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Forum namePass The Popcorn
Topic subjectRE: not to backpedal on my previous post
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=6&topic_id=187952&mesg_id=188569
188569, RE: not to backpedal on my previous post
Posted by buckshot defunct, Tue Jun-06-06 10:14 PM
>While to an extent its true that white writers don't have any
>sort of overt racist agenda in their works, the absence of
>minority characters until creating criminals does say a lot
>about their thinking.

Oh definitely. But... I don't think it necessarily means they perceive black people as criminals. I think it was something more general, like having a black character was 'edgy' and sort of outside the norm. The criminal angle can sort of be a metaphor for these characters being 'outsiders'. Which isn't much of an excuse really, since it makes it both offensive *and* corny. But I think it's important to draw a line between bad writing and racist writing.

>I think its more likely that the idea of making a minority
>heroes didn't occur to him unless he was going to make the
>fact that he was a minority the focus of the book. Hence the
>Black Panther.

Maybe so. Stan's never been one for subtlety.

Plus you gotta remember how iffy the printing was in the 60's. Sometimes the Hulk was gray, sometimes he was green. It was really a crap shoot back then. Maybe putting 'Black' right there in the title was their way of telling the printer 'don't make T'Challa look too orange'

Another thing to remember is that a LOT of these characters were one dimensional and gimmicky, regardless of race. BUT... It's one thing to be the guy who can ignite himself into flames. When your hook is also your race, well...

>I've seen a general damned if you do, damned if you don't
>sentiment when writers speak on creating black heroes.

Yep. Still not sure how I feel about that sentiment.

>I gotta disagree with the idea that minority fans are less
>likley when there's less minority heroes. The fact of being a
>minority means that you're going to be immersed in
>representations of the majority population. That goes for
>comics, tv, and movies. I'd say its the majority that has the
>problem of relating to the minority.

Yeah, definitely. A lot of people don't stop to consider that the racial communication gap isn't such a two way street. But for some reason I perceive the sci-fi/comics worlds as a little different, though, since nobody's really *immersed* in those. That's kind of a fringe/counterculture thing you gotta seek out for yourself. It's like the difference between American Idol and Battlestar Galactica or something. One of them is shoved down EVERYONE's throat, the other will leave most people scratching their heads regardless of their ethnic background.

I've never known anyone to not read Superman strictly because he's a white dude, but the comic book/sci-fi culture in general isn't the most inviting thing in the world.