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

[Npresh24]

I always felt with the right writer Prodigy could be a huge asset to the actual X Men team , he could easily replace Beast imho.

[nx01a]

Is it too much to hope that, considering the current social climate in the US, Sunspot [and Monet] will become black again?

[Celestialbodies]

The momentum and excitement over Synch’s return sure did die down fast...

Similarly to his role in X-men, delighted Hickman is using him and Darwin, but that issue definitely spoiled me as now he's already off the table yet AGAIN!!

Is it too much to hope that, considering the current social climate in the US, Sunspot [and Monet] will become black again?

God I sincerely hope so there is so little representation for black people in general, yet they both suffer from the same microaggressions. When they are used their skin is almost always brighter than it should be which is a larger discussion we should have regarding POC skin tone changing at the discretion of the colorist or new team.

[Havok83]

Is it too much to hope that, considering the current social climate in the US, Sunspot [and Monet] will become black again?

They currently are black

[nx01a]

They currently are black

Those two need to be more proud of it. They've been bleaching for a while, and Roberto's straightening his hair.

[BroHomo]

Daaaayum not the Evelin Ice Grill....gonna catch frostbite over here.

Those two need to be more proud of it. They've been bleaching for a while, and Roberto's straightening his hair.

You mean the artists/writers/editors need to be? lol We saw a version Sunspot in Ult Xmen that was more 'Down with the cause' than the 616 version has ever been. The XBooks seem hesitant to do any kinda story that features a minority mutant and how the balance of race/mutant works out...that goes especially double for Black Mutants. Half a century of X-Stories and Storm's pretty much the only adult African American to be o the team?
That. Shit. Is. KWAZZY!

[Sutekh]

Half a century of X-Stories and Storm's pretty much the only adult African American to be o the team?

Worse, she's pretty much the poster child for, 'but not *too* black!' being a blue-eyed, platinum-blonde designed with an intentionally 'multiracial' (Asian, IIRC?) facial structure.

The idea of a 'transracial' mutant having qualities of black, white, Asian, etc. ethnicities, and supposedly representing a far-future blend so far past 'mixed-race' or 'biracial' as to the term being essentially meaningless to them is neat, but not when *there weren't any black mutants yet.* (Back when Storm was introduced.) Way, way too ahead of the curve, there. I'm a big fan of Dave Cockrum, but in this one specific instance, I'd be posolutely fine with Storm being retconned or re-imagined or appearing on-screen in the future with black tightly-curled hair, dark brown eyes and more African features, played by an actress of color who doesn't have to dye or straighten her hair, or wear blue contacts.

(And yeah, Polaris has *green* hair, and Gambit has *red* eyes, 'cause not-all-mutants, but for every Polaris or Gambit, there are Jeans and Scotts and Piotrs and Kittys and Rogues and Emmas and Seans and Bobbys with more traditional 'white people' hair colors / textures and eye colors, so it's not like us white folk are starved for representation that looks like us.)

[Devaishwarya]

Worse, she's pretty much the poster child for, 'but not *too* black!' being a blue-eyed, platinum-blonde designed with an intentionally 'multiracial' (Asian, IIRC?) facial structure.

The idea of a 'transracial' mutant having qualities of black, white, Asian, etc. ethnicities, and supposedly representing a far-future blend so far past 'mixed-race' or 'biracial' as to the term being essentially meaningless to them is neat, but not when *there weren't any black mutants yet.* (Back when Storm was introduced.) Way, way too ahead of the curve, there. I'm a big fan of Dave Cockrum, but in this one specific instance, I'd be posolutely fine with Storm being retconned or re-imagined or appearing on-screen in the future with black tightly-curled hair, dark brown eyes and more African features, played by an actress of color who doesn't have to dye or straighten her hair, or wear blue contacts.

(And yeah, Polaris has *green* hair, and Gambit has *red* eyes, 'cause not-all-mutants, but for every Polaris or Gambit, there are Jeans and Scotts and Piotrs and Kittys and Rogues and Emmas and Seans and Bobbys with more traditional 'white people' hair colors / textures and eye colors, so it's not like us white folk are starved for representation that looks like us.)

She wouldn't be Storm.

Cockrum put a lot of thought and imagination into her back-story as to why she looks the way she does. And they were fully aware of what they were doing with respect to the social times in which they were living. That bolded statement completely discredits his creation.

On the one hand we want to empower Black people to be proud of who we are and embrace our Blackness in whatever form we see fit but then we want to censure individuality and uniqueness because some people aren't comfortable with the Individual Spirit, because it does not fit into any pre-conceived, stereotypical "acceptable" idea of what it means to be Black and "look" Black.

We just can't win.

We just can't win.

[Master of Sound]

I think Sunspot became more focussed on and higher listed than Bishop. He became leader of an Avengers team and is now the leading the New Mutants. But yeah, that is just one character besides Bishop being a 'high profiled' Black X-Man. We need more, but of those currently with the X-Men, I could only perhaps see Gentle or Bedlam making it. So let us hope if a writer disides to create a new character, that it will be a black male.

[Veitha]

I think Sunspot became more focussed on and higher listed than Bishop. He became leader of an Avengers team and is now the leading the New Mutants. But yeah, that is just one character besides Bishop being a 'high profiled' Black X-Man. We need more, but of those currently with the X-Men, I could only perhaps see Gentle or Bedlam making it. So let us hope if a writer disides to create a new character, that it will be a black male.

Gentle and Bedlam should definitely be put somewhere.

Prodigy is in the main cast of X-Factor and he's been in Young Avengers. He's got some potential to become a fan favourite too.

[Paleo_Rage]

Worse, she's pretty much the poster child for, 'but not *too* black!' being a blue-eyed, platinum-blonde designed with an intentionally 'multiracial' (Asian, IIRC?) facial structure.

The idea of a 'transracial' mutant having qualities of black, white, Asian, etc. ethnicities, and supposedly representing a far-future blend so far past 'mixed-race' or 'biracial' as to the term being essentially meaningless to them is neat, but not when *there weren't any black mutants yet.* (Back when Storm was introduced.) Way, way too ahead of the curve, there. I'm a big fan of Dave Cockrum, but in this one specific instance, I'd be posolutely fine with Storm being retconned or re-imagined or appearing on-screen in the future with black tightly-curled hair, dark brown eyes and more African features, played by an actress of color who doesn't have to dye or straighten her hair, or wear blue contacts.

(And yeah, Polaris has *green* hair, and Gambit has *red* eyes, 'cause not-all-mutants, but for every Polaris or Gambit, there are Jeans and Scotts and Piotrs and Kittys and Rogues and Emmas and Seans and Bobbys with more traditional 'white people' hair colors / textures and eye colors, so it's not like us white folk are starved for representation that looks like us.)

Umm again that was a white person trying to explain race based on outdated race science logic. The most genetic diversity is in Africa. People of African descent have a vast array of phenotypes. That is why you can have Black people with similar features to Asian people. Black people have varying types of eyes, complexions, nose shapes, types of lips, and body types. They can share parents and still look very distinct. We can see wide range of phenotypes in people from West to East, North to South.

[Paleo_Rage]

Daaaayum not the Evelin Ice Grill....gonna catch frostbite over here.

You mean the artists/writers/editors need to be? lol We saw a version Sunspot in Ult Xmen that was more 'Down with the cause' than the 616 version has ever been. The XBooks seem hesitant to do any kinda story that features a minority mutant and how the balance of race/mutant works out...that goes especially double for Black Mutants. Half a century of X-Stories and Storm's pretty much the only adult African American to be o the team?
That. Shit. Is. KWAZZY!

,

As you should even if you dont like Prodigy and even if he was boring, which he is not.. He is still needed 100 percent. This thread is proof alone. I could just imagine that book with them bonding, being friends, solving crimes. When the last time X men had two Black characters really interact on a non superficial level.

[Hypestyle]

just how many black men have been able to be a regular writer of a mutant title? Not one-shots or minis. (or even then, overall?) The over-dominance of white male writers has not worked in the favor of including black male characters in these sagas. Too many people caught up in the notion that having green or purple characters means "diversity".

[Devaishwarya]

Having a Black writer is no guarantee that he or she will be permitted to create new Black characters or use existing Black characters throughout.
The editorial office is never a case of "come in and do whatever the hell you want while we spend our time counting the jellybeans in this jar." Even someone like HiX-Man is not given carte-blanche with these characters and stories.

That said...

I Loved PAD's (a White writer) first X-Force because he had Larry Stroman as his artist...and well...Stroman did some really good shyt, visually.

[Havok83]

Having a Black writer is no guarantee that he or she will be permitted to create new Black characters or use existing Black characters throughout.
The editorial office is never a case of "come in and do whatever the hell you want while we spend our time counting the jellybeans in this jar." Even someone like HiX-Man is not given carte-blanche with these characters and stories.

That said...

I Loved PAD's (a White writer) first X-Force because he had Larry Stroman as his artist...and well...Stroman did some really good shyt, visually.

Writers write and advocate for characters that they like. Its why Brisson constantly uses Glob, Taylor tried to make Gabby happen, etc... Of course there are some casts that are editorially mandated but usually writers have some level of freedom for whom they get to use. More often than not, they are limited by whom they cant use and thats bc said character is already accounted for elsewhere