DC Africana Appreciation: Vol. 2

[Frontier]

repost from the John Stewart thread



check out the description on what it says about what McDuffie's story is going to be about with John Stewart:






So it looks like there's finally going to be a John/Hawkgirl moment in the story. Man, I couldn't be even more excited to see this.

Charlotte Fullerton doing a quick story for John Stewart, and it's with a former Milestone artist! you guys think this could point to Milestone news coming sooner than later.

I guess I couldn't think of a better McDuffie tribute then a John Stewart-focused story featuring Hawkgirl.

[lemonpeace]

This is something that just popped in my head a while ago, and i didn't really know where to go with it in my head. I was thinking about color, and how even though we have an entire career dedicated to color in the comic book industry in the colorist, the complexion of black characters (and characters of color) is a non-thought in comics; which i think is important. even though it's just a small part of a bigger whole when it comes to the problems with the application of black characters in comic books. But anyway, that isn't a new problem, so I guess i settled on what complexion do you see prominent black characters at DC?

for the sake of simplicity, we'll divvy it up by light skin/brown skin/dark skin

I recognize it's completely arbitrary because of coloring inconsistency but for me personally, I always envisioned John Stewart and Black Lightning as a dark skin men, more Trevante Rhodes or Morris Chestnut than a James Avery, Ice Cube, or Rick Whittle, and I definitely see Vixen as a dark skinned woman like Lupita Nyong'o or Jodie Turner-Smith. Luke Fox and Bumblebee I've seen more on the light skinned side in my mind.

[HandofPrometheus]

This is something that just popped in my head a while ago, and i didn't really know where to go with it in my head. I was thinking about color, and how even though we have an entire career dedicated to color in the comic book industry in the colorist, the complexion of black characters (and characters of color) is a non-thought in comics; which i think is important. even though it's just a small part of a bigger whole when it comes to the problems with the application of black characters in comic books. But anyway, that isn't a new problem, so I guess i settled on what complexion do you see prominent black characters at DC?

for the sake of simplicity, we'll divvy it up by light skin/brown skin/dark skin

I recognize it's completely arbitrary because of coloring inconsistency but for me personally, I always envisioned John Stewart and Black Lightning as a dark skin men, more Trevante Rhodes or Morris Chestnut than a James Avery, Ice Cube, or Rick Whittle, and I definitely see Vixen as a dark skinned woman like Lupita Nyong'o or Jodie Turner-Smith. Luke Fox and Bumblebee I've seen more on the light skinned side in my mind.

I see Bumblebee more as brown like Kerry Washington or Gabrielle Union. I see Aqualad as brown skin and Bronze Tiger as dark skin. Fatality is light skin and Wallace gives me lightskin vibes like his actor in Flash.

[lemonpeace]

I see Bumblebee more as brown like Kerry Washington or Gabrielle Union. I see Aqualad as brown skin and Bronze Tiger as dark skin. Fatality is light skin and Wallace gives me lightskin vibes like his actor in Flash.

see, I always envisioned Fatality as brown skinned but on the darker side. Wallace I agree is definitely light skinned in my head. it's funny actually, Wallace is mixed but is typically drawn darker like a typical black kid in the comics - which isn't a problem because mixed people are very diverse in their color. but what I found odd was that on The Flash TV show, his actor is mixed and light skinned, looks "typically" mixed, even though Wally in the show is fully black, both parents are darker skinned; Joe's more brown but Wally's mother was dark skinned.

[9th.]

This is something that just popped in my head a while ago, and i didn't really know where to go with it in my head. I was thinking about color, and how even though we have an entire career dedicated to color in the comic book industry in the colorist, the complexion of black characters (and characters of color) is a non-thought in comics; which i think is important. even though it's just a small part of a bigger whole when it comes to the problems with the application of black characters in comic books. But anyway, that isn't a new problem, so I guess i settled on what complexion do you see prominent black characters at DC?

for the sake of simplicity, we'll divvy it up by light skin/brown skin/dark skin

I recognize it's completely arbitrary because of coloring inconsistency but for me personally, I always envisioned John Stewart and Black Lightning as a dark skin men, more Trevante Rhodes or Morris Chestnut than a James Avery, Ice Cube, or Rick Whittle, and I definitely see Vixen as a dark skinned woman like Lupita Nyong'o or Jodie Turner-Smith. Luke Fox and Bumblebee I've seen more on the light skinned side in my mind.

Agreed on John and BL but I see Vixen as more Angela Basset than Lupita and Luke as MBJ than straight up lightskin.

[Robotman]

Any fans of Mr. Terrific (or just good comics) should really check out Strange Adventures.

[9th.]

Any fans of Mr. Terrific (or just good comics) should really check out Strange Adventures.

He's in that? I thought that was just about Adam Strange?

[Vordan]

He's in that? I thought that was just about Adam Strange?

He’s the co-protagonist. I’m very interested in where King plans to go with him after issue 2. Mr. Terrific all but comes out and says he expects racist backlash from him going after a white hero, even though Holt also saved the world multiple times himself.
CE4F9579-DA1B-4BA4-A659-AF7948E4D704.jpg

[lemonpeace]

Repost for the Milestone thread

Looks like plans to get a Milestone up and running are still happening: https://www.gamesradar.com/dcs-miles...ys-co-founder/
But Covid delayed everything. Fingers crossed it will end up going forward.

Milestone Comics co-founder Denys Cowan has opened up about the return of the imprint through DC, a plan that was first announced at the 2015 Comic-Con International: San Diego, and which was delayed by a subsequent lawsuit that Cowan says has now been "resolved to all parties' satisfaction".

"As you know, we were involved in a lawsuit that everyone read about in the papers, if people care to read about that kind of stuff. Not everything that was printed was true, but there was still a situation," Cowan tells CBR. "Well, that situation has been resolved to all parties' satisfaction. So we're all happy and the person that had an issue with us is happy. We're all together; we're all friends; we're all good. And DC and Milestone were going forward with their plans after a very long delay and, just when we were starting to pick up everything again, is when the pandemic hit."

"But that hasn't really stopped work from progressing. I can't say anything really big right now, some of the stuff had already been announced a while ago, and we're still proceeding with a lot of those things," Cowan continues. "There's going to be some new things that are going to be announced. But for all people who are thinking about Milestone, we thank you for your continued patience. There will be stuff to see and there will be stuff to see relatively soon. And hopefully, people will be back on the Milestone bandwagon, and it'll be good because I think that now, it's needed more than ever."

[BradleyFan]

Repost for the Milestone thread

Here's a link to the post on twitter as well

Now, while I love the idea behind this image, it hasn't escaped me that most of these characters DC tends to just ignore (and has ignored for decades on end.)
I mean, Cyborg's pretty much MIA (even though when New 52 came out in 2011 DC acted like they were going to treat him with as much reverence as the rest of the JL)
John Stewart has been pushed aside countless times to make room for Hal Jordan.
I'm not going to get into the MileStone characters because I understand there's legal issues there but I do know that Static's 2011 book was sabotaged by DC Editorial. according to John Rozum,)
Has Steel or Nubia been given any kind of push at all in recent years?
The only one I can think of that's gotten recent attention is Black Lightning and that's due to his TV show.
Will Sojourner actually be used in the GL franchise rather than just be tossed aside?

It's just really disingenuous to me that all of these companies suddenly now want to bring themselves to the conversation about Black lives and Black narratives when its suddenly economically and politically viable. I'd prefer if they actually wrote these characters and gave them the love and appreciation they deserve rather than just trotting them out to show how "woke" the company is. I'd feel better if DC actually admitted to their mishandling of their Black characters (and their Black writers, like David Walker) and then strived to do better. Everything here just seems performative.

Happy Juneteenth I guess.

[skyvolt2000]

Here's a link to the post on twitter as well

It's just really disingenuous to me that all of these companies suddenly now want to bring themselves to the conversation about Black lives and Black narratives when its suddenly economically and politically viable. I'd prefer if they actually wrote these characters and gave them the love and appreciation they deserve rather than just trotting them out to show how "woke" the company is. I'd feel better if DC actually admitted to their mishandling of their Black characters (and their Black writers, like David Walker) and then strived to do better. Everything here just seems performative.

Happy Juneteenth I guess.

How is there profit for DC?

Thye have very little black lead only products out there. Most recent is Naomi, Batman and the Signal, You Send me The Ocean, Silencer, Black Lightning Cold Dead Hands and cases could be made for The Terrifics & Batman & The Outsiders. Toss in Michael Cray & Cyborg trades.

Since 2015. 16 trades?? Out of 9 titles (7 not counting team books)? Going back to 2011-Batwing, Mr Terrific & Cyborg-8 more trades. Because Static's is OUT of print and EXPENSIVE fof some reason. 25 black lead (not team lead) trades.

Marvel since 2011
Black Panther 15 trades?
Miles Morales at leatst 15
Luke Cage 3 (not counting PM & Ironfist)
Falcon 8
Riri at 4
Moon Girl at 9
Shuri at 4ish
Mosaic 2
Wakanda related 4
Not counting all the Miles, Falcon & Black Panther realted readers and novels.

Image since 2011
Spawn, Savage Dragon, Motor Crush, Excellence, Freeze, Farmhands, Bitter Root, Prodigy, Burn Outs, Kick Azz, Reyn & Gasolina. 12 titles. 30 trades.

Valiant.
Shadowman, Quatum & Woody, Divinty and Live Wire. At least 12.

Everybody esle has out done DC. If any of them had did that poster-teh reaction would be different.

[lemonpeace]

I always wished I could get more into Amazing-Man. One of the few black legacy characters but something has always stopped me from really digging this character (besides scarce appearances of course). he seems cool but I think I just find his powers pretty basic and uninspired. I feel if they start using him more going forward they should add a unique quirk to his abilities to make him feel more dynamic and give him that extra creative umpth.

[skyvolt2000]

I did some digging around for folks for a Vixen idea that I mentioned in her thread.

Interesting enough I discovered some more black folks. Sadly the DC Fandom page doesn't expand much on most of them.

Flint from Wildstorm DV8 series.
Ben Turner Jr Bronze Tiger's nephew
Impala
Frostbite
Crowbar (VIbe villain)
Jetfire
Frostbite (Resurrection Man)
Chill
Grey Lora
Hack
Lightweaver
Joey N'Boo

[Shockingjustice]

IMG]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/97CBFJbTDdEDGqhc3ZMpWM.jpg[/IMG]

I always wished I could get more into Amazing-Man. One of the few black legacy characters but something has always stopped me from really digging this character (besides scarce appearances of course). he seems cool but I think I just find his powers pretty basic and uninspired. I feel if they start using him more going forward they should add a unique quirk to his abilities to make him feel more dynamic and give him that extra creative umpth.

Personally I can't wait until we can get a heavy hitter black superhero or heroine who can deal with the greatest threats. More often than not they get better showings than the street/mid tier heroes. Cyborg definitely as sad as to say it isn't it. He gets ripped apart at every available instance.

However, that doesn't mean I don't want to see the likes of bronze tiger or Amazing Man. Hope Naomi comes back soon.

[Agent Z]

Wonder Woman TAS - Nubia Redesign Profile by Femmes-Fatales