DC Africana Appreciation Vol. 3: 2021

[Will Evans]

Tim Burton set up Billy Dee Williams to play Two-Face, and his first choice to play Robin was Marlon Wayans, who still gets residuals from his Batman contract.

DC is staying true to Burton's original vision for his 3rd Batman film in Batman '89. I kind of wish I could watch this in live-action, but this will have to do!

Never knew that about Marlon Wayans.


That would have been a trip, barely seeing Marlon in his siblings sketches on In Living Color to being in Batman 3.
He probably would have blown up right after Damon Wayans in The Last Boy Scout.

[J. D. Guy]

Tim Burton set up Billy Dee Williams to play Two-Face, and his first choice to play Robin was Marlon Wayans, who still gets residuals from his Batman contract.

DC is staying true to Burton's original vision for his 3rd Batman film in Batman '89. I kind of wish I could watch this in live-action, but this will have to do!

I now realize that we could have had the precedent set for a Black traditional Robin if Marlon Waynas' Robin had panned out. I absolutely love the Black non-traditional Robin we got, but I do wonder what would have been if Duke's Robin mantle was more traditional, or if he wasn't the only Black Robin, traditional or otherwise, we ever got. (I wish the Batman Family in general, especially the principal ones who get the most ongoing and consistent focus, were more diverse than it is.)

Never knew that about Marlon Wayans.


That would have been a trip, barely seeing Marlon in his siblings sketches on In Living Color to being in Batman 3.
He probably would have blown up right after Damon Wayans in The Last Boy Scout.

This is actually about the second time or so that I've heard tell about this, specifically about how Marlon Waynas was in-line to be Robin. Don't recall where I last heard of this or how long ago it was (it was a few years), but yeah.

[skyvolt2000]

This is actually about the second time or so that I've heard tell about this, specifically about how Marlon Waynas was in-line to be Robin. Don't recall where I last heard of this or how long ago it was (it was a few years), but yeah.

The last known time Marlon talked about it was around 2006-when White Chicks was either out or still filming.

He did an interview for Complex magazine and point out he was paid for BOTH Batman Returns and what would become Batman Forever.

He was measured for a costume. In Return it was mainly a jumpsuit with an R on it in the scenes where Batman was racing in a junkyard. He pops up and then pulls the Batman disappearing act on Batman. The last scene of him shows the R on his jumpsuit.

[SecretWarrior]

[John Venus]

if you could put together a team of black heroes (and they have to have a reason or niche form why their together other than/in addition to being black), what would your team look like?

the idea has been popping up in my head lately

I've been mulling over the idea of a group akin to the Leverage team where each character has their own specialty and they all have to work together to a achieve a common goal.

Bumblebee/Karen Beecher: Team leader/Tech support
Dr Mid-night/Beth Chapel: Medic
Thunder/Anissa Pierce: Fighter (close to mid range)
Lightning/Jeniffer Pierce: Fighter (long range)
Green Lantern/Jo Mullein: Detective/Aerial combatant
Crimson Avenger/Jill Carlyle: Magical support
Starlight/Natasha Irons: Combatant/Secondary Tech support


Vixen/Mari Jiwe McCabe: Financier/backer

[J. D. Guy]

The last known time Marlon talked about it was around 2006-when White Chicks was either out or still filming.

He did an interview for Complex magazine and point out he was paid for BOTH Batman Returns and what would become Batman Forever.

He was measured for a costume. In Return it was mainly a jumpsuit with an R on it in the scenes where Batman was racing in a junkyard. He pops up and then pulls the Batman disappearing act on Batman. The last scene of him shows the R on his jumpsuit.

Ah, okay.

I think where I heard it from, then, was secondhand from another source. It was a few years back, but certainly not 2006.

[lemonpeace]

Titans just gave us Duke's first appearance outside of the comics!! and they didn't cast him mixed or high yellow light-skinned!!

small victories

[J. D. Guy]

Titans just gave us Duke's first appearance outside of the comics!! and they didn't cast him mixed or high yellow light-skinned!!

small victories

Good that that's the case, although that's usually more of an issue when it comes time to adapt Black girls and women into a given role. They'll definitely do the same for Black boys and men, but it's more likely that they'll cast them matching their dark-skinned and phenotyped sources.

[mace11]

Fans Rally for a #BlackCanaryHBOSeries, Starring Jurnee Smollett
On Dinah Laurel Lance's birthday, DC fans ask HBO for a Black Canary series starring Jurnee Smollett, causing #BlackCanaryHBOSeries to trend online.
https://www.cbr.com/fans-rally-for-a...rnee-smollett/

Black Canary Spinoff in the Works From Lovecraft Country Writer
Lovecraft Country and Underground creator Misha Green is reportedly reteaming with Jurnee Smollett for a Black Canary spinoff project.

UPDATE: The following report has been confirmed by the star of the film, Jurnee Smollett, as seen in her tweet below.

https://www.cbr.com/black-canary-spi...ountry-writer/

[atomicskull]

I asked James Tucker on Twitter if he ever advocated for a black superhero to headline their own animated series. And this was his lame excuse.

Screenshot 2021-08-21 5.26.25 PM.jpg

Very disappointing that he needs to be asked to do it instead of being proactive.

[SecretWarrior]

We don't know what "advocate" entails. And "pitch" may be a formal use of resources.

I'm not absolving or condemning him based on that tweet. Maybe he could've done more, but we don't know.

Dwayne seems to have gotten better results though.

[skyvolt2000]

I asked James Tucker on Twitter if he ever advocated for a black superhero to headline their own animated series. And this was his lame excuse.

Screenshot 2021-08-21 5.26.25 PM.jpg

Very disappointing that he needs to be asked to do it instead of being proactive.

TBF to him-even if he was proactive does not mean they will listen.

And how many of US even get to pitch? Especially if you are talking about Cartoon Network (and not Adult Swim).

As far as I know Anthony Montgomery is the only black person to pitch to Cartoon Network. He got dismissed and was told his pitch was Ben 10. Aside from starring a teen-they had nothing in common and Anthony's character WAS an Alien by birth.

And McDuffie was approached to do Static Shock starring a WHITE kid.

We have seen how black animated shows get treated. A battle to get merchandise made is the other part of the issue.

[lemonpeace]

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?

[lemonpeace]

Mister Miracle:
Shilo Norman & Thaddeus Brown Appreciation
https://community.cbr.com/showthread...ciation-Thread


Mr. Terrific: Michael Holt Appreciation
https://community.cbr.com/showthread...light=Terrific


HARDWARE: Curtis Metcalf Appreciation
https://community.cbr.com/showthread...on-Thread-2021

[HandofPrometheus]

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?

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.