Disney’s Woke Spider-Man Cartoon Isn’t So ‘Friendly’ to the Source Material

Entertainment Weekly praised the upcoming Disney Plus version of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood superhero, profusely.

Coming up next month is the debut of the animated Disney+ series, “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man”, which returns the web-slinger to his origins in the comics.
As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’m thrilled about the upcoming series that was originally called “Spider-Man: Freshman Year”. This captivating show delves into an alternate reality where Peter Parker, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, embarks on his heroic journey. What sets this apart is that he’s now being guided by the tech genius, Norman Osborn. Their bond resembles the one shared between Peter and Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, albeit with a twist – instead of having a hidden identity as an avenging hero, Norman Osborn is secretly the alter ego of Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis, the Green Goblin.
In the role of head writer for the project is Jeff Trammell (known as Craig from Craig of the Creek and Amphibia), with Mel Zwyer (Young Justice) overseeing as supervising director. In 2022, Trammell shared that the series will showcase a variety of characters well-known to comic book enthusiasts – including some yet to make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The roster includes Nico Minoru, Amadeus Cho, Lonnie Lincoln, genius from Wakanda Asha, Dr. Chameleon, Speed Demon, Scorpion, Butane the Pyromaniac, Tarantula, Rhino, and Dr. Bentley Wittman.

In a different phrasing, could we say that the character of Cho was perhaps used instead of Bruce Banner to represent diversity as the “extraordinarily powerful Hulk” around a decade ago? This hints at the show’s adherence to modern inclusivity standards and its tendency to draw inspiration from storylines like the Ultimate series, as well as making choices that seem more influenced by recent events rather than timeless decisions. Additionally, it has been disclosed by Cosmic Book News that Norman and Harry Osborn have undergone racial transformation, a fact that may not have been previously mentioned.

The trailer for Spider-Man: Our Local Hero unveils the debut of Marvel’s latest incarnations, which are darker iterations of both Norman Osborn and Harry Osborn.
[…] Initially, when pictures of Spider-Man: Freshman Year were released, some fans speculated whether the characters depicted could be the black counterparts of Norman and Harry Osborn. However, recent developments such as the trailer and IMDb have clarified this point.
As a passionate cinephile, let me share some intriguing insights about Jeff Trammell, who’s stepping into the Marvel universe for the first time. Known for his work on Craig of the Greek, this talented writer has garnered attention due to its compelling themes that resonate with a wide audience – friendship, diversity, and strong LGBTQ representation.

It’s interesting that this could be the reason behind Harry Osborn appearing more feminine, along with wearing earrings. It seems they are trying to portray him in a way similar to Amanda Waller from DC’s Suicide Squad. The character designs appear even less appealing than some early Hanna-Barbera cartoons. And on top of that, it’s questionable whether this representation is respectful of Spidey’s original roots. Frankly, this doesn’t seem to honor the original characters as much as it reimagines them to fit a contemporary social justice perspective. In my opinion, this feels more like an intrusion and distortion by today’s social justice activists rather than a faithful return to the characters’ origins.

Predictably, if there’s any left-wing apologists chiming in, it’s at The Mary Sue:

Many fans of Spider-Man, including those who know Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin, have long been accustomed to the character’s traditional appearance. However, some are causing a stir recently due to the introduction of a Black version of this particular Norman Osborn character, which is just one among many variations in the Spider-Man universe.
Indeed, those same individuals who frequently use terms like “woke” and “DEI” in their comments are now applying these labels to the Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer. Interestingly, both Norman (played by Jamie Foxx) and his son Harry (Zeno Robinson) exhibit traits associated with Black characters, which has sparked outrage among some viewers who may not be particularly invested in the characters’ origins. Some critics are even claiming that this change contributes to a non-existent issue known as “ginger erasure.” One such individual expressed their frustration, stating, “I’m getting really tired of all the racially-motivated character swapping in comics. This is just another historically redheaded character replaced with a black one, it’s becoming quite repetitive at this point.” However, it’s worth noting that the Osborn family’s hair color has varied across different comic books and adaptations.
This constant occurrence of online harassment towards Black actors, particularly when they take on roles that were originally intended for white characters, is both disheartening and unacceptable. For instance, Halle Bailey faced racial abuse when she was cast as Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid in 2023. Similarly, Moses Ingram encountered racist abuse for her role as the villain in Obi-Wan Kenobi in 2022, requiring Disney to publicly support her. This repeated pattern highlights deep-seated issues within our culture that urgently need addressing.

It’s quite intriguing how writers from the controversial site, The Mary Sue, frequently accuse others of ‘racism’, yet fail to consider the implications of race-swapping established characters rather than creating new ones. This behavior suggests a lack of emotional attachment to the characters initially, implying they are merely empty vessels to be redecorated at will. In essence, their focus seems to be more on the political undertones of the content, rather than character development, drama, or respect for the original stories. One might ponder whether such writers would prefer a black Norman Osborn, a villainous character known for his wickedness, over maintaining racial accuracy. Some might argue this could indicate a lack of genuine concern for racial minorities, and that the characters’ ethnicity is of little importance to them if they are portrayed as evil.

To clarify, if a scenario arises in which Norman dons his Goblin persona to kill Gwen Stacy, would it be seen as disrespectful towards racial minorities? Given current societal norms, it is unlikely that this action would be perceived as such. However, this situation raises questions about the true intentions of those who claim to support progressive values, as their stance may suggest they have not always prioritized or genuinely cared for the dignity and respect of black and Asian communities.

In a refreshing and inclusive manner, Spider-Man advocates for unity. Over time, the cast of this comic book series has expanded to feature characters from various ethnicities. Notably, in the animated adaptation The Spectacular Spider-Man, which made its debut in 2008, Liz Allan was transformed from a white blonde character into a Latina. It’s rather astonishing that some individuals are causing a fuss about these iconic characters changing races in an adaptation that was always intended to be unique and innovative. However, if they decide to leave the fanbase due to this change, it’s clear that the community is better off without such narrow-minded perspectives.

I believe it would be more beneficial for fandom communities if we could exclude individuals who spread biased viewpoints, such as those often referred to as “woke propagandists” like the Mary Sue. These arguments are not grounded in merit and may lack objectivity when discussing new series on platforms like Disney Plus. It’s questionable whether they even watch these shows at all. Furthermore, what kind of unity is being fostered here?

As for alterations to Liz Allan, I think it was a minor attempt at appeasement in its time, because the idea of changing an existing cast member’s background seems less substantial than creating a new character altogether. If the studio wished to do so, they could always introduce fresh characters instead. Interestingly enough, older adaptations before 2000 also experimented with this approach.

The Hulk cartoon from the early 80s introduced original characters Rio and Rita, a father-daughter duo who ran a diner near the military base where Bruce Banner and Betty Ross worked. This practice of creating new characters for modern movies and TV shows isn’t necessarily difficult, but it seems that sometimes we’re more focused on recognizing characters from the comics than evaluating the overall quality of the production. This might have been a factor in the 1990 Flash TV series starring John Wesley Shipp failing, as they cast Amanda Pays as Christina McGee instead of Iris West, who is Barry Allen’s girlfriend in the comics.

In regards to that TV series I follow, one artistic flaw I noticed was their heavy reliance on assembling contemporary elements, giving an impression that this would guarantee a stellar production. However, it fell short of expectations, and although they did introduce at least one fresh character – a Latino scientist in Barry’s lab (if my memory serves me right) – the way they handled this “easter egg” gimmick felt cheap and lacked substance, failing to add much value overall.

Furthermore, according to a statement made by a producer of the animated series, it’s not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since it’s no longer enjoyable to do so. (Comic Book Movie reports this.)

In a separate universe, Spider-Man’s adventures unfolded, with various costumes gracing the wall-crawler as he battled adversaries like Chameleon, Scorpion, and Doctor Octopus. Instead of Tony Stark, Norman Osborn takes on the role as his mentor in this new setting.
Recently, someone inquired about Marvel Television’s choice not to base the animated series on Earth-616. In response, Brad Winderbaum explained that initially they thought, “Since it’s Spider-Man’s freshman year, can we make this entirely within the MCU?” However, early in the development stage, they recognized how restrictive this decision turned out to be.
We found it challenging to incorporate his collection of villains and his backstory because doing so would’ve required numerous restrictions in our narrative to align with established lore. Honestly, it wasn’t enjoyable.
As a movie critic, I found myself reflecting on the challenging position the creative team faced when integrating Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Each project I’ve been involved with has its unique identity, and it’s essential to allow them the freedom to grow and evolve organically, following their own paths.
Winderbaum confirmed that while it shares much DNA with the Tom Holland Spider-Man portrayed in the MCU, it also traces its roots back to Steve Ditko. He explained that it exists in the same universe but emphasizes the fundamental qualities of the character.”
Or, if you prefer a more conversational tone:
“Winderbaum confirmed that even though it’s similar to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the MCU, it also takes inspiration from Steve Ditko. He said it’s connected to the main storyline but highlights what makes the character unique.

What’s the reasoning behind their belief that changing the narrative to appeal to SJW (Social Justice Warrior) sensibilities will be an upgrade from where the Marvel movie universe currently stands? They haven’t provided a convincing argument for why the Osborn family, both father and sons, need racial or even gender swapping, seemingly for reasons of social justice or LGBT representation. This is one more instance that unintentionally elicits laughter due to its connection to elements dating back to Ditko’s era.

Essentially, the creators of this latest cartoon are sticking to their use of “wokeness” as a foundation for their storytelling, and they’re not planning on creating a separate show for diverse casting. Moreover, they’re failing to distinguish themselves in terms of cinematic decisions, which seems to disregard the original concepts created by Stan Lee and Ditko. It’s clear that something is amiss in our culture, and it’s those who refuse to acknowledge that changing races and genders for the sake of being “woke” is just plain silly.

2025-01-11 18:42

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