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

[Killerbee911]

For instance, I'd love to see black writer on the X-Men... I don't want to see a black writer on the X-Men writing a weirdly all black X-Men team... As funny as that could be. I don't like the connotation. Despite how many all white X-Men teams have existed. Let's be honest, X-Men take place in a country that's 75% white. Its not the end of the world. Its just disappointing.

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Nah give me all black X-men team, X-force is all white(unless Domino is black in the comics too) and nobody cares becauses it is well written book. People need to keep the same energy when it is an all women or all black squad . It is a gimmick or werid with minorities but natural and normal when it is white people.

We have stop seeing as normal state to have 1 minority for evey group but multiple white people on team. Give me Bishop, M, Storm and Sunspot on team together with Wolverine, Cyclops and Jean Grey.We need to remove that training we have as comic fans.

[donpricetag]

Nah give me all black X-men team, X-force is all white(unless Domino is black in the comics too) and nobody cares becauses it is well written book. People need to keep the same energy when it is an all women or all black squad . It is a gimmick or werid with minorities but natural and normal when it is white people.

We have stop seeing as normal state to have 1 minority for evey group but multiple white people on team. Give me Bishop, M, Storm and Sunspot on team together with Wolverine, Cyclops and Jean Grey.We need to remove that training we have as comic fans.

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.

[Zelena]

I mean is this an excuse? It's a strange exclusion tho...if an artist was tasked to draw 10 new characters I would like to think they"d avoid making all of them straight white dudes it wouldn't seem realistic at fvcking all

I didn't say it's an excuse, the question was about an explanation. The matter is what is your imaginary, the one that helps you to create characters, made of…
If you ask me to draw a man without particularily specifying the color of the skin, I will probably draw a man with a fair skin. When I was a child, it was quite rare I saw Black men in the comics (or in a rather stereotypical way). It was in the US comics I saw Black people that were used exactly in the same way that they would use White people.
Now, if you want to draw something that reflect the modern days, I agree that it is awkward that the White people are overrepresented. Because there is no reason in the comics why it would be the case. It is not the Simpsons, it's not science-fiction… It's the publisher's work to say it to the creative team that is engrossed in its specific work.

[CRaymond]

Bishop, M, Sunspot, Storm, Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean is a hell of a great composition.

[The Quiet Councilor]

Bishop, M, Sunspot, Storm, Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean is a hell of a great composition.

Agreed! Lots of strong personalities and all badasses in their own right.

[spirit2011]

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.

The metaphor work a lot less when you have all the time majority of white characters and the big focus is on white male characters.

[Zelena]

The metaphor work a lot less when you have all the time majority of white characters and the big focus is on white male characters.

Do they really want make the "metaphor" work? It's someting they take and leave at their convenience. Anyway, the simple fact that most of the mutants have destructive powers make them a poor metaphor for minorities rights.
The mutants don't represent minorities, they just represent themselves in my opinion. Otherwise there would be more stories with real minorities, more parallels…

[donpricetag]

The metaphor work a lot less when you have all the time majority of white characters and the big focus is on white male characters.

We've had plenty of white female leads and focuses as well. Let's not give them a pass. If that counted then there's nothing wrong with X-Force. The only time Storm gets focus is when she's in other franchises books or depicted making a bunch nof horrible choices before handing back command to Kate, the great. lol

Or if Bishop turns into a psychopath. I know it probably wasn't Marvel's intension but they turned their only black male character of consequence into raving lunatic that murdered billions so that he could murder a child. Yeah, they retconned him being possessed but that wasn't Carey's original intentions. He wrote a back story to justify him going off the deep end and someone at Marvel said 'ok'.

[spirit2011]

Do they really want make the "metaphor" work? It's someting they take and leave at their convenience. Anyway, the simple fact that most of the mutants have destructive powers make them a poor metaphor for minorities rights.
The mutants don't represent minorities, they just represent themselves in my opinion. Otherwise there would be more stories with real minorities, more parallels…

It was never a perfect metaphor. But seeing how much bigots are afraid of POCs and "white genocide", maybe there is a point for mutants being dangerous.

[donpricetag]

It was never a perfect metaphor. But seeing how much bigots are afraid of POCs and "white genocide", maybe there is a point for mutants being dangerous.

Yes. I like this. It argues the other side of Krakoa being adversarial. It makes sense, at the same it gives the X-Men reason to be less inclined to operate under the same terms. Except this time the Avengers aren't going to be allowed to fly up in helicarrier and lay down the law.

Then there's the whole question: does it make us right to do to them, what they did to us?

[Zelena]

It was never a perfect metaphor. But seeing how much bigots are afraid of POCs and "white genocide", maybe there is a point for mutants being dangerous.

The mutants are 'dangerous' and so are the 'humans'… Is there a point of being dangerous? There is a legitimity to be able to protect yourself. The question is — and no one was to adress it because Marvel loves endless wars — how do you decrease the tension?
Adding more diversity would be a positive sign, and in every sense. Alas, Marvel doesn't seem to go in that way. Not many idealists anymore in that bunch.

[Paleo_Rage]

Outside of Synch, Shola was one of the best introduced Black male characters in the last 20 years.. I really hope someone repowers him and the other genoshan mutants ( Hub, hack, Purage, Freakshow, and Wicked).

Shola had an interesting personality, decent look(maybe a low fade) and his powers were a unique twist of telepathy and telekinesis.

[donpricetag]

The mutants are 'dangerous' and so are the 'humans'… Is there a point of being dangerous? There is a legitimity to be able to protect yourself. The question is — and no one was to adress it because Marvel loves endless wars — how do you decrease the tension?
Adding more diversity would be a positive sign, and in every sense. Alas, Marvel doesn't seem to go in that way. Not many idealists anymore in that bunch.

And the ones the generally try are so ham-fisted with it it's distracting and/or needlessly dominates the narrative. Goes back to oversight, or lack thereof.

[Michael Watkins]

i want to see a black male character actually develop and grow in the use of their powers. i can think of at least 3 black male characters who basically get their powers or development through some kind of cheat. Bedlam had his fighting skills digitally downloaded into his brain. Prodigy's power is to learn quickly. Synch borrows other people's powers and just sort of knows how to use them more efficiently. i want to see someone struggle and overcome on the way to mastery.

[Devaishwarya]

Nah give me all black X-men team, X-force is all white(unless Domino is black in the comics too) and nobody cares becauses it is well written book. People need to keep the same energy when it is an all women or all black squad . It is a gimmick or werid with minorities but natural and normal when it is white people.

We have stop seeing as normal state to have 1 minority for evey group but multiple white people on team. Give me Bishop, M, Storm and Sunspot on team together with Wolverine, Cyclops and Jean Grey.We need to remove that training we have as comic fans.

While I hear what you are saying there...and you do have a valid point...I'm wondering:
Is having a 50-50 black/white team any better or more important than having a team that's more diverse across all minorities (As Claremont had with his second Generation X-Men)?
Note: I'm only speaking to the physical makeup of the team not the actual written treatment.

Personally, I would love greater diversity/inclusion visually but I also want writers (of any Race) who know HOW to write a diverse group of characters and write them well.
Which is why I'm always wary of "Black writers writing Black Characters because they're Black". The very last thing I want to read is a writer pushing/preaching his/her own "agenda" regardless of what the characters may or may not stand for...that way lies OOC and PIS garbage, that does more harm than good.

Sure, please feature more Black Mutants but be able to write them well, withing the context of their established characterisation and relevant to the story being told.