Latest Spider-Man Issue Creates Controversy
The latest issue of “Amazing Spider-Man” seems to be raising a few eyebrows s and has created some controversy within the fan community.
In the current issue (#603), super villain the Chameleon disguises himself to look like Peter Parker and tries to take over his life. The Chameleon is clueless about Peter’s dual identity but does try to find out more about Parker from his yearbook and other personal effects in his apartment.
And it appears that discovery process includes a scene in which the character apparently seduces Peter’s roommate, Michelle Gonzales.
The comic page in question is below:
The page has some Spidey fans wondering if what the Chameleon did could be classified as rape since they argue Michelle probably wouldn’t give her consent to sleeping with a super villain.
Writer Fred Van Linte argued that he doesn’t think what happened constitutes rape, saying “My understanding of the definition of rape is that it requires force or the threat of force, so no. Using deception to trick someone into granting consent isn’t quite the same thing.”
“Which is not to say it isn’t a horrible, evil, reprehensible thing that Chameleon did. He is a bad man,” he added. “He insults parapelegics and dips people in acid too.”
The page in question leads to an awkward moment for the real Peter Parker later in the issue.
According to reports, Marvel is now saying that the scene in question was just the two characters kissing and making out on the kitchen floor and that future issues will deal with the fall out and consequences of the event.
I hope one day this issue is considered groundbreaking, because you know what? Rape happens. Deal with it.
Comics have become darker over the years and have dealt with many controversial (read: realistic) issues, including substance abuse and homosexuality. Why not rape?
The argument as to whether this situation could be called rape or not is based on a situation that can’t happen, because people who can shape-change into perfect replicas of other people don’t exist.
Stan, I don’t think anyone is saying “OMG you can’t talk about rape in comics!!” I think most people are saying “Hey, that WAS rape, and you need to acknowledge it and deal with it realistically, and NOT play it for laughs.”
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Does she figure it out during “snuggle time”??
It’s a friggin’ Comic Book. Not rape.
It’s a story. Stories have depicted rape and will continue to depict rape.This particular storyline resembles the acts of Uther Pendragon toward Ygraine of Cornwall. One can question whether it is actually rape, but I don’t think anyone questions that the woman was deceived. I would be interested in finding out the law on this point, but I’m sure it’s certainly nothing resembling consenting sex.
There is really only one point of interest to me in this story.
Young teenagers might wonder about the events. On the other hand, are young teenagers supposed to be reading Spider-Man these days? I know that as an older teenager, I would have had no questions about such a story line.
If the last sentence is accurate and “the scene in question was just the two characters kissing and making out on the kitchen floor and that future issues will deal with the fall out and consequences of the event.” Then it’s not rape and it’ll be dealt with.
However if more happened, it would be rape. Just as a man tricking his twin brother’s wife into having sex would be rape. I’m not saying the comic shouldn’t deal with that issue, but writer Fred Van Linte is wrong that it would not be considered rape. In this case, she would have granted consent to Peter, not Chameleon. He cannot legally act on permission given to another. The problem is not that he’s misrepresenting himself, but that he’s deliberately passing himself off as a specific person she would accept.
The rape aside (which is horrible) - I can’t believe anybody is still reading the atrocity that is Amazing Spider Man ever since Joe Quesada screwed it up with “Brand New Day.”