Smart move from Marvel, I think. Just envision a young Millennial, living in a generation that's 45% non white, listening to 90% black artists, seeing a black president, consuming anything but American food...and then think of Peter Parker. Slight disconnect?
Is this the beginning of a tide-change? Will most villains on TV cease to be black or Hispanic? Will our heros be more like Miles? I hope so, for the sake of this new generation. I can't imagine the "bad black or brown guy" is a nice stereotype to grow up with.
My guess is that as this new generation grows up and they're able to take over creative duties from out-of-touch older dudes, the tides will inevitably change.
The same thing will eventually happen in advertising, albeit more slowly.
Peter Parker-like brands don't seem to have much of a future with this new generation.
2 comments:
Hi Ken!
Interesting post, thank you. I agree with your basic premise regarding the tide-change that is beginning, it's an awesome time we live in.
However, I think your Spiderman example falls flat when you state "...listening to 90% black artists, seeing a black president, consuming anything but American food...and then think of Peter Parker. Slight disconnect?"
Ummm...no, no disconnect at all! Because Peter Parker has always been white! If you're a black kid and follow Spiderman (or Superman, or Indiana Jones, or Luke Skywalker, etc.), well then you like them for what they are, and making them more like "you" is probably besides the point. In fact I think the opposite applies, this smells like a cash-grab/PR stunt, and I bet the savvy youth of today can probably tell.
To summarize, I agree that the tide is changing towards a more accurate and interesting reflection of our world, and the young designers and artists will make this a certainty as they leave their mark in the next years. But examples such as the Spiderman one, I see them as 99% glitz (and financially driven), and 1% substance.
VERY nice point.
The only point I'd make is that as a new generation comes of comic-book age and they're faced with 2 spidermans...which do they choose? Remember, they never knew Peter Parker.
It's an interesting thought to think about, although I agree with your main premise that the substance may not actually be there and the changes may be pandering.
Still...I'm glad to see it.
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