Internet gets mad about cartoon characters again

Making variants of popular toys and characters certainly isn’t new, but we’ve got two today that are causing some level of consternation on the internet… because hey, what else is the internet for if not becoming outraged about something that’s ultimately meaningless?

The first entry comes in from Disney, who perhaps are overcorrecting after the overblown “scandal” last year regarding lowering Merida’s neckline by a half an inch, thus transforming her from a female empowerment figurehead into a porn star. Or something like that. Anyway, Disney isn’t making that mistake again so they are starting with a character already in a swimsuit and making a modification that in theory makes her smarter. Thus we present to you, “Nerd Ariel”:

I dunno, feels more like hipster Ariel than nerd Ariel, but why not. It’s $40 on Amazon, so go crazy. Apparently though this is trivializing women studies and intelligence because… well, there’s some reason. Isn’t it just possible that this is a set of glasses Ariel picked up in her hoarding collection and started wearing around thinking it’s some kind of underwater windshield for her face? Anyway, it’s got some people upset.

Fortunately for Disney, it’s not nearly as outrageous as IDW and the Cartoon Network, who commissioned a special cover for the latest comic book issue of kid-based (although heavily tongue in cheek for adults) property The Powerpuff Girls.

Perhaps not wanting to provide fuel to the fire that somehow transformed My Little Pony into a strange grown-man sex thing, fans were quick to get angry about this cover:

Now in fairness, this has a pretty strong underage vibe to it that does feel somewhat creepy. What’s interesting is that there wasn’t much outrage over this cover:

…which feels just as pervy to me, although I suppose it doesn’t have a giant monkey staring up the skirt of one of the girls. Anyway, it’s got some people pretty pissed off and calling for boycotts and changes and the usual assortment of things that happen when you live in a first world country with no concerns about things like explosions, rebel uprisings and finding food.