"Dude, no you can't change Spider-Man's race"
"Looks like we can blame Obama for this change as well"
"Really? Let's make Black Panther white and see how people like that"
"First Heimdall and now Spidey?"
"Why not make him gay and diabetic as well?"
Yes, its comments like these that have been popping up on any article that mention the new Spider-Man. Are these kind of comments really necessary? These comments can be from hate, from trolls, or even just the honest view of the person commenting, but even so, why the hate?
"Dude, no you can't change Spider-Man's race" Actually yes, yes you can, and it was done the smarter way. Instead of changing PETER PARKER to a Hispanic African America, the writers have created a WHOLE NEW character in Miles Morales to don the blue and red suit. I can understand how changing Peter Parker would just ruin history, but isn't that what we should be thankful for? Did people complain this much when they made an African American Green Lantern? He was a completely different and bad-ass character, and yet he was ALSO a Green Lantern. That's the same thing that's happening to Spider-Man here. Another example would be when Rhodey took over the Iron Man suit, as Tony was battling alcoholism. Sure that may have upset people back then (pre internet era) but now Rhodey has his own suit, and carved his own way to be a hero, one we all love. Again, why do we hate on a completely new hero? I will say it again: He's not Peter Parker, so why is it a big deal that someone took over the Spider-Man role?
"Looks like we can blame Obama for this change as well” Sure, Obama has written history as being the first African American president. Yes that may or may not have influenced the writers, but so what? Here are two separate questions to help: First, why are politics even being mentioned in articles? Do the real modern day politics somehow affect our judgment? Just because Glenn Beck may hate the new Spider-Man, does that mean we have to hate it as well? Glenn Beck is an idiot. Technically all politics are idiots, but that's my personal opinion getting in the way. Question two: Why can't we keep up with the times? Again, Obama is the first Black president, but somehow we cannot accept a new black superhero replacing (if only for now) a hero we love? The world's evolving, white and black (should be) viewed as one in the same, and that goes for any race out there. We're all people regardless of race.
"Why not make him gay and diabetic as well?" Any comments like this should just be reported and removed. Whether is just homophobia or being a douche bag troll, these comments make me cringe. I'm not even gay myself, but that doesn't mean I don't have a heart. Why are we mocking serious matters, with low-brow humor? If Spider-Man was gay, then so what? As long as Peter Parker wasn't changed, why would it bug us if a completely new character was gay or suffering from an illness? Again, times are changing, where people can be openly gay, and accepted. Understand that. Understand that this isn't the 60's or 40's anymore. I don't mean to start a religious or homophobic debate, but the truth is, we should all be equals right? So in the future having a gay superhero shouldn't be a bother at all.
In the end, I really think we're all making a big deal out of nothing. Are you crossing the line between racism and die hard fan? As long as the morals and stories are great, why do we let who's under the mask bother us? I agree with die hard fans when they say Peter Parker's character and history shouldn't be touched, so why does it bother so many people when a completely new character is Hispanic and African American? He's not Peter Parker, just as Rhodey isn't Tony Stark, and John Stewart isn't Hal Jordan. Instead, they are all different characters, carrying the same titles. Being a hero, a super hero, doesn't matter on skin, it matter's on the strength and responsibility that character has. Miles Morales is here to stay as the Ultimate Spider-Man, let's welcome him to a much larger universe.