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[Whitesnake]

Disney bans grieving father from having Spider-Man on son's grave

Ollie Jones, 4, who died last year, was a huge fan of the superhero.

metro.co.uk

Disney bans grieving father from having Spider-Man on son's grave | M…

archived 6 Jul 2019 03:52:25 UTC

archive.is

Marvel superfan Ollie Jones, four, died from a rare genetic disorder last year and was given a Spider-Man themed funeral, featuring a horse-drawn carriage decorated in red and blue balloons. The little boy, of Maidenstone, Kent, had suffered with leukodystrophy for two years and his last holiday had been to Disneyland to meet his favourite superhero. His dad Lloyd Jones asked the council for permission to get an etching of Spider-Man on Ollie’s gravestone as he wanted the image to remind him of his son. Council officials told Lloyd to contact the Walt Disney Company, which owns the Marvel franchise.

But Disney refused to give the go-ahead because the company wanted to preserve the ‘innocence’ and ‘magic’ around its characters. The rejection email from the US-based giant instead offered the devastated family a personalised celluloid frame – effectively an action frame taken from a comic or film – showing a scene from Spider-Man, with a hand-written message to Ollie.

‘We have striven to preserve the same innocence and magic around our characters that brought Ollie such joy. ‘For that reason, we follow a policy that began with Walt Disney himself that does not permit the use of characters on headstones, cemetery or other memorial markers or funeral urns. ‘Although we cannot grant the family’s request, we would be pleased to commemorate your nephew with a hand-inked, hand-painted, personalized cel that recognises his love for Spider-Man, which will read: ‘For your ——- (nephew’s name), Thank you for letting us share in the magic of your life. Your friends at the Walt Disney Company. ‘We feel privileged to have had him as a fan. [sic]’

[ . . . ]

An online petition by Lloyd’s old school friend Michael Farrow urging Disney to change its mind has gained almost 1,900 signatures. Maidstone building firm Gallaghers has also offered to donate the headstone if permission is granted. A Maidstone Borough Council spokeswoman said they would do everything they could to help the family. She added: ‘Maidstone Borough Council is trying to help a family who have asked whether they can place a Spider-Man headstone at the grave of their young son. ‘Sadly, these types of stones have to adhere to copyright and while we understand this is a very emotional time for the family we have made contact with Marvel to ensure the family are complying with their terms and conditions.’

Spoiler: Alternate articles

Disney won't let dad put Spider-Man on son's grave to preserve its 'innocence'

DISNEY has refused permission to a grieving dad to put a picture of Spider-Man on his four-year-old son’s grave. Ollie Jones, who died from a rare genetic disease, was Spider-Man mad and his dad Ll…

www.thesun.co.uk

Disney refuses grieving father’s request to put Spider-Man on son’s tombstone

‘We can’t move on until we have his headstone done – Spider-Man was Ollie’s entire life’

www.independent.co.uk

Disney stop father putting picture of Spider-Man on son's grave

When Ollie Jones, from Maidstone in Kent, died aged four in December from a rare genetic disease his father, Lloyd Jones, had wanted to have Spider-Man watching over his son's resting place.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I’ve never had to get a tombstone, do they always have to be approved by a committee?

In any case, this seems to be another example of Disney soullessly snuffing out anything that even hints at using their brand without giving them money, even something as small and harmless as this.

Kinda weird to put Spider-Man on a tombstone, but it’s just fucked up to subtly flex your legal muscle on the greiving parents to stop them from putting Spider-Man on a tombstone.

 

[EviLore]

If they don't act to protect their IP at all times, it can set precedent that weakens their standing in other suits. Doesn't seem necessary at all here though, since the family asked for permission.

 

[kunonabi]

Innocence and magic my ass.

 

[nush]

If they don't act to protect their IP at all times, it can set precedent that weakens their standing in other suits. Doesn't seem necessary at all here though, since the family asked for permission.

Nothing would have happened if they were not required to ask by some British jobsworth.

 

[EviLore]

Nothing would have happened if they were not required to ask by some British jobsworth.

No doubt, yeah.

 

[Juke Joint Jezebel]

Preserve the innocence and magic of their characters? Fucking LOL. Does Disney even know that the death of a family member was the origin of Spidey? Lots of Marvel character backstories are far from magical or innocent. Spiderman isn't like Mickey or any of their homegrown characters.

 

[brap]

What if the kid wasn't white?

 

[Doom85]

If it was one of Walt Disney's own characters, okay fair enough, they should respect his wishes. But Spidey is Stan Lee's baby, unless Lee had a similar policy this shouldn't have been refused.

 

[CyberPanda]

What if the kid wasn't white?

He would have got it right away.

 

[ipukespiders]

"themed funeral"

WTF? This is a thing?

 

[CyberPanda]

"themed funeral"

WTF? This is a thing?

Yep. It is.

 

[ExpandKong]

Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Does whatever a spider can
Helping grieving parents mourn?
Sorry - they’ll get Disney’s scorn
Condolences!
(Just not from Spider-Man)

 

[ipukespiders]

Yep. It is.

Fuck me. I bet that shitty channel TLC gets in on the action with a show about it.

 

[CyberPanda]

Fuck me. I bet that shitty channel TLC gets in on the action with a show about it.

 

[ipukespiders]

 

[Dice]

Nothing would have happened if they were not required to ask by some British jobsworth.

 

[GreyHorace]

Preserve the innocence and magic of their characters? Fucking LOL. Does Disney even know that the death of a family member was the origin of Spidey? Lots of Marvel character backstories are far from magical or innocent. Spiderman isn't like Mickey or any of their homegrown characters.

It's like Disney reps don't have a clue about the IPs they own. Thank God Kevin Feige at least gives a shit about comics so the MCU doesn't stray far from it's roots.

Legally, Disney is doing nothing wrong by the protecting the IP. But you'd think they'd at least show some compassion for the poor kid and his family.

 

[GV82]

Boo Disney, Booo!

 

[GV82]

I was going to see Spider-Man in the Cinema, but have decided against it now.

This will not affect Disney in anyway at all of course “oh no sir you won’t pay 5 bucks for our movie how will we cope?”

I know

but meh! Show some compassion Disney dicks or at least compromise.

 

[triplestation]

Tom Holland buy some flowers and get on a plane bro

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

What if the kid wasn't white?

Checkmate atheist

 

[sol_bad]

IMO, if its something Walt Disney started, I dont think its bad that they uphold that. An original painted cel that can be framed and hung in the house is a nice gesture if you ask me.

 

[Dacon]

Fucking Stan Lee is raging from the afterlife, I can fucking feel it.

Where is the goddamn media outrage about this?

 

[Dacon]

Where was the goddamn desire to fucking preserve the "innocence and magic" of Spider-Man when he literally ripped a bitch's face off in the comics? Sold his marriage to the devil to bring his dying Aunt back? Ate Aunt May in marvel zombies? When Norman Osborn fucked Gwen while she was dating Peter?

OR WHEN THIS SHIT HAPPENED:

But no we draw the line at an etching on the grave of a child fan? Fucking Disney sucks asshair. Granted a lot of this shit happened before Disney bought Marvel, but they still sell these fucking books, so ?????.

 

[sol_bad]

Fucking Stan Lee is raging from the afterlife, I can fucking feel it.

Where is the goddamn media outrage about this?

Don't speak for Stan Lee.
Marvel have been around for decades, millions of fans, thousands of kid fans, some probably died as kids. This scenario has probably come up many times even before Disney bought Marvel. I doubt there are any grave stones out there with famous characters let alone Disney/Marvel characters.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Fucking Stan Lee is raging from the afterlife, I can fucking feel it.

Jack Kirby would tell you different.

RIP Jack.

 

[5secondrulesucks]

why are they going by walt disneys rulings. mother fucker was a nazi

 

[JordanN]

Disney prefers to have Spiderman associated with abortions.

 

[Dacon]

Don't speak for Stan Lee.

I didn't, and I don't believe he would approve of this, but hey thanks for your worthless reply to my post. Glad you addressed the major point there.

 

[sol_bad]

I didn't, and I don't believe he would approve of this, but hey thanks for your worthless reply to my post. Glad you addressed the major point there.

The major point is that I doubt any corporate company would allow their characters on grave stones.

 

[brap]

Don't speak for Stan Lee.
Marvel have been around for decades, millions of fans, thousands of kid fans, some probably died as kids. This scenario has probably come up many times even before Disney bought Marvel. I doubt there are any grave stones out there with famous characters let alone Disney/Marvel characters.

Stan Lee is raging at this post.

 

[Dacon]

The major point is that I doubt any corporate company would allow their characters on grave stones.

Marvel Gives The OK For Iron Man To Be Put On Gravestone Of Young Fan, Parents Say

Ollie Gardiner died last November at the age of 13 after a battle with cancer.

www.huffpost.com

 

[xrnzaaas]

"themed funeral"

WTF? This is a thing?

Every country or a community has its quirks when it comes to organizing funerals and themed ones aren't even close to the weirdest ones.

Personally I don't have a problem with it if it's about what the deceased loved doing.

 

[nbcjr]

I don't embrace disney's position, but I think the celuloid is much better then having spider in the tombstone.

 

[sol_bad]

Marvel Gives The OK For Iron Man To Be Put On Gravestone Of Young Fan, Parents Say

Ollie Gardiner died last November at the age of 13 after a battle with cancer.

www.huffpost.com

I stand corrected, his grave stone looks good too. I wonder why this was approved. This is Marvel under Disney. Maybe they should write to Marvel instead of Disney?

 

[Tesseract]

you really don't wanna open up that box

 

[brap]

you really don't wanna open up that box

No shit there's a dead child inside

 

[petran79]

No need to contact them in the first place. Would have been bad pr for them later, were they to remove the tombstone anyway

 

[slugbahr]

Go suck a bag of dicks, Disney.

 

[Grinchy]

Wait, so why was the dad asking permission from this council to do this in the first place? Do people in parts of England have to appear before a council to get their tombstones approved?

 

[SidViscous]

Oh shit, I invited the entire country bear jamboree to play at my funeral.

 

[slugbahr]

Also...
I would've thought that the father wrote the request to Disney, but the responses refers to the poor dead kid (RIP) as the nephew.
Either an aunt/uncle wrote to Disney, the article quoted them incorrectly, or Disney can suck another bag of dicks.

 

[Jaxx_377]

Fuck em, Just wait a month and have someone go out there with a little handheld grinder and do it anyways!

 

[Tesseract]

sorry i meant to write more but my apex queue popped and i had to go

i meant to say you don't want your graveyards taken over by coca cola and shit, bla bla

 

[Stitch]

Tom Holland buy some flowers and get on a plane bro

Getting more LGBTQ+ characters into the MCU is more important for him

 

[Torrent of Pork]

Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Does whatever a spider can
Helping grieving parents mourn?
Sorry - they’ll get Disney’s scorn
Condolences!
(Just not from Spider-Man)

Goddamnit, I shouldn't laugh given the topic of this thread.

 

[nkarafo]

While Disney is being a dick about this i still don't know why a Spiderman tombstone was so necessary? These things (toys, balloons, colorful themed stuff) are supposed to make kids feel better while in the hospital. There they make sense and if Disney didn't allow, say, a Spiderman cosplayer to cheer up the kid i would be furious.

But the kid is dead now, he is not going to enjoy the presence or be upset about the absence of his favorite hero.

 

[synchronicity]

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Ok. Good for Disney saving these people from their own stupidity.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

Oddly enough Jesus or God or the myriad of religious figures are not copyrighted and you won’t be sued by the church for putting a cross of something in your religious ceremony.

A funeral is a social ritual, it is not just for the people involved, but for their friends and family. Same with weddings it’s as much about giving your religious aunt a good experience as it is about fulfilling your ego.

Themed funeral is fine but carving this corporate nonesens onto a tombstone for all time is very stupid. What a dumb fucking culture we live in.