Comments on: Stan Lee Wants Cinematic Spider-Man To “Stay As He Is”

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

Jeii makes a good point. A Black, Latino, or LGBT Spider-Man would have to balance the demands of the international market, which would push their characterization towards the generic superhero arc, with the demands of that community in the US, which would want to see their race or sexual orientation treated in a way that was respectful to their context.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

Furious 7 had a multiracial ensemble cast, where the two leads was one guy who bleach blonde and the other was racially ambiguous. A Black or LGBT Spider-Man would have to walk a very fine line to work well with Chinese audiences if he is to be the central character. To Marko, of course they would eat up a Chinese Spider-Man, but nobody else would, except Asian-Americans and some White liberals.

By: Jeii

Jeii — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

Don\’t think Race is as important as people believe to international audience . Or phrase it differently

Story specifically tied to a personal story only one culture can understand
Political problems of a specific social historical cultural context
Story that require direct knowledge of the society and history
Documentry
Comedy that rely heavily on Irony or cultural specific knowledge

Basically any movies that win awards in independant film festivals for the most part

This doesn\’t sale at all or translate well
Most black character are regulated to black movies about problems in African character community set in realistic stories that only relate to people
who grew up in those area

There huge difference between this and a black man Will Smith in Independence day . Chinese audience will watch independence day , They won\’t Watch
black movies.. they won\’t watch white Anglo american movies either Irish , Polish etc.They\’ll watch Transformers
These kinda personal focused films do horrible in international markets .
But a Black spiderman who is just Spiderman with special effect and fighting ? I doubt anyone will care

Now LGTB yeah going to have a harder time convincing people of that one of the appeal of the hero is there usually idealized there sexually attractive there heroic .
given the vast majority of people are heterosexual it much harder sale . Though it is possible to paint a lesbian bisexual or gay person as an idealized sexually attractive image of heroism .. Not sure about trans . How would you fit trans into that without focusing specifically on the social issue culture have with the idea ?
Really inseperable from it .so yeah that probably won\’t fly internationally .

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

Someone please tell dave that the highest grossing film ever in china is a certain furious 7 seven. I think there\’s black and latino characters in that. More than one if i remember correctly.

By: Marko

Marko — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

But what about a Chinese Spider Man? Would they be up for that?

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

These guys all talk around it, but the main issue is of course the bottom line. Can a retconned Spidey who is LGBT/minority bring in the audiences, especially now that the Chinese and other international markets are so important. We know that many of these markets just will not accept Black leading men. They would really need a Chris Nolan type creative team to get the Chinese market to bite on a LBGT or Black or Latino hero, and even that\’s a long shot.

By: No

No — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

"but the whole point of comics and the heroes within, is the opportunity to see them change to fit the times." Sez who?

By: Colin Holmes

Colin Holmes — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

I disagree – when a character is created, the writer and artist set the tone for the character – yes he or she can learn and grow and evolve, but the essence of the character, the DNA if you will, remains the brainchild of the original creators.
The whole point of comics isn\’t to be able to change the characters, it\’s to be able to create new characters that reflect the nature of the times and the audience.
Captain America wasn\’t relevant for decades in the 60s and 70s and he went away – he didn\’t become a Mod Squad member with a tie-dyed uniform and didn\’t need to.

Miles Morales may be the hero these times need and he can be – but he needs his own identity, not one usurped because he\’s more politically correct than Peter Parker because we have too many white guys in costume.

What\’s next? Rewriting the Hunchback of Notre Dame because Quasimodo\’s disability is inconvenient to talk about in polite company?

By: JEMIMA

JEMIMA — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:03:21 +0000

This is very problematic. I may have to start on a thinkpiece.