Cobra951]

Ahaha!  I swear to you I had not seen that.  Too funny.