The Four Color Media Monitor

Here's another strong clue that Marvel's not letting go of their social justice angle so easily. They're launching a project for youngsters (cartoons and toys) that includes at least a few of the "diverse" figures they first introduced in the pages of their comics from the past few years:

The short-form animated series will begin this fall, with each three-and-a-half-minute episode teaming Spider-Man with another Marvel hero to teach the benefits of friendship, co-operation and heroism. Characters set to appear in the first 10-episode run include Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Black Panther and Ms. Marvel. (Both the specific launch date and platforms on which the series will appear are to be announced at a later date.)

The animated series will be accompanied by a number of early reader chapter books from Marvel Press, beginning this month with Deck the Malls!, a team-up between Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen — the Gwen Stacy of an alternate reality, who also has spider powers; don't ask — written by MacKenzie Cadenhead and Sean Ryan, with art by Derek Laufman. Three more chapter books are scheduled for the initial wave of the campaign, which continues through 2018.

Cunningly concealed in that news report, despite what the promo picture shows, is that, as noted in an earlier news item, they're relying on the Muslim Ms. Marvel to serve as THE Ms. Marvel of their choice (and it doesn't look like Kitty Pryde and Firestar will be in this, even though their backgrounds are more tasteful and have no serious politics behind their creation), not the real one, who is Carol Danvers. Though she appears to be among the cast, it's in the forced role of Captain Marvel, which wasn't necessary. And it looks like Miles Morales, their black/Latino take on Spider-Man from the old Ultimate line, will be in the cast as well. Why, what are the odds the new Wasp character they introduced recently will be cast instead of Janet VanDyne?

Additionally, the property will launch a line of Super Hero Adventures-inspired merchandise in October, during "Marvel Mania," a coordinated push of the Marvel brand among retailers, such as Target, Walmart and Toys-R-Us. A number of manufacturers will be producing Super Hero Adventures products, including Hasbro, Jakks Pacific, Jay Franco and Mad Engine. The program is already scheduled to expand in spring 2018.

If they've been manufacturing toys based on a character who's been created as an Islamist, then no self-respecting parent should buy those for their children. It's getting to the point where I'd say this is another reason why I find it frustrating when merchandise overshadows the comics proper, because the zygote's no longer seen by the companies as the important part storywise, save for propaganda purposes.

The IO9/Gizmodo site is predictably fawning over this:

It’s a smart idea, especially as currently Marvel’s childrens-focused output is pretty lacking. The movies are relatively family friendly, sure, but its current cartoons for a younger audience are still aimed older kids, and while there’s excellent all-ages comics out there like Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, or Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, most of Marvel’s output is for a decidedly more mature audience. [...]

And they don't want them to change that? Hmm, figures. All that obsession with aiming for older audiences to the max is exactly what hurt their flagship lines, and phonies like these did nothing to protest. A special line aimed at children isn't going to change anything, and their staff doesn't seem very talented at marketing/promoting what they got now.

On which note, any self-respecting parents who realize they could be injecting Islamic propaganda, for example, won't want their children watching these cartoon shorts (and why does Gizmodo think short items are great? Maybe because that's where stealth propaganda works best?), and their assertion the idea is "smart" only smacks of emptiness. I'm not sure why they think the Marvel movies are literally family friendly either, when the first Spider-Man film had attempted rapists featured, and the Avengers movie had Black Widow deal with sterilization. That's not exactly what I consider family friendly, in all honesty.

SyFy Wire also said:

...Specific toys haven't been announced, but with companies like Hasbro, Jakks Pacific, Jay Franco, and Mad Engine on board, it seems safe to assume action figures, vehicles, bedroom decor, and clothing are all in the cards.

I wouldn't count on any Muslim propaganda toys to sell well though. I do think it's a shame Marvel's modern staff have so much contempt for their very own creations like Kamala Khan, they'd saddle them with awful characteristics.

It's certainly interesting though, that the real, male Thor appears to be the protagonist they've chosen for the cast, as is Steve Rogers as the Star-Spangled Avenger. But the characters representing their PC diversity push are clearly still present, instead of relying on Luke Cage, Storm, Misty Knight, Firebird, Sunfire and Sunspot. Even Monica Rambeau in either her guise as the 2nd Capt. Marvel or Photon would've been a better choice.

Interesting that they thought to include Spider-Gwen, the character based on none other than Gwen Stacy, whom some animators in the past didn't want to use because they thought the kid audience would be discouraged if they knew the template had been rubbed out by the Green Goblin in 1973. But it doesn't counteract the bad taste left by the likely Islamic propaganda that could turn up in these upcoming cartoon shorts.

Labels: animation, Captain America, islam and jihad, licensed products, marvel comics, msm propaganda, politics, Spider-Man, Thor, women of marvel