Remember that time back in 2010 when the internet exploded and everyone was yelling about Donald Glover playing Spider-Man? To refresh your memory, Community and Mystery Team star, and Childish Gambino alter ego, comedian Donald Glover was rumored (well, “tumblr” rumored) to play Spider-Man in the (then) new reboot The Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield. While Glover wasn’t recast in Garfield’s stead, he was cast as the voice of Miles Morales in Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors.
As Glover points out in his stand-up, half the internet supported the idea to make the new films dark and edgy, possibly like Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, while the other half couldn’t stand to see an African-American Spider-Man. To which Glover responded that Spidey could be anyone of any race, creed, gender or color.
Glover’s life somewhat parallels that of the webcrawler himself. Glover and his family were not wealthy, much like Peter Parker’s, and his parents ran a foster home. “Spider-Man is the best because you just don’t know who he is, and he’s funny and he’s poor,” Glover said. “I understand Spider-Man a lot on that level. He’s just trying to make it.”
So why wasn’t Donald given the role of Spider-Man? Who knows. But what he got in return is amazing: the exposure to an entirely new audience. Glover shines as a comedian, and his ability to bring humor to Disney XD’s Ultimate Spider-Man as the young Miles Morales will surely captivate young and old viewers.
Spider-Man’s alter ego Miles Morales first premiered in 2011 in Ultimate Fallout #4, written by Michael Bendis and art by Sara Pichelli. Bendis and Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso stated that Morales was inspired by both U.S. President Barack Obama and Donald Glover himself. Glover’s episode as Miles Morales will air next year, but Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors will premier this Sunday, August 31, on Disney XD. Huzzah! #donald4spiderman is a success.
(On another note, can we please get #donald4lando rolling. Who wouldn’t want to see Donald as Billy Dee’s kid in Episode VII.)
