A new Marvel comic which reimagines what would have happened if Miles Morales became Thor instead of Spider-Man has received a huge backlash online for its stereotypical depiction of a Black neighbourhood.
The comic, written by Yehudi Mercado and with art by Luigi Zagaria, is part of Marvel's upcoming 60th-anniversary celebration of Spider-Man. Morales is an alternative Spider-Man from the Ultimate universe that has since been brought into the regular Marvel continuity. He might be best known to many as the central character of 2018's Enter the Spider-Verse movie.
In this new What If? series, Marvel is exploring what would have happened if Morales didn't have the powers of Spider-Man but other Marvel heroes including Wolverine, Captain America and Hulk. In the latest issue, it ponders what would have happened if he had the powers of the God of Thunder, Thor and lived in the God realm of Asgard.
However, Asgard rather than looking like a Godly utopia, instead resembles Brooklyn, with graffiti adorning many of the buildings and shoes hanging from telephone lines. Morales's narration in the comic has also been deemed stereotypical. At one point he says: "Of all the five realms, Asgard is his hood."
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Morales's version of Moljnir, the hammer that Thor carries is also covered in graffiti, with him shouting "It's hammer time" every time he comes to use it, much like MC Hammer did back in 1990.
Morales has been a firm fan favourite since he was introduced to the comics in 2011 by writer Brian Michael Bendis but this iteration of the character has left many readers disappointed by the lazy illustration of a young Black man and a Black neighbourhood.
The comic, written by Yehudi Mercado and with art by Luigi Zagaria, is part of Marvel's upcoming 60th-anniversary celebration of Spider-Man. Morales is an alternative Spider-Man from the Ultimate universe that has since been brought into the regular Marvel continuity. He might be best known to many as the central character of 2018's Enter the Spider-Verse movie.
In this new What If? series, Marvel is exploring what would have happened if Morales didn't have the powers of Spider-Man but other Marvel heroes including Wolverine, Captain America and Hulk. In the latest issue, it ponders what would have happened if he had the powers of the God of Thunder, Thor and lived in the God realm of Asgard.
However, Asgard rather than looking like a Godly utopia, instead resembles Brooklyn, with graffiti adorning many of the buildings and shoes hanging from telephone lines. Morales's narration in the comic has also been deemed stereotypical. At one point he says: "Of all the five realms, Asgard is his hood."
Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter
Morales's version of Moljnir, the hammer that Thor carries is also covered in graffiti, with him shouting "It's hammer time" every time he comes to use it, much like MC Hammer did back in 1990.
Morales has been a firm fan favourite since he was introduced to the comics in 2011 by writer Brian Michael Bendis but this iteration of the character has left many readers disappointed by the lazy illustration of a young Black man and a Black neighbourhood.
Could have gotten a black comic book writer to write a dope what if story and yet NOPE....
Not familiar with the comics though.