Carlos Morales
Marvel revises Amazing Spider-Man artwork in light of possible anti-Mormon imagery.
Earlier this week Marvel comics came forward and announce that they would update artwork in the most recent issue of Spider-Man that has an image of anti-Mormon book CES Letter.
The scene in question can be found in Amazing Spider-Man #4 is written by Nick Spencer, drawn by Ryan Ottley. inked by Cliff Rathburn, colors by Laura Martin, and letters by VC’s Joe Caramagna. The official description of the issue is “Someone is out there impersonating Peter Parker! Is it the Chameleon? An LMD? Ultimate Peter Parker making his Marvel U debut? Think again, True Believer!” and the panel that is causing the problem has Spidey with a number of endorsement logos on his classic costume. One of these patches has the words CES Letter, which was a reference to a book of the same name that is written by ex-Mormon Jeremy Runnells in which he explores what Runnells calls the “troubling origins, history and practices” of his past Mormon faith.
The logo and all other patches have been replaced. From this point forward uses of the artwork, digital release, reprinting, and all collected editions will feature updated art that has removed the book reference. “I’ve spoken with Marvel about my recent artwork, and I have no animosity toward members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Ryan Ottley said in a interview with THR “My entire family are members, as are many of my friends, and I would never include anything mean-spirited about them or their beliefs. The reference was in regards to a subject I am interested in and a personal decision I made in my life. It has nothing to do with the character, the story or Marvel.”
Marvel has also released a statement with the Hollywood reporter “As a policy, Marvel does not permit hidden controversial messages in its artwork.” This doesn’t come as a surprise from Marvel after the controversies of X-Men Gold #1 back in June of 2017 when Indonesian artist Ardian Syaf says he inserted Islamist and antisemitic hidden references into the issue about the election of the governor of Indonesia’s capital Jakarta and subsequently got himself fired.
The current digital version of The Amazing Spider-Man #4 already features the new artwork, with a second edition of the print version to be released Sept. 19. The following issue of the series will be released digitally and in print Sept. 12.