A few days ago, a small controversy erupted after leaked e-mails from Sony revealed that the company has very strict rules about how Spider-Man can be portrayed onscreen. He must white and he must be straight. 

 

Stan Lee, Spider-Man's creator, is now adding his voice to the debate. He thinks Sony is right.

 

“I wouldn’t mind, if Peter Parker had originally been black, a Latino, an Indian or anything else, that he stay that way,” he said. “But we originally made him white. I don’t see any reason to change that.”

 

As for being gay, Lee added: “I think the world has a place for gay superheroes, certainly. But again, I don’t see any reason to change the sexual proclivities of a character once they’ve already been established. I have no problem with creating new, homosexual superheroes.

 

“It has nothing to do with being anti-gay, or anti-black, or anti-Latino, or anything like that. Latino characters should stay Latino. The Black Panther should certainly not be Swiss. I just see no reason to change that which has already been established when it’s so easy to add new characters. I say create new characters the way you want to. Hell, I’ll do it myself.”

 

Fine, Spider-Man can be white and straight ... but there doesn't seem to be a rule against him being a nudist with a massive Spidey-schlong.