Is Marvel's "Minority"/PC Month trying too hard?

[Conway]

That's the whole thing though. It's the same thing with the tea party. Straight white people men especially see minorities taking a bigger role in things so the rail against it. Same thing here. Mainstream superhero comics have been dominated by straight white males, now that there is a move to change that people rail against it. To some it is taking skin or whatever as they feel they are losing power and influence (privilege).

See there it is again. My issue isn't with any of the changes. I use "minority" in quotes because females make up half of the planet, and white males are nowhere near a "majority".

My problem is that this is marketing or management interfering with characters because they want it to appear like they are more diverse. The idea to make Thor female (give the powers to Angela) isn't organic to the story it's an attempt to make it look like they have more females in higher positions. Making Sam Cap doesn't add anything to the story, but it isn't a detraction from it, it's simply a marketing ploy to show that they care for the black characters they dropped when Quesada took over. And announcing it on The View and Colbert isn't an attempt to get more readers it's an attempt to assuage the people that are likely to criticize them for not doing it.

Giving female and ethnic characters more important roles in the story is a good thing, giving them temporary positions that used to belong to other characters doesn't solve the problem though. In fact it makes it worse because when they change back the lack of importance will be all that much more noticeable.

It's trying to address the problem without making any long term changes to address the problem.

[HUTHAIFA]

I say it will lead to a more level playing field...MAYBE.
We all know that Steve Rogers will be back in the suit at some point, but this is giving exposure to a character in the meantime.
This is good. It helps.
And, really, it's a big deal. A POC as Captain America is a pretty big deal.

This is Dick Grayson taking over for Bruce. Its completely logical. Makes more sense than supper assassin Bucky becoming Cap.

[Ceebiro]

Aaaaaand this is the point in the thread where I remind everyone that the newsstands abandoned comics, not the other way around. Mark your bingo cards accordingly, people.

Oh, I'm well aware, but I also know that growing up I didn't have an LCS to get comics from. Of course, that's just my story.

[Ceebiro]

I say it will lead to a more level playing field...MAYBE.
We all know that Steve Rogers will be back in the suit at some point, but this is giving exposure to a character in the meantime.
This is good. It helps.
And, really, it's a big deal. A POC as Captain America is a pretty big deal.

I do kind of wish this had happened in the post-Civil War universe.

[Ceebiro]

See there it is again. My issue isn't with any of the changes. I use "minority" in quotes because females make up half of the planet, and white males are nowhere near a "majority".

My problem is that this is marketing or management interfering with characters because they want it to appear like they are more diverse. The idea to make Thor female (give the powers to Angela) isn't organic to the story it's an attempt to make it look like they have more females in higher positions. Making Sam Cap doesn't add anything to the story, but it isn't a detraction from it, it's simply a marketing ploy to show that they care for the black characters they dropped when Quesada took over. And announcing it on The View and Colbert isn't an attempt to get more readers it's an attempt to assuage the people that are likely to criticize them for not doing it.

Giving female and ethnic characters more important roles in the story is a good thing, giving them temporary positions that used to belong to other characters doesn't solve the problem though. In fact it makes it worse because when they change back the lack of importance will be all that much more noticeable.

It's trying to address the problem without making any long term changes to address the problem.

Even putting them in the spotlight for a limited is an opportunity to boost their value. Would Bucky have had the fanbase he does now, had Brubaker not pushed for him to be Captain America? Unlikely.

If it can work for him, I'm not seeing any reason why it can't work for a minority character like Falcon.

[RickyDricky]

The Academy X kids are relatively new, and their fans who are substantial still miss Hellion, Surge, Prodigy( who was on the newest Young Avengers), Pixie, Rockslide, Anole and so on.

Ugh that's me. Missing my friends.

Actually I forgot a lot, thinking about it.

LATINO
Goldenballs
Power Man
White Tiger
Nova?

ASIAN
Hijack?

And while this is awesome, it's a little bit of a pity they are all kids, we need more adults too. It's similar with LGBT heroes, most are kids; and while more diversity is awesome, we want to sit at the big kids table too

Also forgot Reptil is Hispanic! I really hope to see him again someday!

And yeah it's true, I feel like Marvel's "teen" heroes are always the most diverse. Nearly all the LBGTQ characters are either X-Men or teenagers.

[leo619]

That's the whole thing though. It's the same thing with the tea party. Straight white people men especially see minorities taking a bigger role in things so the rail against it. Same thing here. Mainstream superhero comics have been dominated by straight white males, now that there is a move to change that people rail against it. To some it is taking skin or whatever as they feel they are losing power and influence (privilege).

I sort of agree with this, the reason being is that the common excuse provided was that there needs to be new minority characters and they will support it. Well Mighty Avengers proved otherwise. Mighty Avengers has everything going for it, a multi-ethnic team, a fantastic writing structure with easily the best in the bus, and a decent artist, yet it remains one of the lowest selling avengers book in marvel. Replacements happen for a reason and that's because unlike so many who state they would support new minority characters, the majority of them don't. The only characters who appear to have chances are legacy and replacement of heroes as they are the only one that either survive or last the longest.

[aja_christopher]

Giving female and ethnic characters more important roles in the story is a good thing, giving them temporary positions that used to belong to other characters doesn't solve the problem though. In fact it makes it worse because when they change back the lack of importance will be all that much more noticeable.

It's trying to address the problem without making any long term changes to address the problem.

Nobody is stopping people from picking up an issue of Elektra, Black Widow, Storm or Ghost Rider if they want to see an "original minority character" in their own title -- just because someone buys an issue of the new Captain America or Thor doesn't mean they can't buy other "minority" titles as they see fit.

As a matter of fact, this might actually bring new people into the shops who might not otherwise buy comics (see Ms. Marvel, for example).

I'd say you're so busy trying to focus on what you see as a "problem" that you're ignoring all the alternatives that are already out there.

[SKJoker]

I prefer the original Cap and Thor, but you know what? Threads like these make me see whyit's necessary. Because as much as comic fans would have called any switch from the status quo a publicity stunt (and perhaps be correct), calling it "PC gone too far" only highlights the problem that Marvel is trying to resolve - straight white males are the norm. Any added diversity or focus on a female/minority character is met with comments like the ones in this thread. So maybe this needs to happen, because it shouldn't be that non-straight white male characters are treated as if Marvel is waging a war on straight white male characters. They're not. And we all know that these decisions will be reversed in the future. Do you really need to campaign so hard against change?

[FlashingSabre]

I'm one of the guys whose still pissed off about the "Wally West" incident, and I think this is a great idea. None of these characters are pointless race changes. Their legacy characters, successors to the originals who have to earn their place. The preexisting titles allow them the breathing room to find their footing and build up a fan base. I'm honestly glad Marvel is doing this. Now all we need is some good Hispanic and Asian heroes. (Nico Minoru Solo!!!)

[Colossus1980]

Don't forget about latino ghost driver. I'm still waiting for an asian male superhero (other than shang chi)

There will be a transgendered superhero starring in their own comic before that happens.

[Dorktron]

My question is this:

When the population of Latinos outnumbers that of Whites in America in a few decades, will we see a white Captain America for "PC/Minority" month?

[Likewater]

I'm one of the guys whose still pissed off about the "Wally West" incident, and I think this is a great idea. None of these characters are pointless race changes. Their legacy characters, successors to the originals who have to earn their place. The preexisting titles allow them the breathing room to find their footing and build up a fan base. I'm honestly glad Marvel is doing this. Now all we need is some good Hispanic and Asian heroes. (Nico Minoru Solo!!!)

I would rather Nico Minoru be on the Avengers proper, or the X-men proper.

Or maybe Dr.Strange opens up a campus for witch craft and wizardry on with the Jean grey school? Or maybe merge all the Super hero schools into one mass superhero College town?

And Nico could be his Apprentice? Assistant teacher?

[Likewater]

My question is this:

When the population of Latinos outnumbers that of Whites in America in a few decades, will we see a white Captain America for "PC/Minority" month?

wow never heard of a white Latino?

[Dabrikishaw]

I'd say they aren't trying hard enough.