7 Aug 2011

New version of Spider-Man

8:19 am on 7 August 2011

Marvel Comics in the United States has unveiled a new version of Spider-Man.

Its new super hero is a black Latino. He replaces Peter Parker who was white.

The BBC reports Miles Morales, introduced in Marvel's Ultimate Fallout Issue 4, is a nerdy teenager from New York City.

Marvel editor in chief Axel Alonso said the new web-slinger "speaks to our rich cultural heritage" in the US.

Peter Parker died in Ultimate Spider-Man Issue 160 in June during a fight with his bitter enemy, Green Goblin.

Like Parker, Morales is a geeky, working-class teenager from the boroughs of New York City.

He lives in Brooklyn with his black and Latino parents, at least when he's not in his famous red and blue costume, battling evil.

Parker was white and raised by his aunt and uncle in a mainly white neighbourhood in Queens.