Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee recently commented on the leaked Marvel/Sony news regarding the guidelines for Spider-Man and Peter Parker, which indicated Peter must be a straight, white male teen.
Via Newsarama:
To that end, Lee, the co-creator of Peter Parker and Spider-Man, would like to see Peter stay the way he is—because that’s how he was created.
“I wouldn’t mind, if Peter Parker had originally been black, a Latino, an Indian or anything else, that he stay that way,” Lee said. “But we originally made him white. I don’t see any reason to change that.”
Recent leaked Sony documents show that Marvel Comics’ licensing agreement with Sony Pictures for the Spider-Man movies mandate that Spidey should be male, not smoke tobacco nor abuse alcohol, and not be a homosexual “(unless Marvel has portrayed that alter ego as a homosexual).” This caused Gawker to conclude, somehow, that “Spider-Man is a f—ing dork.” That same documents show that Peter Parker, though not necessarily any alternative Spider-Man character, is Caucasian and heterosexual.
…
And Lee is satisfied that movie Peter Parker is heterosexual, same as comic book Peter Parker.
“I think the world has a place for gay superheroes, certainly,” he said. “But again, I don’t see any reason to change the sexual proclivities of a character once they’ve already been established. I have no problem with creating new, homosexual superheroes.”
In short, Lee feels Peter Parker is well established in the public consciousness after 53 years of being Peter Parker.
“It has nothing to do with being anti-gay, or anti-black, or anti-Latino, or anything like that,” Lee said. “Latino characters should stay Latino. The Black Panther should certainly not be Swiss. I just see no reason to change that which has already been established when it’s so easy to add new characters. I say create new characters the way you want to. Hell, I’ll do it myself.”
–George Berryan!
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Stan’s got it right. I’ve never understood why people want Peter Parker to be gay or a different race. I’m gay, and I have no desire to change Peter Parker to be more like me. It wouldn’t make me like or dislike the character any more or less.
@18 – Except for 50 years of comics.
If a director believes the best actor for the role of Peter Parker is black, then that actor should get the role. There’s nothing about the character that requires him to be white.
.. still waiting for that NEW black superhero. Instead of , y’know… wasting time on this argument again.
@2-Stan said that once he took a chill pill he was fine with it!
@2-Stan Lee said it just left him cold! 😉
@13 – We need more characters like Striperella!
“I say create new characters the way you want to. Hell, I’ll do it myself.”
I think Marvel should take Stan up on that offer.
Peter Parker is not black, miles morales is not white… I love that we have both, and they should never change. I love both characters and have read about both and will continue to do so. But don’t change there race for the sake of it. Stan is 100% right!
@10 – “I don’t even understand how this kind of crap even becomes a controversy in the first place.”
There is a thriving market on ‘social justice.’ People get a lot of money via adclick revenue on this kind of stuff from the people they whip up into a foaming frenzy and by the people who vehemently disagree yet still read the article just to read how insane someone else is.
For some it’s a racket; for the ones that follow the ones who know it’s a racket, it’s a ‘great cause’ that must be fought ‘for great justice.’
I don’t even understand how this kind of crap even becomes a controversy in the first place. Marvel is keeping Spider-Man the same race, and sexual orientation that he’s been for over 50 years. Why should they feel they have to apologize for that?
Spider-Man / Peter Parker is one of the most successful and popular characters ever created, EVER! So, why would anyone expect for Marvel/Disney/Sony to change anything significant about him that would screw up an obviously successful formula? They want to create the illusion that Peter Parker is a real, living, breathing, human being, and if they go changing his race or sexual orientation, etc., then that illusion is shattered.
I think anyone who has a problem with Spider-Man staying a straight, white dude, is just trying to stir up controversy (where there is none) to further their own agenda. Or maybe they are just bigots who are prejudiced against straight, white people. (See how that works)?
My reaction to Stan’s comments? Excelsior!
In other words, Spider-Man can be black, or whatever they’d feel like.
It’s just that then it wouldn’t be Peter Parker the one behind the mask. Even if they put him the same name.
“Spider-Man is a f—ing dork.”
Yes, he is. He’s an awkward, brave, smart-mouthed genius from Queens. That’s why we love him.
Stan rules!
‘Nuff said!
Stan’s the man.
I completely agree with Stan. Leave the established character parameters alone and simply create new and (hopefully) interesting characters.
So I guess he’s not impressed with Bendis making Iceman gay, then.
A black Peter Parker in the early to mid 60’s I’m sure would not have gone over well and I don’t think would have helped make Spider-Man as popular as he is today.