PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Peter Parker is dead and gone, but Spider-Man’s still slinging webs and fighting crime.
And it’s not just a new teenager climbing Manhattan buildings, it’s an entirely new crime-fighter, from the color of his suit to the complexion of his skin.
Meet Miles Morales, a half-black, half-Hispanic American teenager who, inspired to do good after the death of Parker at the hands of the Green Goblin, takes flight and has his first fight in the pages of Marvel Comics’ “Ultimate Fallout” No. 4, in comic shops on Wednesday.
The Ultimates imprint is separate from Marvel’s bigger universe, where Parker is alive and well.
Writer Brian Michael Bendis, who has scripted every issue of Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man since it first debuted in 2000 to wide acclaim, maintained a new hero would replace Parker, felled in the pages of “Ultimate Spider-Man” No. 160 this summer.
But as to whom that was a closely guarded secret, until now.
Bendis said that the decision came down to the story, to keep it fresh and vital and new.
Morales, he explained, is nothing like his predecessor.
“He’s younger than Peter Parker, he’s coming from a completely different background, a completely different world view,” Bendis said. “It’s Peter Parker’s death that inspires this kid to step up.”
Bendis said his decision was made before actor Donald Glover’s efforts to be considered for next year’s Spider-Man film went viral. He had talked it over with Joe Quesada, Marvel’s chief creative officer.
“Joe and I talked about it at great length -- what if he was an African-American and how interesting it would be,” Bendis said.
Later, he saw Glover on the television show “Community,” wearing Spider-Man pajamas, and knew he was on the right track.
Making Spider-Man a black character is not a publicity effort, it’s reflective of an industry keeping pace with modern society, said Axel Alonso, Marvel’s editor-in-chief.
“As someone who grew up on a steady diet of ‘Luke Cage, Hero For Hire’ and ‘Shang Chi, Master of Kung Fu,’ I am personally invested,” he said.
“This was a conscious decision. Here at Marvel, we pride ourselves on reflecting the real world in all its diversity,” Alonso added, adding that Morales’ stories would be on par with those of Parker.
“Morales’ adventures will be fleshed out in the coming months with the start of “Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man” in September that is being illustrated by Sara Pichelli.
Bendis is excited about the possibilities that Morales brings.
“I’m now sitting with a pile of legitimately new Spider-Man stories to tell and that is the best news a writer could have,” he said.
<한글 기사>
‘흑인 혼혈’ 스파이더맨 탄생
"대통령이 흑인인데 스파이더맨도 흑인이 면 어때?"
검은 얼굴의 스파이더맨이 3일 세상에 등장한다.
만화를 통해 세계인의 고정관념을 무너뜨릴 새 주인공은 마일스 모랄레스란 히스패닉 성을 가진 10대 흑인 혼혈아다.
모랄레스는 1962년 데뷔 후 반세기 가까이 스파이더맨으로 활약해온 ‘백인 청년 ‘ 피터 파커의 자리를 이어받게 된다. 파커는 지난 6월 ‘얼티밋(Ultimate) 스파이더 맨’ 시리즈의 마지막인 160화에서 장렬한 최후를 맞았다.
모랄레스는 거미줄을 타고 하늘을 날며 악당을 물리치는 파커와 같은 임무를 수 행한다. 하지만 피부색 등 생김새가 다르다는 점에서 스파이더맨을 사랑해온 만화팬 들이 어떤 반응을 보일지에 관심이 모아지고 있다.
파격적인 새 스파이더맨 시리즈를 선보이는 출판사 마블의 액셀 알론소 수석에 디터는 이번 시도에 대해 "우리의 문화와 다양성을 반영하는 것"이라며 "독자들은 피터에게 그랬던 것처럼 마일스와도 사랑에 빠질 것"이라고 2일자 전국 일간 USA투 데이에 말했다.
모랄레스는 파커와 생김새가 다르지만 ‘전임자’와는 연결 고리가 있다. 파커의 애인인 그웬 스테이시와 숙모 메이는 이번 시리즈에도 등장, 어린 아이가 뉴욕의 영웅으로 바뀌는 데 필요한 지혜를 전수한다.
이탈리아의 아티스트로, 새 스파이더맨의 외모를 고안한 사라 피첼리 책임 디자이너는 "아마도 조만간 흑인이나 동성애자, 또는 흑인 동성애자가 주인공으로 나와도 전혀 이상하지 않을 것"이라고 말했다. (연합뉴스)
