What about all the black and hispanic people that don't like it? Closet-
self-loathers??
That insult has been lobbed in my direction when I have mentioned that
I don't care for changing the race or gender of a character as a gimmick,
and would prefer instead to see more original representations of
people of Color in comics.

I'd argue that Bruce Banner is the Hulk, too. And, of course, Thor is Thor.
I'm really stuck in the past because to me Don Blake should
be Thor!

Then the presenter asked him about the Pyramids. The Klansman said "I
don't know where you studied your geography but the Pyramids are in
Egypt"! The presenter said "Yes, but Egypt is in Africa!"
I got into trouble for having a very similar exchange with a teacher back
when I was a kid.

What I want to see? A new non-white character - heck, even an existing
but recent character like Static Shock - given a really big push in toys,
cartoons, comics, TV series, and movies.
Static would have been perfect for this. The first eight issues of his
original series were great, and the cartoon consistently won its time slot,
even though it was moved around a bit. According to Dwayne McDuffie, It
was a lack of toys and other merchandise that led to its cancellation.

A well-drawn, well-written Static comic book could be successful, but the
book would need a talented creative team committed to staying on board
for a while, and DC's commitment to support it even if it doesn't do the
same numbers as their bigger, more well-known characters.
Unfortunately, so far I haven't seen anything about the upcoming Static
series that inspires that sort of confidence.

Wasn't Tim Drake about 13 when he became Robin?  He had a comparatively successful solo title.

Maybe it's because I'm a parent of newly minted teenager, but I would have no problem whatsoever buying a good-natured, adolescent-friendly comic about a pre-driver's license age adventurer.  He can't drive a car, but he can webswing thru the city (for example).  Will it be this new Spider-Man book?  No.  Not for me.

Even if you are right and there is 0 interest in a comic about an early teenger (and I think there is), why wouldn't the comic industry make some effort to create that audience among that age group (and parents) with a developed story & character, rather than a short-term publicity stunt?

JK Rowling did an amazing job luring adolescents and parents alike into the Harry Potter world.  How old was HP when those stories began? You're telling me that comics can't do the same? 

••

Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake were both identified as 16, one in a letter col, one in the actual story, which I think is about the youngest of any Silver Age Marvel characters. Spider-Man is a bit trickier to nail down, as (contrary to what some people seem to think) quite a a bit of time elapses in that first story in AMAZING FANTASY 15. Possible as much as a couple of years. And, as Roger Stern was wont to point out, as the wunderkind portrayed in the book, it was logical to assume Parkers was several grades ahead of where he would normally be, adding to his role as an outcast and loner.

Going to earlier days, Captain America's kid partner, Bucky, was probably younger than 13 when he first appeared.

••

Comics are neither read nor bought, unfortunately, by the same people who bought the early Harry Potter books. They SHOULD be, but they aren't.