Why are DC's minority character's lagging behind Marvel's?

[The Darknight Detective]

Ahh...

+ @The Darknight Detective ahh...

I forget that some things can openly exist in usa under freedom of speech (or whatever the law is) that are illegal in the UK and are strictly underground.

I personally prefer things to be out in the open, so you know who the jackasses are.

[iron chimp]

I personally prefer things to be out in the open, so you know who the jackasses are.

Well yes there is that. Trouble is when things like that are out in the open in Europe who knows whats going to happen next hence the policy is to try and stamp it out as soon as it appears.

[The Darknight Detective]

Well yes there is that. Trouble is when things like that are out in the open in Europe who knows whats going to happen next hence the policy is to try and stamp it out as soon as it appears.

Well, since I don't think like a Nazi or a racist, it's not going to bother me either way.

[iron chimp]

Well, since I don't think like a Nazi or a racist, it's not going to bother me either way.

I know what you mean but this was maddison square garden in 1939




There is a point at which it is going to be a bother!

[skyvolt2000]

Well the point of Shade is that s/he can be anyone. Shade's been everything from in the body of a serial killer to a man, a woman, and even a dance floor.

In my defense Shade the Changling Girl & Woman is the first time I read that character.
I have tried to find the old Vertigo series and so far bought issue 1.

Apart from the fact it was the Russians who got to Berlin first why would that image piss any one off? Im not saying it wouldnt, im just struggling to see what the issue would be.

It's a BLACK GUY doing it. It's one thing for Bugs Bunny or Cap America or Mickey Mouse or Peter Griffin doing it. A Black Guy-that is a magnet for those trolls to come out fighting.

And don't be shocked if some of the fit throwers are the same guys who don't like pics of women drinking milkshakes, A woman asking for more diverse reporters, black storm trooper or a black comic book creator making a book about black folks only gaining superpowers.

Clowns in comment sections, the same people had an issue with Superman smashes the Klan.

A book they NEVER read but threw fits over the titles, covers, previews and creative teams.

See Gotham High. The biggest trigger was not the fact Bruce Wayne was Asian but Daddy Wayne got his money from his WIFE'S family.
"Better than Robin" comment that started the Duke Thomas hate. That has now died down.
Don't get me started on CHampions #25. The book that was suppose to denounce the NRA and never did.

[Robotman]

There's always been people who get angry when comics stands up to racism and fascism. Jack Kirby and Joe Simon received death threats from American Nazi supporters when they portrayed Captain America punching Hitler.

As Mark Evanier describes in his biography Kirby: King of Comics, “…Jack took a call. A voice on the other end said, ‘There are three of us down here in the lobby. We want to see the guy who does this disgusting comic book and show him what real Nazis would do to his Captain America’. To the horror of others in the office, Kirby rolled up his sleeves and headed downstairs. The callers, however, were gone by the time he arrived.”

another incident:

Kirby told an interviewer, ‘I once got a letter from a Nazi who told me to pick out any lamppost I wanted on Times Square, because when Hitler arrived, they’d hang me from it.

Stan Lee and Kirby got a ton of hate mail when they introduced Black Panther. So there will always be racist assholes getting angry about these types of things. But take a lesson from The King. Roll up your sleeves and take the fight to them (though Kirby literally fought Nazis in WWII as an Army scout). It's probably a big reason why Marvel was the first to have more diversity in their comic book universe. Kirby (and Lee) didn't care who they offended. They knew they were on the right side of history.

[iron chimp]

In my defense Shade the Changling Girl & Woman is the first time I read that character.
I have tried to find the old Vertigo series and so far bought issue 1.



It's a BLACK GUY doing it. It's one thing for Bugs Bunny or Cap America or Mickey Mouse or Peter Griffin doing it. A Black Guy-that is a magnet for those trolls to come out fighting.

And don't be shocked if some of the fit throwers are the same guys who don't like pics of women drinking milkshakes, A woman asking for more diverse reporters, black storm trooper or a black comic book creator making a book about black folks only gaining superpowers.



A book they NEVER read but threw fits over the titles, covers, previews and creative teams.

See Gotham High. The biggest trigger was not the fact Bruce Wayne was Asian but Daddy Wayne got his money from his WIFE'S family.
"Better than Robin" comment that started the Duke Thomas hate. That has now died down.
Don't get me started on CHampions #25. The book that was suppose to denounce the NRA and never did.

I rate the Vertigo run very highly but i seem to be in a minority of one. Peter Milligan is def not for everyone but i found the first 20 something issues to be absolute brain melt. Theres some really harrowing stories - its not a 'fun' book at all but its very trippy and unusual. Chris Bachalo on fire in that run too. But thats just me - most people seem nonplussed by it.

[Agent Z]

I think DC needs more POC characters that are larger than life. Black Lightning is cool but he'll always be seen as a "street level" hero in the same territory as Green Arrow, Katana, etc. They need a character like Icon who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Superman and Woman Woman. Yeah, John Stewart hangs out with the super strong meta humans but all the GLs will always be jockying for position with one another and fans will always argue over who the true Green Lantern is or which one should be on the Justice League.

Tom Taylor just posted something about his next project that makes me very excited!




Amazing Man has a ton of potential! The fact that Taylor seems to be going with Roy Thomas' idea of starting him out in the 1940s along side the All Star Squadron. That Amazing Man also marched with MLK during the Civil Rights movement. Amazing Man could be huge and very culturally significant if done right.

Black Lightning is only street level in his own solo books like with Batman who mostly deals with human or low powered enemies when not with the League.

[Samm]

4 years later... are things the same or have they improved!? John Stewart seems to be getting built up and focused on again, Black Adam, Blue Beetle and Static are getting DCEU films. Jessica is still going strong and Yara Flor seems to have taken off! On the other hand Cyborg’s push seems to have ended, Katana doesn’t seem to be appearing as much and DC seems to be giving Batman and Family a million books, while several characters remain in limbo

[Agent Z]

4 years later... are things the same or have they improved!? John Stewart seems to be getting built up and focused on again, Black Adam, Blue Beetle and Static are getting DCEU films. Jessica is still going strong and Yara Flor seems to have taken off! On the other hand Cyborg’s push seems to have ended, Katana doesn’t seem to be appearing as much and DC seems to be giving Batman and Family a million books, while several characters remain in limbo

Katana was recently in The Other History of the DC Universe and was used in Future State. DC also put out an anthology book focusing on their Asian heroes and they created a new Asian hero in the form of the Monkey King. Characters remaining in limbo is just the way of ongoing superhero universes and this applies to Marvel as well.

[Robanker]

4 years later... are things the same or have they improved!? John Stewart seems to be getting built up and focused on again, Black Adam, Blue Beetle and Static are getting DCEU films. Jessica is still going strong and Yara Flor seems to have taken off! On the other hand Cyborg’s push seems to have ended, Katana doesn’t seem to be appearing as much and DC seems to be giving Batman and Family a million books, while several characters remain in limbo

For the whole publishing line? It's a wash. For every Blue and Gold, we have no Aquaman or Green Arrow.

But in terms of diversity, they're certainly making a more concentrated push, though I do admit it seems their focus is primarily on Black characters at this moment. I can't think of many titles starring an Asian or Latino lead (save for Wonder Girl). I'm sure if they get called out for not being diverse enough, they'll fall back on the mainstream comic industry ol' chestnut of revealing a female character is bisexual to hope it appeases everyone.

[Redjack]

For the whole publishing line? It's a wash. For every Blue and Gold, we have no Aquaman or Green Arrow.

But in terms of diversity, they're certainly making a more concentrated push, though I do admit it seems their focus is primarily on Black characters at this moment. I can't think of many titles starring an Asian or Latino lead (save for Wonder Girl). I'm sure if they get called out for not being diverse enough, they'll fall back on the mainstream comic industry ol' chestnut of revealing a female character is bisexual to hope it appeases everyone.

Green Lantern is currently starring

1 Black American man
1 Black American woman
1 Lebanese American man
1 Bolivian tween girl

and will do for the rest of the year, minimum.

[abetterday]

I would like to see a Black, African or African American hero with a unique powerset like Cyborg headline his own title, team and legacy characters. Currently DC's black superheroes are all under the shadow of the originals. they are all legacy heroes. Why not create a new Black, African or African American hero with a unique powerset that can start their own legacy with their own legacy characters?

[Robanker]

Green Lantern is currently starring

1 Black American man
1 Black American woman
1 Lebanese American man
1 Bolivian tween girl

and will do for the rest of the year, minimum.

I'm enjoying Green Lantern a lot, and while everything you say is true, at least the perception is that's John's book with the other lanterns as co-stars.

I don't know if too many books where the primary star is an Asian or Latino person sans Wonder Girl with Yara Flor. It's very possible I'm forgetting a book or two, but I don't know of any others off the top of my head and that's the issue. In terms of LGBTQ+, I think only Diana, Harley and Catwoman currently have books, and frankly only Harley has been historically allowed to represent her orientation on-panel for more than an issue or two in several decades (not counting Elseworlds like Bombshells where all the women are pretty much bi if not lesbians).

I'm loving your GL run and am glad you're committed to making a change, but overall DC is coming up a little short for representation.

Make no mistake, it does appear to be getting better (the specials they did for Asian and LGBTQ+ are great) but if they're not followed up on, it doesn't really amount to much for readers looking for more diversity.

We're all but confirmed to be getting another Outsiders lead by Black Lightning and Katana. Alan is a primary character in Infinite Frontier. We're getting Wonder Girl. It's getting better to be sure, but nevertheless the issue persists.

[Aahz]

I would like to see a Black, African or African American hero with a unique powerset like Cyborg headline his own title, team and legacy characters. Currently DC's black superheroes are all under the shadow of the originals. they are all legacy heroes. Why not create a new Black, African or African American hero with a unique powerset that can start their own legacy with their own legacy characters?

Short answer chances in comics for completely new character without any connection to one of the established franchises to succeed are unfortuantly very low.

I might be wrong but I think the last time DC had a completely original character with a somewhat long running solo book was Hitman, and that character was created in 1993.

I'm not sure how it looks for Marvel, but I doubt that it is much better.