Minorities in Comics and Other Media, etc

[leo619]

I'm thankful for Bendis' attempts to introduce diversity even if some of it is... painful.

I wouldn't his actual diversity attempts to be painful, almost all of them have been done from decent to extremely well (From creating the first interracial marriage in comics, to Miles and Riri's elevation, to actually having the balls to put Cloak and Dagger together, and more). Now some of his non diverse attempts in Marvel (such as his Sentry writing) could definitely use some work lol

[ed2962]

True. I can see the hope to try and capture the zeitgeist by incorporating something popular at a given time into your new character ... just didn't pan out well, in the case of skateboarding. Kind of reminds me, I think there was a villain introduced a bit ago, based on Anonymous ... interesting idea, but also not one that lends itself well to an enduring arch-villain.



Yeah, his look and the escrima sticks are good, and overall I think there's a lot to like about the character. Which I guess is why, as you said, he had a pretty good run through the 90s. And I was happy to see him brought back after Secret Wars ... I dunno, maybe just a name change would do the trick, removing any need to try and somehow incorporate a skateboard into his concept. Because I do think removing that need would be a boon ...



Same here, I thought he was cool for being the leader/driving force behind the New Warriors, but it was also kind of lame that absolutely everybody had cooler powers than him. I guess I can see how it might be over-doing it to have the leader also be the most powerful, but more than martial arts and a spunky attitude would not have been asking too much.

Anyway, happy to know the kids of today have characters like Miles and Noble (which is just an awesome series) as opposed to the relatively slim pickings from back in the day. Maybe Night Thrasher didn't have any powers, but he at least wasn't effectively crippled by/for his powers, as was the case for Cyborg and Cloak, probably the biggest deals as far as black super heroes, from when I was a kid. I mean, I don't think I really considered the implications of that stuff back then, but it was still there.

Also, apparently there is a New Warriors tv show, just found out. I guess Marvel just needs a platform to release it?

I think it's still in development and keep in mind what was pitched was "Squirrel Girl and The New Warriors" so it's probably not going to be similar to the 90's comic.

[ed2962]

I really wish we had more writers like Bendis, for all of his flaws he has been the driving architech when it comes to diversity in comics.
With the new young justice line coming with the book Naomi, Dial H behind hispanic, having plans for Val Zod, I could only wish other successful writers can take up the mantle as much as he does. (There are smaller writers that gives it a show like Ewing, David Walker, etc, but they haven't reach the same level of success.)

He's also added diversity in his creator owned work. I'd put Geoff Johns up there too, Johns has created a number of heroes that were PoC. Having said that, the question is how often these characters are used and then how good their stories are. I've criticized both writers for turning in hacked out comics, but if the issue is creating minority heroes, I'll give them credit there.

Having said that, let's not ignore the minority led comics coming from the indies...Noble, Shaft, Jook Joint, etc.

[skyvolt2000]

Yeah I never liked his superhero name even way back then. I had an appreciation for the character because it's not like there were a ton of black heroes at the time so a new one got my attention, even though he fell into the "black low powered or no powers" character camp that I was already sick of.

Well that was a name used by someone in his pitch for a black team of skateboards.

You have to wonder who came first-Tom's Night Thrasher or McDuffie's pitch using that name.

I really wish we had more writers like Bendis, for all of his flaws he has been the driving architech when it comes to diversity in comics.
With the new young justice line coming with the book Naomi, Dial H behind hispanic, having plans for Val Zod, I could only wish other successful writers can take up the mantle as much as he does. (There are smaller writers that gives it a show like Ewing, David Walker, etc, but they haven't reach the same level of success.)

And it didn't take long for Bendis to get accused of "pushing a social agenda" like he did with Miles and Riri clams.

If you are going to parrot the echo and entitlement chamber don't get MAD when I came in and correct you like I had to do. If telling the stories of POC as leads is an agenda-so be it.


https://www.cbr.com/static-shock-alm...-justice-team/

Bendis provided the details during his spotlight panel at New York Comic Con on Saturday, indicating he called Milestone Entertainment to inquire if he could use Static Shock while it prepped its relaunch with the character as part of DC’s upcoming Milestone reboot. However, his request was declined.

Dc had 11 years to work with Milestone. Instead writers who wanted to use them got denied, McDuffie disrespect, New 52 Static Shock mess and blaming Static for Teen Titans stinking and Young Justice getting axed (both LIES).

I wouldn't want Static in the main DC universe either.

[Overhazard]

Bendis comes up with good ideas, but his execution leaves a lot to be desired.

[leo619]

Bendis comes up with good ideas, but his execution leaves a lot to be desired.

It more depends upon if it's in his wheel house. With Marvel, if he was in a street level to mid tier book, his writing was awesome.

But he could not write high powered or epic storylines to save his life. But that seemed to have changed with superman oddly enough, which is good as it shows even a high profile writer like himself can improve.

[G. Boney]

I wouldn't his actual diversity attempts to be painful, almost all of them have been done from decent to extremely well (From creating the first interracial marriage in comics, to Miles and Riri's elevation, to actually having the balls to put Cloak and Dagger together, and more). Now some of his non diverse attempts in Marvel (such as his Sentry writing) could definitely use some work lol

Nah. Wally West and Linda Park come to mind, and there are probably others that I just can't think of right now.

[G. Boney]

Bendis comes up with good ideas, but his execution leaves a lot to be desired.

He's best on his creator owned stuff, IMO.

[G. Boney]

Well that was a name used by someone in his pitch for a black team of skateboards.

You have to wonder who came first-Tom's Night Thrasher or McDuffie's pitch using that name.

Tom's Night Thrasher was first. McDuffie's "pitch" was him making a joke:

[skyvolt2000]

https://www.newsarama.com/42267-nycc...dc-nation.html

A fan asks why DiDio hates Nightwing.

"The reason that I hate Nightwing is that he's getting older... The reason people like Nightwing because he aged with them. But Batman can't get older." - DiDio

DiDio is worried that one day there could be a story where Nightwing is older than Batman.

DiDio says that the problem is that as characters get older, they start to get more and more similar and DC keeps having characters fill similar roles.

.

He just vindicated every fan whose character has been crapped on at DC.

How does Nightwing make Batman old? I wold think Damian does that more than Dick.

So this explains the crap Tim's Drake generation has dealt with.

Why hire Bendis to do Young Justice when the head of DC doesn't care for that generation.

DiDio jokes that he hates Wally because he's tired of people asking why he hates Dick Grayson.

Maybe that is a HINT? Isn't those Wally questions the same reason we got Rebirth?

[leo619]

Nah. Wally West and Linda Park come to mind, and there are probably others that I just can't think of right now.

Eh? Luke Cage and Jessica Jones were married in 2006, Wally and Linda I believed got in 2008?

In fact, If I recall correctly, part of the media hype was the fact that Luke and Jessica being married was the first interracial relationship, definitely the first interracial relationship between a black male and white female.

[ed2962]

Eh? Luke Cage and Jessica Jones were married in 2006, Wally and Linda I believed got in 2008?

In fact, If I recall correctly, part of the media hype was the fact that Luke and Jessica being married was the first interracial relationship, definitely the first interracial relationship between a black male and white female.

They may or may not have been the first IR marriage, but the first IR relationship was probably M'Shulla and Carmilla Frost back in the Killraven comic in the 70's. Danny Rand Misty Knight happened roughly around the same time.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Eh? Luke Cage and Jessica Jones were married in 2006, Wally and Linda I believed got in 2008?

In fact, If I recall correctly, part of the media hype was the fact that Luke and Jessica being married was the first interracial relationship, definitely the first interracial relationship between a black male and white female.

Wally and Linda were engaged for a few years in comics and were married in 2000.

[Tendrin]

I wouldn't his actual diversity attempts to be painful, almost all of them have been done from decent to extremely well (From creating the first interracial marriage in comics, to Miles and Riri's elevation, to actually having the balls to put Cloak and Dagger together, and more). Now some of his non diverse attempts in Marvel (such as his Sentry writing) could definitely use some work lol

Don't get me wrong. Most of the broader strokes are good, especially in their existence in the first place, but it's more the tone deaf nature of some particular beats. There were a lot of black women bothered by his initial portrayal of Riri, for example, based on her masculization of being 'Iron Man' and the early sexualization of her appearances.

To be fair, those complaints were taken seriously and things adjusted and I'm glad for it. I just think that we can evaluate him on the positive basis of the broad strokes and admire his commitment to diversity but acknowledge he sometimes brought problematic things in, too, especially in his treatment of mental illness. (Sentry, D-Man, etc.)

[Agent Z]

A white police officer who killed a black teenager four years ago in Chicago has been found guilty of second degree murder.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45767366

Don't get me wrong. Most of the broader strokes are good, especially in their existence in the first place, but it's more the tone deaf nature of some particular beats. There were a lot of black women bothered by his initial portrayal of Riri, for example, based on her masculization of being 'Iron Man' and the early sexualization of her appearances.

To be fair, those complaints were taken seriously and things adjusted and I'm glad for it. I just think that we can evaluate him on the positive basis of the broad strokes and admire his commitment to diversity but acknowledge he sometimes brought problematic things in, too, especially in his treatment of mental illness. (Sentry, D-Man, etc.)

I recall some complaints about Riri's sexualized cover but the masculization argument from black women is a new one for me. Mostly, because the loudest voices of criticism against the character were racist pricks.