Marvel Studios has been mocked and criticised since introducing their first non-binary superheroes to their franchise, but it’s not just conservatives and Christians who are taking issue.
The new characters, named ‘Snowflake’ and ‘Safespace’ were introduced earlier this month and are part of a planned New Warriors reboot.
Daniel Kibblesmith from Marvel said, “Snowflake and Safespace are the twins, and their names are very similar to Screentime [another new character]; it’s the idea that these are terms that get thrown around on the internet they don’t see as derogatory.”
“[They] take those words and kind of wear them as badges of honor.”
“Safespace is a big, burly, sort of stereotypical jock. He can create forcefields, but he can only trigger them if he’s protecting somebody else.
“Snowflake is non-binary and goes by they/them, and has the power to generate individual crystallised snowflake-shaped shurikens,” Kibblesmith went on to say.
“The connotations of the word ‘snowflake’ in our culture right now are something fragile, and this is a character who is turning it into something sharp.
“Snowflake is a person who has the more offensive power, and Safespace is the person who has the more defensive power. The idea is that they would mirror each other and complement each other.”
Marvel’s goal in creating the new characters was to make the franchise more diverse and offer a wider representation of their fanbase.
But the move seems to have backfired for Marvel, with black and LGBTQ fans slamming the creators for the “derogatory” characters and “offensive” names.
as a black nonbinary creator this is extremely tone deaf and ugly. "Snowflake" "safespace" are you deadass
Hire black nonbinary creators instead of cis white folks thanks https://t.co/NXFuToiOt1
— commissions in progress 💖 (@yakfrost) March 18, 2020
"tone deaf" was exactly the phrase i was looking for when i was trying to describe how i felt about this
— tree @ potpourri isle #acnhspoilers (@voiletree) March 18, 2020
And there could have been SO many other non-binary names to go for their super powers!
Schnee (German for snow), Guardian.
Frost, Protector
SO many other names, and looks that won't piss everyone off.
This is Corporate Suicide. They clearly want to go bankrupt.— Hokori🏳️🌈Casey🦇Koumori12 (@HokoriKoumori12) March 19, 2020
The reaction to the new Marvel characters "Snowflake" and "Safespace" pic.twitter.com/AvYN2tTrSC
— This Is A Nighteye Fan Account (@BlazikenWreckMe) March 18, 2020
I thought this was a joke but it's real?? I don't think this is the progressive move Marvel thinks it is…. They said the characters are reclaiming the terms 🙄
Safespace literally creates forcefields of protection and snowflake is more "offensive" and creates throwing stars https://t.co/Wdjeek2szE
— 🌌 Space Bitch Selene 🌌 (@_selenejade) March 19, 2020
hey @Marvel hire me to write nb characters who aren’t embarassingly stupid and offensive like “snowflake” and “safespace” pic.twitter.com/jy8tc7peMd
— juan less bell to answer (@woahitsjuanito) March 18, 2020
Bat-guano insanity ftw.
"Snowflake is NB and has the pronouns they/them. …Snowflake has the more offensive power, Safespace has the defensive power…"
All said in complete seriousness. Marvel clearly wants to destroy what remains of its fanbase. 🤦♀️ https://t.co/fn7BI46ifT
— Anna Ellis (@annaellis_net) March 18, 2020
Marvel seriously named a non-binary Black teen (written by a white cishet man) "Snowflake." And their twin brother is a pink-wearing Black boy named Safespace. 😑
Seriously, Marvel?https://t.co/wkvKvr0dQN
— LA Knight🐈(🤓🏳️🌈❤💜💙📚🧚🏼🦇🤧🥄) (@LA_Knight89) March 19, 2020
