DC Africana Appreciation Vol. 3: 2021

[J. D. Guy]

You know, I hadn't realized when they first solicited the issues and I first saw the cover that one of those two men wasn't actually Shilo. I thought, or rather I assumed, that they both were, with one representing Shilo in better times and the other representing Shilo in the ever-precarious situation he is finding himself in within the ongoing story.

It never dawned on me, and yet now makes perfect sense, that this "other Shilo" is actually a strapping young Thaddeus! They'd been teasing the reveal all this time.

[SecretWarrior]

I'm curious if any of y'all have been reading Mister Miracle. If you have, any thoughts on the portrayal of the first Mister Miracle as a black man? how do you feel about this story's way of applying the Mister Miracle legacy to racial issues and the black experience?

When you put it like that, it reminds me of Michael Chabon's The Escapist

[Besouro]

I was gonna trade wait it so I can so read it in one go. I feel bad for trade waiting but I feel like mini's are just way better in one sitting or read in one go without having to wait months.

Dude, read it....don't trade wait. It's very much worth it!!!

[Besouro]

I'm curious if any of y'all have been reading Mister Miracle. If you have, any thoughts on the portrayal of the first Mister Miracle as a black man? how do you feel about this story's way of applying the Mister Miracle legacy to racial issues and the black experience?

Well, I have enjoyed the new Mister Miracle series which has introduced me to another character/s who has also held the mantle. It's not as good as the earlier Mister Miracle series but it's still a good fun read with brilliant kinetic art.

I have only been family with Scott Free as THE Mister Miracle and my hope is that after this mini is over, DC should do a Free and Norman Mr Miracle series.

My one compliant is that Norman is painfully over dependent on the motherbox to the point of almost being woefully incompetent to do anything without it.

No showing of his escape artist skills at all, none!

Secondly, I have this hard itch telling me that this is the story that should have been given or somewhat adapted for a Cyborg story..... ever since a motherbox was attached to Cyborg DC has completely and adamantly REFUSED to allow writers explore Cyborg's connection to New Genesis/ New Gods through the motherbox.

Anyhow, I am sticking to this Mister Miracle comic till the end.

[lemonpeace]

Well, I have enjoyed the new Mister Miracle series which has introduced me to another character/s who has also held the mantle. It's not as good as the earlier Mister Miracle series but it's still a good fun read with brilliant kinetic art.

I have only been family with Scott Free as THE Mister Miracle and my hope is that after this mini is over, DC should do a Free and Norman Mr Miracle series.

My one compliant is that Norman is painfully over dependent on the motherbox to the point of almost being woefully incompetent to do anything without it.

No showing of his escape artist skills at all, none!

Secondly, I have this hard itch telling me that this is the story that should have been given or somewhat adapted for a Cyborg story..... ever since a motherbox was attached to Cyborg DC has completely and adamantly REFUSED to allow writers explore Cyborg's connection to New Genesis/ New Gods through the motherbox.

Anyhow, I am sticking to this Mister Miracle comic till the end.

this didn't answer either of my questions...

[Besouro]

Are y'all reading Icon and Rocket?




So I have read ICON AND ROCKET #2 and here are my thoughts.

Dialogue, art and story progression continues to be good but it still has many issues.

Again, how is this Icon supposedly a match for Supes when he uses both hands to hold back a simple small building?

WTF happened to his telekinetic-ish powers?

(1) So Icon is a killer now? How is that....eh....iconic?

Isn't he supposed to be an intergalactic lawyer or was that scrapped? In this issue he makes absolutely NO ATTEMPT of arbitration or diplomacy to the white slavers before going to war against them.

Wouldn't it have been more iconic and symbolistic (not a word by you get me) if Icon had used his telekinetic-ish ability (or whatever other powers) to defeat the white slavers without killing any of them?!?.... Particularly because the white slavers had no weapon that could harm Icon, at least as far as #2. If Icon had done this, it would have illustrated an appealing testament to his character showing that having greater power is not what makes people good or bad but it's the choices on how they use that power.

Isn't that basically the whole theme of Rocket's pitch than motivated Icon into becoming a superhero?

Also....

(2) Icon supposedly killed the leader of the Confederacy so shouldn't Icon's story and existence be public knowledge on account of the historical impact of Icon's activities in the past?... Based on that, wouldn't Icon be working for, with and/or alongside the U.S Govt and their allied govts and agencies in the present day?!?

(3) Where is his mask? ....Icon decided to reveal himself openly as a superhero without a secret identity after being secretive for centuries? Why? And how does Icon intend to protect people who might/will get hurt by this?..... wouldn't this exposure also affect Icon's firm and lawyer activities?

(4) How did the characters choose their costume designs and colors? What concerns and or considerations were made? Does Icon's and Rocket's costume has more to them? .... Are they bulletproof, fireproof, nanotech, smart fibre, etc from cooperative tech?

(5) Given that Icon has had his abilities for centuries INCLUDING FLIGHT, how come he never into space perhaps to locate his native alien civilization and/or handle a cosmic event or invading alien force or whatever? Or maybe he did but it would be VERY WEIRD and kindah dumb if he didn't.

There is a very nicely done hint at the end of this #2 that may or may not have revealed that Icon is not the only alien who has been on earth for centuries who might have a longer history with Icon than was shown in this issue #2.

I am also interested in this XIOMARA COLLINS and the group she supposedly represents as well as the "many groups interested" in Rocket's wellbeing.....and how are those supplying thugs with advanced....ahem... hardware.

Hopefully my questions/ concerns will be addressed in future releases. This is a 6 issues mini, 4 issues to go and I will be sharing my thoughts as we go along.

Thank you for your time.

[atomicskull]

Had to drop Mister Miracle sadly. As a person of color I get tired of black trauma in black superhero stories. It would be nice to just get straightforward superhero fare featuring a black superhero.

[J. D. Guy]

Had to drop Mister Miracle sadly. As a person of color I get tired of black trauma in black superhero stories. It would be nice to just get straightforward superhero fare featuring a black superhero.

Feels like a bad time to drop it and not finish it out, particularly for the reason given.

Story-wise, the journey of Shilo's historic legacy as Mister Miracle would necessitate exploring such a past to the degree the issue does. But this issue was deliberately a turning point, so abandoning the entire book now means you'll miss the entire upswing journey that Shilo will be going through, thus also missing the point of having explored what we did in the first place.

Like, your choice at the end of the day, but I rather encourage finishing things, especially with the book being at the upswing.

[lemonpeace]

Nubia in WONDER WOMAN: BLACK AND GOLD #6

[lemonpeace]

Vixen in WONDER WOMAN: BLACK & GOLD #3

[lemonpeace]

Black Manta gave us an updated out of costume Manta design, and introduced some really interesting new black characters: Gallous the GOAT (Manta's partner and protégé) Devil Ray (seems to be a young villain influenced by Manta) and Torrid (a mysterious sorceress(?) from Manta's past that escaped from hell)



thus far, it looks like our central cast is gonna be predominantly black. I think we may be revisiting and playing off Manta's old black utopia/black radical motivation, either with Manta himself or Devil Ray. first issue was pretty good, even though I feel some people are gonna have issues with the artstyle.

[J. D. Guy]

Black Manta gave us an updated out of costume Manta design, and introduced some really interesting new black characters: Gallous the GOAT (Manta's partner and protégé) Devil Ray (seems to be a young villain influenced by Manta) and Torrid (a mysterious sorceress(?) from Manta's past that escaped from hell)



thus far, it looks like our central cast is gonna be predominantly black. I think we may be revisiting and playing off Manta's old black utopia/black radical motivation, either with Manta himself or Devil Ray. first issue was pretty good, even though I feel some people are gonna have issues with the artstyle.

Love the artstyle, personally. Gives me the same awesome vibes I got from David F. Walker's Nighthawk run. Though I agree that some are gonna use its unique energy against it as a cheap point of denouncement.

[lemonpeace]

Love the artstyle, personally. Gives me the same awesome vibes I got from David F. Walker's Nighthawk run. Though I agree that some are gonna use its unique energy against it as a cheap point of denouncement.

it's already started based on some of the rumbling I've been seeing. I think the style works super well with Black Manta's dark gritty vibe. it reminds me of a dark version of that old 70s cartoon, Sealab 2020 (which, admittedly, i only know because of the adult swim version Sealab 2021). I'm a genre film kinda guy, I'm a sucker for a uniquely stylized anything, so i always prefer when DC has books that take more stylistic swings than books that are trying to adhere too closely to the typical "superhero aesthetic".

but yeah, I especially like Manta's new design for when he's out of his armor. you don't see him out of it much so it's a nice change of pace, and I dig that it's derived from his old Superfriends design.

[J. D. Guy]

it's already started based on some of the rumbling I've been seeing. I think the style works super well with Black Manta's dark gritty vibe. it reminds me of a dark version of that old 70s cartoon, Sealab 2020 (which, admittedly, i know from the adult swim version, Sealab 2021). I'm a genre film kinda guy, I'm always a sucker for a uniquely stylized and prefer when DC has books that take more stylistic swings than trying to adhere too closely to the typical "superhero aesthetic".

but yeah, I especially like Manta's new design for when he's out of his armor. you don't see him out of it much so it's a nice change if pace and it dig that it's derived from his old Superfriends design.

Agreed that David's out-of-armor design is legit cool. It's also refreshing that he's been given such a thing as an out-of-armor design in the first place.

[lemonpeace]

I'm just gonna go 'head an post this dopeness here as well. previews from the upcoming Outsiders Urban Legends story: