Racial Make-Up of Superheroes

I was browsing through the news the other day and came across a short article about a new incarnation of the Hulk as a (if I remember correctly) Korean person.

Changes like that don't bother me at all. If the people who own the intellectual property rights want to do it, by all means.

It did have me recalling some articles I read a long time ago about a group of people becoming all excited (in a good way) that they were going to make a Hispanic version of Spider-Man.

My question is.... Is taking an existing, well known superhero and making a version X-race really much of a success? That is, wouldn't it be a greater accomplishment to make a brand new superhero from the ground up whom is X-race? Every race/ethnicity/culture has a rich history. For example, there is an old story/belief in the part of South America where my wife comes from about people being frightened/respectful to stray cats because they are all shape-shifting warlocks in disguise. That could be a character right there.

Not a major issue in the world, but curious what people's opinions are.

a reply to: eluryh22

I prefer keeping the old and inventing new or "passing the cape" for those with similar "powers".

Examples: Green Lantern ring passed, Kid Flash becomes flash, etc.

No use re-inventing origins other than pissing off your fan base.

It depends on the superhero. Some powers are designed to be passed on as has already been mentioned, but some heroes are who they are in part because of their alter egos, too.

Frank Castle is the Punisher. In his case, he is who he is because of his back story.

To me, it made very little sense to make Miles Morales Spider-Man because Peter Parker became Spider-Man through a radioactive spider bite. The powers of Spider-Man are intrinsic to Peter's person and not something that pass with a magic weapon or anything like that.

Similarly, Thor is, well, Thor. Other people can wield Mjolnir (Captain America did so once), but doing so does not make them Thor, son of Odin. Yes, I know they gave Mjolnir to a woman, but she's not Thor to me just someone who can wield Mjolnir and its powers.

Venom can be various people depending on the parasite.

To be a Green Lantern, you only need the ring.

I think the Ghost Rider can be various people too.

I am fine with it. As long as it is a new character taking the name. Like Miles Morales becoming Spider Man or the Falcon becoming Captain America. But not if you just change the race to change it. Say instead of introducing Miles Morales they made Peter Parker hispanic. I would not be down for that. But having other characters who are a different race or sex take the mantle is fine in my book.

Most people complaining about switches like that are not fans who read the comics, they are usually misinformed people who think, OMG their making Spider Man Mexican. Or Captain America Black. Or Thor a woman. When that is not the case.Those instance are existing characters taking on the persona of a already known super hero. Which happens all the time in comics. The Falcon was around for a long time before he became Captain America. So was Miles Morales and Jane Foster. But people who do not read comics. Do not know that. They are just complaining about something they do not know about. Steve rogers is still white. Peter Parker is still white. Odin's son, lokis brother, is still a male. I could concede a little on the female Thor. As I do not think Thor is an alter Ego. It is the guys actual given name.

a reply to: karmicecstasy

Yeah, but Peter Parker is Spider-Man because of his powers, not because of the mantle of Spider-Man, IMO. You take off the mantle and Peter Parker still has the powers.

So to me, it's more like Miles Morales is someone pretending to be Spider-Man.

It doesn't matter what racial makeup Aquaman is. He'll still be a wuss.

I will also say it bothers me less when they use an alternative dimension or reality to change the ethnicity of a superhero than it does when they do a direct handoff in an established continuity.

An example would be white Nick Fury as opposed to black Nick Fury from the Ultimates universe. He's black in the Ultimates universe and always has been and that's fine. It's a different reality altogether, so you can do that.

a reply to: ketsuko

Black Nick Fury is now in the main universe. It turned out Nick Fury had a mixed race son. Then Nick Fury died and now the son is the Nick Fury of the marvel comics universe. But I think Marvel just did that to make it match up with the movies. As to Spider Man. Miles Morales is not the first person other than Peter Parker to take up the mantle of Spider Man. A few others have taken over. Even Doctor Octopus was spider man for a whole year. Also Miles Morales started in the Ultimates Universe and only came to the main continuity after the Ultimates Universe was destroyed. I do not know how he came over as I have not read how it happened. So it is like Barry Allen and Jay Garrick, two flashes who are sometimes in the same universe, and I do not remember anyone getting mad over that.

I do however get what you are saying. Peter Parker will always be Spider Man to me. I just think at this point these characters are archetypes more than individuals. And other people will always take over the mantle. Because the name and costume mean more to humanity, in the comics, not in real life, so someone will always step up to be the hero, when the original steps away for whatever reason. But that is an in story justification. We all know it is done to ride a trend and boost sales. But that is not always a bad thing. Marvel did almost go bankrupt before Disney. They need to do what they have to do to boost sales.

Plus like I said before. Comics have a very long history of new people taking up an already established persona. People just did not start complaining about it as much until this new round of the left, right, culture war started up. So now that woman and minorities can be considered to be replacements. People see an agenda where there is none. Well no agenda besides boosting sales in the short term. The original always comes back anyways.

a reply to: karmicecstasy

I guess another thing is where I'm sitting, we have our own hero mythology and universe, and there are some characters in it who can "pass the mantle" and some who are who they are because it's an intrinsic property.

If someone were to take some of our characters and suddenly "pass the mantle," it would be a gross violation of who and what they are. Sure you can pass the name, but essential parts of what made the character and the name will be missing, and in that sense there will be characters who can pass some or only part of their mantle or maybe even none at all in what I consider a believable fashion.

And when it comes down to it, that's what matters and not, in the end, who or what the mantle gets passed to. It's not that they passed the mantle to Miles Morales, but that, to me, Peter Parker is essential to Spider-Man for reasons I already explained.

a reply to: ketsuko

Like I said. I do understand your position. Peter Parker will always be Spider Man. I just do not understand why people are now complaining about Miles Morales. When he is not the first to take over as Spider Man. He is just the first non white guy to take over as Spider Man. While there were complaints about the others. It was nothing near the kind of complaining we hear about Miles Morales. It was always the comic book community that complained.

But with Miles Morales it seems like there is this massive outrage. And when you read what people are saying. In comment sections all over the web. For most people it boils down to, Spider Man is no longer white. That is what they seem to be mad about. Not saying that is what you believe. Because I do not think that is the case. I just have to wonder where was the massive outrage outside of the comic community when Doctor Octopus, a villain became Spider Man.

Also you keep saying Peter Parker is Spider Man because of his powers. But so is Miles Morales. They both got their powers in the exact same way. Miles Morales was also bit by a radioactive Oscorp spider. In the Ultimates universe Peter Parker died fighting the Green Goblin. Then Miles Morales was bit by a radioactive spider on accident, just like Peter Parker. And with all of Spider Mans villains still out there. Miles Morales took up the mantle because he had the same exact origin as Peter Parker. There powers come from the same place, radioactive spider bites. Its not like he just decided to become Spider Man for giggles. He went through the same process Peter Parker went through. He was even given Peters web shooters by Mary Jane and Aunt may and then he was trained by Captain America. Then when the Ultimates universe was destroyed he was one of the few who survived and made it to the main universe.

It just seems to me that the people who are latching on to this issue, are not people who actually read the comics. They are people getting mad over something they do not even read.