Marvel's Axel Alonso Dishes On Latina 'Spider-Girl'

By Michael Lopez

Being part-Mexican himself, it's easy to see why Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso has worked to include more diversity into his comics. And recently he discussed the latest niche he's hoping to fill: superhero Latinas. Talking with Fox News Latino, Alonso offered some tidbits on the Hispanic web slinger, Spider-Girl.

"[Spider-Girl has] evolved to the point where she was ready to put on the tights…and become part of a larger event of the Marvel Universe," Alonso stated. "What you have here in Anya is someone who’s ready to become a prominent Latino character in the Marvel Universe."

Anya, in case you're wondering, is short for Anya Corazón, the secret identity of Spider-Girl. A half-Mexican, half-Puerto Rican New Yorker, she was first introduced into the comic book world back in 2004. Like her famous male counterpart, she's able to climb walls and swing from buildings.

The only problem so far is, Spider-Girl hasn't quite caught on with the comic loving audience. Though Alonso and his predecessor Joe Quesada offered some great storylines for Anya, readership hasn't quite reached the levels they had hoped. Alonso believes it's because fans have a tough time accepting new characters.

"What it comes down to, and let's be honest, it's difficult to create anyone new who has long-term length. That’s just a fact," Axel explained. "You don't just create lightning in a bottle. When you create a character that’s of different ethnicity than your standard characters, there are a lot of challenges."

Perhaps if they turned Spider-Girl into a full-fledged movie (and cast a sexy Latina in the lead role), it could help stir up some interest.

Have you read any of the Spider-Girl comics? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Anya Corazón, Axel Alonso, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Comics, Cultura, Marvel, Spider Man, Spider-Girl