Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said on Wednesday that they would remove the comic book “Memin Pinguin” from its shelves after receiving complaints the popular Mexican character was a racist depiction of blacks, Reuters reported.

The main character, Meimin Pinguin who originally was created by Alberto Cabrera in 1943 and later drawn by Sixto Valencia Burgos is a black Cuban-Mexican boy with dark skin, thick lips, large eyes and exaggerated years. All these exaggerate features were seen by some as a reinforcement of negative stereotypes of black people.

“This is absolutely insensitive toward race, in particular the African-American culture, and also people of color,” Houston community activist Quannel X told CNN. “This is poking fun at the physical features of an entire people.” Quannel X called the comic book “a disgrace,” saying it portrayed Mamin’s mother with huge ethnic lips, “making him look like a big gorilla and him like a little monkey.”

As a response, Wal-Mart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez told Reuters they apologize for the customers who were offended by the images of the book. “However, given the sensitivities to the negative image Memin can convey to some we felt that it was best to no longer carry the item in our stores,” Lorenzo Lopez said.

On the other hand, for many Mexicans, the character is a lovable one and they found the criticism from Unites States officials.

In June 2005, the Mexican Postal Services issued a series of stamps featuring the character of Memin. The accusations of racism and the scandal around these accusations, spurred the interest in the stamps which were offered in Internet auction sites. 750,000 copies of the full edition were sold in a few days. Mexican collectors and intellectuals bought the stamps and denounced the criticism from United States officials as an attack to Mexico.