Blue Marvel Appreciation 2019

[JudicatorPrime]

Guy who plays Black Lighting on the TV show is in his late 40's. And that's televison, where the looks of the leading man arguably matter more than in comics. THey could have done what they do with every other CW show and cast someone who looks like they just graduated high school, but they went a different direction and the show is still around.

Just saying a bit of diversity won't kill anyone. We can get characters with different genders and ethnicities and ages and body types.

So here's the thing: I don't watch Black Lightning. Could care less about what DC is doing. They're fine in my book on the merits of Jon Stewart alone. Marvel is the problem. Their one African American cosmic male character is an old fart who rarely gets to go out and play. I'd like to change that, and if it means changing the optics slightly to garner more appeal and stimulate the imaginations of writers and readers alike, then so be it. For those of you who want an older Black male to be the example/exception, please petition Marvel so that T'Challa, Sam, Luke or whomever receives the Reed Richards coiffe. Anyone but Adam.

[ed2962]

You said it and missed it. What it takes is for a character to capture a writer's imagination. Clearly OLD Man Adam isn't doing that for enough writers. So let's make some changes, starting with the optics, which we know to be a factor in how fans receive characters. This isn't the 1980s or 1990s when Cosby and Morgan Freeman were king and everyone loved them, and you could launch a new franchise character who looked older like them. Sure, Samuel L. still gets love, but he's the exception, not the rule. De-age Adam.

I don't think his age is the reason more writers don't want to use him...

[XPac]

So here's the thing: I don't watch Black Lightning. Could care less about what DC is doing. They're fine in my book on the merits of Jon Stewart alone. Marvel is the problem. Their one African American cosmic male character is an old fart who rarely gets to go out and play. I'd like to change that, and if it means changing the optics slightly to garner more appeal and stimulate the imaginations of writers and readers alike, then so be it. For those of you who want an older Black male to be the example/exception, please petition Marvel so that T'Challa, Sam, Luke or whomever receive the Reed Richards coiffe. Anyone but Adam.

THere are dozens and dozens of young looking heroes sitting in limbo right now, so who is to say there's even any sort of correlation between his age and him not being used?

It's easy to say there are advantages to everyone looking the same, but I think there are advantages to characters being different too. DIfferent genders, ages, ethnicities, body types, etc... they don't all have to be the same thing.

There's room in the MU for a Miles, a T'CHalla and an Adam. He's a guy with adult children, so he won't be competing to get on the cover of Tiger Beat anytime soon and that's perfectly okay.

[dkrook]

Agreed, unless like you mentioned earlier an it was a case of him willing himself to appear to age to keep pace with his wife the man shouldn't look old or at the very leat have the gray temples. Now if it's like a sub conscious thing like the gray is from regret or shame for bowing down to the government then I can live with and even appreciate that. Otherwise if there is no story reason for the gray then it just makes no sense.

That's a good point to be honest. If he technically has that much raw energy coursing through his body having an effect of revitalizing and powering his physical body the outward indication of aging should be damn near infinitesimal. More to that point I would love to see him in an act of closure, to will his body to a younger appearance. Let the world at large perceive him as more Wolverine than Reed Richards.

[The Cool Thatguy]

So here's the thing: I don't watch Black Lightning. Could care less about what DC is doing. They're fine in my book on the merits of Jon Stewart alone. Marvel is the problem. Their one African American cosmic male character is an old fart who rarely gets to go out and play. I'd like to change that, and if it means changing the optics slightly to garner more appeal and stimulate the imaginations of writers and readers alike, then so be it. For those of you who want an older Black male to be the example/exception, please petition Marvel so that T'Challa, Sam, Luke or whomever receives the Reed Richards coiffe. Anyone but Adam.

"Blue Marvel needs to stand out more! Make him look young like everyone else!"

You do see the contradiction, don't you?

[XPac]

Personally speaking, my dream casting of Adam in the MCU would be Denzel Washington. A guy who's in his 60's. Just saying.

[JudicatorPrime]

"Blue Marvel needs to stand out more! Make him look young like everyone else!"

You do see the contradiction, don't you?

Is that like, "Blue Marvel needs to be superhumanly strong. Make him as strong as Thor, Hulk or Sentry."? Nuance, not contradiction. We're complex enough creatures to grasp the difference. It's not like making him an older, dotardly looking fellow has improved his popularity or panel time any, right?

At the end of the day, Adam doesn't age. Yet somehow he went from the below scan where he had just a tiny bit of gray at the temples when he came out of retirement to help the Avengers to a full Reed-wrap now. Both depictions would be wrong. I'm not buying that it was an artistic choice. Someone made an editorial decision to intentionally make Adam look older. I'm pushing back. De-age him.

[JudicatorPrime]

I even like how Ewing created throwback stories with Blue Marvel that were really interesting and he me wanting to see a separate book with him and his son, or just him. Said it before I'll say it again. The fact is here we are right now getting punished, wolverine and daredevil are going up against frost giants and other supernatural creatures while our boy is just riding pine. I can't stand the imbalance and oversaturation of certain few characters just to hear that lack of history and popularity is the reason characters like Adam can't find a way to a series like this.

I hear you. But they won't show Blue Marvel or Sentry or anyone else of that magnitude in these events. And if they did, I guarantee you that it would still be some street level hero getting the limelight, either by realizing some advantage that only their "unique" talents could attain, or by -- and this part ticks me off the most -- by coming into power that allows them to defeat the super duper bad guy. Power levels that usually guys like Blue Marvel and Sentry already have aplenty. We just have to remember that these events are written to cater to the largest population of fans. They really don't care if it tramples over Blue Marvel and other characters who are typically limited to a niche.

[JudicatorPrime]

I don't think his age is the reason more writers don't want to use him...

It's one of many incremental changes that need to be made.

[JudicatorPrime]

Personally speaking, my dream casting of Adam in the MCU would be Denzel Washington. A guy who's in his 60's. Just saying.

I vaguely recall an interview where Denzel said that he'd never been approached for a superhero movie. Or maybe he was talking about a Star Wars movie? In any event, hold onto that dream, because it's going to be a tough one to realize. Most movie studios wouldn't want to pay Denzel-type dollars for a role that would be at best a supporting cast member role in name only. But we can hope.

[Steroid]

Would love for Denzel to play Adam but no way Marvel Studios are writing that check.

[JudicatorPrime]

Wow, the age discussion certainly fired up the gallery. I like it! Time for a new topic.

How do you think the world would view Adam now if President Kennedy had never issued Executive Order #BM349?

[Steroid]

Wow, the age discussion certainly fired up the gallery. I like it! Time for a new topic.

How do you think the world would view Adam now if President Kennedy had never issued Executive Order #BM349?

Honestly at first I think he'd get rejected for being black but eventually i think he would've gotten elevated to Captain America status among the black community.

[Ironmonk]

From what little I know of him (I honestly only read respect threads and The Ultimates), I'd say he'd probably praised as the first black superhero. Though I could see a lot of people turning against him for having all that power and knowledge and not using it to help fight for equal rights of his people. You know since comic characters don't tackle real world issues. That's how I figure it would go down.

[Killerbee911]

Would love for Denzel to play Adam but no way Marvel Studios are writing that check.

Denzel makes less than Robert Downey Jr there is a reason legit actors are willing to do superhero movies now because it is where the big money is and that becomes your set rate for other films. Money wouldn't be issue a Denzel wouldn't probably do it because length of commitment or seriousness/physicality of the role. I would love see Denzel do it but 6 to 8 movies and big promotion runs I think he is at point in career when he trying to jump through hoops. If I had pick actor I would pick Will Smith because he can play himself in young flashbacks because he still looks young while in present he has aged enough to old enough for a role. Plus he can act and his popularity means they would force importance to Blue Marvel.

Wow, the age discussion certainly fired up the gallery. I like it! Time for a new topic.

How do you think the world would view Adam now if President Kennedy had never issued Executive Order #BM349?

Based on sports and integration in the them. Blue Marvel would still get bad treatment on occasion but overall he would be would be respected and liked. This was one of the weirdest time is American History where people would love Black Performers and athletes but they still got treated like second class humans. It is interesting imagery for a comic Blue Marvel could save a factory but in restaurant we would have to sit in a different section.