Sony say that Peter Parker MUST be white and heterosexual

Yesterday we brought you news of Stan Lee creating a small amount of controversy by stating that he thought that Peter Parker should aways be white and heterosexual. Whilst some disagreed with the Marvel legend’s comments there are those that share the same view. With the huge film studio Sony, perhaps, being the most important of them all!

That’s because a leaked email has revealed a mandatory list of things that Peter Parker MUST or MUST NOT be. The list appears t0 from a licensing agreement between Marvel and Sony regarding Marvel’s use of the character that they own. Interestingly enough Sony appear to have listed different mandatory character traits for Spider-Man and Peter Parker.

Here are Spider-Man’s.

"MaleDoes not tortureDoes not kill unless in defense of self or othersDoes not use foul language beyond PG-13Does not smoke tobaccoDoes not sell/distribute illegal drugsDoes not have sex before the age of 16, does not have sex with anyone below the age of 16Not a homosexual (unless Marvel has portrayed that alter ego as a homosexual)"

And here’s Peter Parker’s

"His full name is Peter Benjamin Parker.He is Caucasian and heterosexual.His parents become absent from his life during his childhood.From the time his parents become absent he is raised by Aunt May and Uncle Ben in New York City.He gains his powers while attending either middle school or college.He gains his powers from being bitten by a spider.He designs his first red and blue costume.The black costume is a symbiotic and not designed by him.He is raised in a middle class household in Queens, New York.He attends or attended high school in Queens, New York, and he attends or attended college in New York City, New York."

You can check out screenshots of the document posted by Gawker here but again it’s important note that because Sony are stating that Spider-Man and Peter Parker are two distinctive characters that means that Spider-Man could be black (but not Peter Parker), or homosexuel (providing there’s a comic book precedent).

It’s hard to know how to take this, is this a film studio being close-minded and taking a backward step from diversity by once again being ‘vanilla’ or is this a film studio honouring a globally popular character by wanting to portray him exactly as he was created and is known around the world. Or, is this a film studio posting a list of strict guidelines to make sure that another film studio doesn’t sabotage one of their most valuable assets, by, for example, making him a drug dealer?

Answers on a postcard!

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