Diverse Legacy: Where Are They Now?

[married guy]

Jaime and Jason are my faves.
Ryan is alright too, but didn't really get the run Blue Beetle and Firestorm did.
I'd also throw in the revamped Vibe as well. His title was a heap of fun and I was bummed when he faded into obscurity.

The one that really didn't work for me at all was Simon Baz. Although he was fleshed out more later, his introduction fell flat for me.

[Konja7]

1. I wasn't really reading comics at the time or paying attention to what was going on.

2. About a 6, decent effort but the characters leave a lot to be desired. They've tried with Jaime and Ryan but way could/can be done.

3. I think they're cool, they just need to keep being using in future stories. Especially Simon.

4. If we're counting Damian since he's part arabic (and asian I think?) then it'd be him but if we're just talking about characters mentioned in this thread then it's Blue Beetle.

Damian is a special case, since DC seems undecided about his race (not that the race of Talia or Ra is really clear or established).

Many times Damian is drawn as a mini-Bruce (and that was the concept in his creation), so he is drawn a white kid.

[Username taken]

Some of them were cool but DC really dropped the ball. Especially with Cassie Cain and Jaime Reyes.

Jason Rusch could easily be brought back into Firestorm because Firestorm is a composite of two or more individuals.

And multiple versions of a character isn't really a problem. There are two Spider-mans running around at Marvel and they're both pretty big characters.

It's only a problem if you want to make it a problem.

[CPSparkles]

1. I wasn't really reading comics at the time or paying attention to what was going on.

2. About a 6, decent effort but the characters leave a lot to be desired. They've tried with Jaime and Ryan but way could/can be done.

3. I think they're cool, they just need to keep being using in future stories. Especially Simon.

4. If we're counting Damian since he's part arabic (and asian I think?) then it'd be him but if we're just talking about characters mentioned in this thread then it's Blue Beetle.

Thank you for remembering Damian. DC and fans always forget him. Even fans who campaign for representation routinely exclude him. There are such things as passers.

Dc is very bad when it comes to representation. Robin is a high profile mantle and Damian is a very popular character. likely one of their most well known and popular character of colour and the only time they have ever made an effort to show him identify with that pert of his culture in a meaningful way was in TT Annual by Glass.

The same Title weeks later then had him strap bombs to himself because of course all people of Arabic descent are suicide bombers.

Disgusting.

[CPSparkles]

Damian is a special case, since DC seems undecided about his race (not that the race of Talia or Ra is really clear or established).

Many times Damian is drawn as a mini-Bruce (and that was the concept in his creation), so he is drawn a white kid.

Damian isn't a special case. Ra's is middle Eastern and Talia's mother is Chinese. The kid is mixed. Mini bruce or not he is mixed.

Not to mention the whole Bendis calling him a mini Hitler when Matha Wayne is Jewish.

I get that both the Suicide bomber and mini Hitler stories were done in an effort to make him un suitable for Robin [according to Glass] so That Tim could recover the title but that is still bang out of order.

[Konja7]

Damian isn't a special case. Ra's is middle Eastern and Talia's mother is Chinese. The kid is mixed. Mini bruce or not he is mixed.

Not to mention the whole Bendis calling him a mini Hitler when Matha Wayne is Jewish.

I get that both the Suicide bomber and mini Hitler stories were done in an effort to make him un suitable for Robin [according to Glass] so That Tim could recover the title but that is still bang out of order.

Is Talia's mother chinese? She doesn't look chinese in Batman Inc. I don't think the race of Ra's clear either.

Damian is a special case, because he is drawn as a white kid when he is drawn as mini Bruce.

And I know that mixed race people that looks white exists, so Damian looking white doesn't make him less mixed.

However, when people usually speak about characters representing diversity in comics, they want characters that don't look white. That's why I say Damian is a special case in this thread about diversity.


PS: Damian was make unsuitable for Robin, but that wasn't for Tim to recover Robin identity. That was for 5G plans, where Tim wouldn't be Robin either (he would be Drake).

[iron chimp]

Im not even sure what yr supposed to do with an arab character in comics about fighting and justice. Yes you can have them fight fantasy / made up villians but there is a bit of an elephant in the room.

The only story you can tell is everyones pals, whitey sucks a bit, and everyone can punch nebulox in the face. Its just not much of a story. Theres a zillion interesting / challenging stories you could tell but those will never be told for a complicated web of reasons.

[CPSparkles]

Is Talia's mother chinese? She doesn't look chinese in Batman Inc.

Damian is a special case, because he is drawn as a white kid when he is drawn as mini Bruce.

And I know that mixed race people that looks white exists, so Damian looking white doesn't make less mixed.

However, when people usually speak about characters representing diversity in comics, they want characters to not look white. That's why I say Damian is a special case in this thread about diversity.


PS: Damian was make unsuitable for Robin, but that wasn't for Tim to recover Robin identity. That was for 5G plans, where Tim wouldn't be Robin either (he would be Drake).

Talia's mother is Chinese. I can't quite recall the issue but I have read a story with her and she is of Chinese descent

It wasn't for 5G since the instagram post made it very clear. It was for him to learn and deal with the consequences. That has nothing to do with 5G

Not to mention that all these about 5G are just speculation. We don't know the plans but we do they pre-planned to take Robin from Damian and how many times has Tim offered to come back and help?

Destroying a popular minority character is a great way to get readers on board and backing a less popular minority character.

There's no evidence 5G had anything to do with what they did to Damian but that's all besides the point.

It's a bad move to make a part Jewish, part Arabic character into a Hitler/suicide bomber

[CPSparkles]

Im not even sure what yr supposed to do with an arab character in comics about fighting and justice. Yes you can have them fight fantasy / made up villians but there is a bit of an elephant in the room.

The only story you can tell is everyones pals, whitey sucks a bit, and everyone can punch nebulox in the face. Its just not much of a story. Theres a zillion interesting / challenging stories you could tell but those will never be told for a complicated web of reasons.

I never had a issue with any Damian stories until he strapped a bomb to himself.

I think you should be able to tell the same stories you can with a white person. We are all humans and Arabian people aren't angels. They F&*K up and can be bad guys just like Europeans and Africans can. Just don't strap bombs to them.

[Konja7]

Talia's mother is Chinese. I can't quite recall the issue but I have read a story with her and she is of Chinese descent

I don't know what issue are you speaking.

Talia's mother appear in BATMAN INCORPORATED (2012) ISSUE #2.

Her name is Melisande and it is never mentioned or implied that she is Chinese (she doesn't look Chinese either).

[sifighter]

One legacy I thought had a lot of potential was the new Crimson Avenger that was introduced in JSA. She had the cursed magical guns and was pretty cool. And it definitely was not a case of moving aside an established hero for a new diversity hire for those who hate that kind of thing. Crimson Avenger was a dead concept, which was odd considering they were calling him the first "mystery man" of the DCU at the time. But yeah, she was cool and deserved another chance.

Also, I liked Khalid Dr Fate, but the series took soooo long with their first storyline to get him going, that I couldn't keep on. I had hoped he would grow into the role more and I could get the trades, but I guess he never took off.

I recommend James Tynions Justice League Dark run, did a pretty good job with Khalid over there

[mace11]

Well Talia is at times drawn with asian or euro-asian phenotype and sometimes she is drawn white or brown looking from what i see.
Same with Damian.

She is looks euro-asian asian or racially brown(intermediate) here.
Talia al Ghul (New Earth)


Notes

The exact history of the New Earth Talia has not been revealed thus far. In several alternate reality versions, such as the graphic novel Batman: Birth of the Demon (1992), explain how Ra's al Ghul met her mother, who was of mixed Chinese and Arab descent, at the Woodstock Festival. Talia's mother later dies of a drug overdose. This version contrasts the early history listed in Batman: Son of the Demon (1987), which states that Talia's mother was named Melisande and was murdered by a former servant of Ra's, named Qayin. Both of these stories are told from the perspective of an adult Ibn al Xu'ffasch, who does not exist in the DC Universe.

She looks asian here.
Talia al Ghul (Prime Earth)

[mace11]

Damian Wayne looks euro-asian asian here or maybe brown.
Damian Wayne (Prime Earth)



He does not look white to me here as well.


He looks asian here.
Damian Wayne (New Earth)

[Konja7]

Well Talia is at times drawn with asian or euro-asian phenotype and somethmes she is drawn white or brown looking from white i see.
Same with Damian

She is looks euro-asian asian or racially brown(intermediate) here.
Talia al Ghul (New Earth)


Notes




She looks asian here.
Talia al Ghul (Prime Earth)

Morrison used Melisande as Talia's mother for Batman Inc. So, I guess that could be considered the New Earth versión.

[Konja7]

Damian Wayne looks euro-asian asian here or maybe brown.
Damian Wayne (Prime Earth)



He does not look white to me here as well.


He looks asian here.
Damian Wayne (New Earth)

Honestly, I think Damian looks pretty white in the last image (as white as the white characters in the floor).

What make you think he looks Asian in that image?