Novelist Walter Mosley Calls Spider-Man The First Black Superhero

[Mister Mets]

Comic fan and novelist Walter Mosley was name-checked on the Luke Cage Netflix series, providing a convenient enough reason for New York Magazine to ask him about comics. He had an interesting take on Spidey.

In DC, everybody looked alike. Everybody looked white. Marvel, way back in the beginning, had a black character, in Sgt. Fury, Gabe Jones. Everybody's powers were so funnily designed that it didn't feel real. Marvel had things I hadn't even thought of, like hero-villains. You had somebody like the Sub-Mariner, who is a hero to his people, but an enemy to ours. Or the Hulk, who’s a pure being, but his emotions make him a villain or a threat. And you kinda go, Damn, that's real.

The first black superhero is Spider-Man. He lives in a one-parent house — it's not even a parent, it's an aunt. He has all of this power, but every time he uses it, it turns against him. People are afraid of him; the police are after him. The only way he can get a job is by taking pictures of himself that are used against him in public. [Newspaper chief] J. Jonah Jameson says [to Spider-Man’s alter ego, Peter Parker], “Go out and take a picture that shows him with his hand in the cookie jar, that shows him stealing and being a villain.” That's a black hero right there. Of course, he's actually a white guy. But black people reading Spider-Man are like, Yeah, I get that. I identify with this character here.

[Huntsman Spider]

Hmm, that is a very interesting analysis, and given how Spider-Man's suit was designed to completely hide every inch of his body, people in-universe could just as easily presume he was black as they could that he was white. I do like the idea of relating Peter's struggle of having to choose between his personal pride and his personal survival via paying the bills to how a lot of black people feel like they have to degrade themselves in jobs or occupations that deny their full personhood because they lack any other means of providing for themselves and/or their loved ones.

[The Negative Zone]

This really shows how Spider-Man is the everyman.

[Celgress]

This really shows how Spider-Man is the everyman.

Indeed it does. Although at first glance I thought this was about Miles, not Peter lol.

[SpiderClops]

That's the point of Spider-Man. Under that suit it could be anyone.

[Frontier]

That's the point of Spider-Man. Under that suit it could be anyone.

Even if the life of the person under that mask is just as integral to who Spider-Man is as the suit and powers are.

[lalalei2001]

That reminds me of this page!



And also this. XD

[Rahul]

Yeah the thing with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman is that you could always identify them based on country or race from their very appearance.

Spider-man's appearance , though was neutral in comparison. Maybe that also explains his international appeal.

[SpiderClops]

That reminds me of this page!



And also this. XD

That's just hilarious. Where is it from?

[Zeitgeist]

Lovely article.

Also pretty sure I have that above issue.

[Hypestyle]

Mr. Mosley should be writing some Marvel graphic novels. I would suggest turning some of his Easy Rawlins novels into comics/GNs. Team up with some top notch artists and have at it. Why not?

Additionally, I would like to see him write some Marvel mini-series or an original graphic novel. Let him pick the characters he wants. It can be in continuity or out.

I'll stop short of going in deep on his allegorical take on Spider-Man. It's one I've read before (from another observer) going back many years ago. Intriguing, for sure. Just one example on how various folks can get into the character.

[Southern_Spider]

I can definitely understand where Mosley is coming from on this, and I've had that thought before myself. Very cool that early Spider-Man could appeal to people in that way.

I always loved that Paul Jenkins Spidey-is-black story.

[Huntsman Spider]

That's just hilarious. Where is it from?

Dan Slott's She-Hulk, back in the day. Not sure which issue number specifically, but it does come from that run. She-Hulk was suing J. Jonah Jameson and The Daily Bugle on Spider-Man's behalf for libel, but Spider-Man ended up having to retract the suit for fear of giving away his secret identity, since he did work for the Bugle as Peter Parker.

[Metamorphosis]

That reminds me of this page!

This is one of the best issues of Spider-Man I've ever read. Great stuff by Jenkins.

[Southern_Spider]

This is one of the best issues of Spider-Man I've ever read. Great stuff by Jenkins.

Absolutely one of the most underrated Spider-Man writers ever.