Ultimate Diversity

A Mc$oss editorial in response to the recent news from the Marvel Ultimate U regarding the introduction of Miles Morales, a half-black, half-hispanic teenager that will be replacing Peter Parker as the Ultimate Universe's web-slinger: 

http://comics.ign.com/articles/118/1185446p1.html

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/new-ultimate-spider-man-revealed-110802.html

As a bi-racial fan of comics I can say that this does nothing for me. It doesn't make me feel like, "Wow, now I have a Spider-Man of my own!" If that's what they are going for that's not the reaction they are getting from me. Same goes for Batwing. Maybe it's just me but it feels patronizing when companies change the color of a long standing character. I can only imagine what actually gets discussed in those meetings. 

If they are looking so desperately to have heroes of color have a leading role in the respective comic universes, then write good stories for the existing heroes. Or create new ones, but don't make such a big deal about what color they are. When that happens the characters lose all depth and just become "that black/mexican/asian/female/gay hero." 

I think it's ironic that the best selling ethnic hero is one that people never remember is black. In my opinion that's the way it should be. People may not agree on the quality of said hero, but there is no denying, Spawn has sold a ton of books, and not because he's a black dude.
I'm done ranting now.

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