Why haven't any of the Black Male X-men caught on other than Bishop?

[danielsan52]

Lightbright is from Somalia, but I doubt she will ever be in an X-book which is unfortunate.

Derrick Beacon is American but will likely never be seen again.

Nekra - American but not likely to appear in an X-book.

Race unknown for Rain Boy, Onyxx, Flubber and others....

[donpricetag]

Lightbright is from Somalia, but I doubt she will ever be in an X-book which is unfortunate.

Derrick Beacon is American but will likely never be seen again.

Nekra - American but not likely to appear in an X-book.

Race unknown for Rain Boy, Onyxx, Flubber and others....

Its sad how the mutants that go through a more severe metamorphosis lose more than their status but also their identity. They cannot even find comfort in looking like themselves or anyone else. Some are probably so disfigured that they can't even be in a romantic relationship in the traditional sense. They essentially become a class all their own. Flubber, Glob, Rockslide, Rainboy, Matchstick, Sharkgirl, Bling! and others are in many ways worse off than the original Morlocks.

Just now realized how much stereotype was weaved into Bling!... Son of a @&#&#.

[Electricmastro]

The problem is the metaphor. Straight, white males will come in with a great story idea that mirrors the oppression that happens in the real world but will focus that story on characters that represent themselves rather than the communities from whom they steal their ideas. They then pat themselves on the back for their cleverness without an iota of self-awareness. That’s the cycle.

The metaphor needs to be put to bed. If you want to tell stories about oppression, you need to use characters who reflect those oppressed communities. Cyclops, Wolverine, and Xavier should not be the center of the franchise, full stop. It just shouldn’t be the case.

The other problem is that the custodians of the franchise are always straight, white, cis, and male. That demographic should be the minority in this office, and that’s never been the case. If it were, the line would better reflect the communities whose stories sustain it.

Even if there were many black gay females on the X-Men, you still can’t get around the fact that they have powers, such as walking through walls and mind control, and have this background of enslaving and replacing humans, which calls back to Otto Binder’s 1953 article on mutants.

Doesn’t matter if you’re a white mutant or black mutant as far as the X-Men are concerned, because they’re all accused that they’ll use their power to rule over the Earth and be antagonized in all sorts of ways. That said though, I really don’t think even this can serve as a good allegory/reflection/whatever of the real life minority experience. There just seems to be too much dissonance.

[BroHomo]

Again. The country it takes place (lol Krakoa, right) is prominently white. Its like being offended that Agents of Atlas is all Asian. If we get an all black cast it would need it make sense other than just because. Otherwise it's as whack of a concept as BP and the Crew.

That is unless is intentionally done in story by one of the characters without some ridiculous grandstanding, virtue moment. If Bishop intentionally went around and built a team that happened to be majority minority, then I'm good. And they shouldn't be out there tackling some ridiculous black-centric issue with three paragraph long word bubbles with rasied fists shaded into the background of the cover, but saving the world just like any other super team is allowed to do.

Everyone's different but I'm not into that "they did, we do it should too"... Other than Cosby/Weinstein.

In the end, I feel where you're coming from. I'm not defending X-Force. Its awesome quality not withstanding, it is very white lol.

I mean I've seen whole groups of non white people. Some were even all black!

[The Quiet Councilor]

Even if there were many black gay females on the X-Men, you still can’t get around the fact that they have powers, such as walking through walls and mind control, and have this background of enslaving and replacing humans, which calls back to Otto Binder’s 1953 article on mutants.

Doesn’t matter if you’re a white mutant or black mutant as far as the X-Men are concerned, because they’re all accused that they’ll use their power to rule over the Earth and be antagonized in all sorts of ways. That said though, I really don’t think even this can serve as a good allegory/reflection/whatever of the real life minority experience. There just seems to be too much dissonance.

Agreed on the dissonance. It’s another way the metaphor is limited. When you pin a narrative of social justice on a group of living WMDs there’s definitely some dissonance. It makes it impossible to justify the advocacy of restricting them. If there was more actual representation and focus on the actual marginalization of actual oppressed communities, you’d be able to push the mutant narrative in all sorts of cool and frightening directions.

[Electricmastro]

Agreed on the dissonance. It’s another way the metaphor is limited. When you pin a narrative of social justice on a group of living WMDs there’s definitely some dissonance. It makes it impossible to justify the advocacy of restricting them.

Yep, lest we forget about people with powers such as the Purple Man, who wouldn’t hesitate to steal, rape, or murder anyone he wants and potentially get away with it everytime. If it was more like Doom Patrol or Batman and the Outsiders, who are outcasted more on weirdness than on parallels to race, gender, or sexuality, then it would probably work more effectively.

[GodfatherIV]

There is a huge disparity when it comes to this. In Xmen most African American characters are females, which let me just say they are amazing. By the way isnt Domino an Albino black woman?? If not she should be lol. But I digress. Bishop is of course the best if the best and they shouldn't have made him a mass murderer. Prodigy should be the mutant Taskmaster. Sunspot should be funding operations for the Xmen. Synch should be brought back too. I think a huge missed opportunity was with Gambit, who should have been black. I also feel like Exodus should have been black as well as Apocalypse. Beast shoyld have been black too and never have been turned blue but been basically Black Beast.

[anyajenkins]

I’ve heard that theory about Domino, but I don’t think it's cannon’. Though after the Deadpool movie, it’s a possibility that it will become official.

[Tycon]

There is a huge disparity when it comes to this. In Xmen most African American characters are females, which let me just say they are amazing. By the way isnt Domino an Albino black woman?? If not she should be lol. But I digress. Bishop is of course the best if the best and they shouldn't have made him a mass murderer. Prodigy should be the mutant Taskmaster. Sunspot should be funding operations for the Xmen. Synch should be brought back too. I think a huge missed opportunity was with Gambit, who should have been black. I also feel like Exodus should have been black as well as Apocalypse. Beast shoyld have been black too and never have been turned blue but been basically Black Beast.

Aye. Mayne.

[Mr MajestiK]

There is a huge disparity when it comes to this. In Xmen most African American characters are females, which let me just say they are amazing. By the way isnt Domino an Albino black woman?? If not she should be lol. But I digress. Bishop is of course the best if the best and they shouldn't have made him a mass murderer. Prodigy should be the mutant Taskmaster. Sunspot should be funding operations for the Xmen. Synch should be brought back too. I think a huge missed opportunity was with Gambit, who should have been black. I also feel like Exodus should have been black as well as Apocalypse. Beast shoyld have been black too and never have been turned blue but been basically Black Beast.

Black Beast?

Really?

[Tycon]

Of all the O5...........no thanks. There’s plenty wrong with that. If anything, it would’ve been great for Angel and Jean to be black.

[Paleo_Rage]

Of all the O5...........no thanks. There’s plenty wrong with that. If anything, it would’ve been great for Angel and Jean to be black.

Nope, Jean dont have enough sauce to be Black and Angel might date Sista's but he aint a brutha.. Beast makes more sense.. his dad worked in a plant and the radiation from it catalyzed Beast's mutation.. so environmental racism, beast also was a football player and a scholar-giving us Richard Sherman and it would work with his tortured story of man or beast and could be connected to the concept of double consciousness from WEB Dubois..

[BroHomo]

Nah outta the 05...Id say Iceman or Angel coulda been black....Beast has become too much of an uncle tom to mutants wouldnt want to have that doubled

[Paleo_Rage]

Nah outta the 05...Id say Iceman or Angel coulda been black....Beast has become too much of an uncle tom to mutants wouldnt want to have that doubled

I mean but we have real live breathing uncle times.. Beast could be one and then flip out to become a hotep

[Tycon]

Nope, Jean dont have enough sauce to be Black and Angel might date Sista's but he aint a brutha.. Beast makes more sense.. his dad worked in a plant and the radiation from it catalyzed Beast's mutation.. so environmental racism, beast also was a football player and a scholar-giving us Richard Sherman and it would work with his tortured story of man or beast and could be connected to the concept of double consciousness from WEB Dubois..

None of em had sauce. Except Bobby sometimes. But if Jean was black she would’ve got some. Beast’s mutation along with making him black doesn’t seem like it would or should go today. Especially if he’d be the only one. Not the best of representation lmao

I mean but we have real live breathing uncle times.. Beast could be one and then flip out to become a hotep

And that’s something you want?