‘Superman’ Reboot Being Produced By JJ Abrams With Ta-Nehisi Coates Writing

[Amadeus Arkham]

Sorry but I can’t help but chuckle at the un-ironic phrasing of “you’re eliminating white characters.” Yeah...I totally would ‘take away’ representation from the white community by seldomly race-bending characters like Patrick O’ Brein(aka, Plastic Man) if someone cast him as Asian. I mean think of the outcry from the white community who’s historically never been well-represented in superhero media before, and totally still doesn’t get repeatedly cast as white superhero characters! As Helen Lovejoy would say:”Think of the children!”

lol, come on now. Let’s not get hyperbolic here.

[Killerbee911]

I disagree with your premise because it's not up to you to decide that there are "too many" white characters. That's your opinion. For me, representing the characters as they have been depicted is more important than changing a character's race to make you happy.

So what do you call it then?


This is an example, isn't the picture overwhelming white? It is not about making me happy it is an obvious thing. Let be clear I am not saying delete the characters you can more make minority characters but you can't avoid the thing that comics can have so many characters so one way or the other to being more diverse means fewer white characters in some form.

Also, Bruce Wayne is not Irish. He's been established as Scottish on his father's side and Jewish on his mother's side..

I meant Scottish that was a mistake thanks for the correction

Finally, minority characters were created with an agenda in mind -- to increase representation of minority races and cultures. That's why the characters' race and culture is usually front and center in how the stories are told. Whereas white characters are not created with a "mission."

However, once again, that doesn't mean that just because a white character's ancestry or ethnicity hasn't been front and center in the stories, that it becomes ok to eliminate it altogether.

If white characters have been a "blank slate," then let's correct THAT. Let's see the ancestral and ethnic background of white characters explored more. Let's see Jews, Italians, Poles, Russians, Spaniards, Irish, French, etc. have their cultures MATTER in stories rather than just see them eliminated.

Your initial post made seem that people with no reason or perspective were just picking white characters like people just view white people as having no agency. I was trying to explain why people were picking on some white characters as options to change. I understand that you don't agree but looking at characters as they are fictional things, it is easy to think about changing the character who has been around for 20 or 30 years, and not once did any writer flesh out them out culturally. I was clarifying something they are a lot of white American characters who don't have any cultural background, who don't have any stories rounding out their history. People aren't just going any character who is white can be changed because white characters' background doesn't matter there is a flaw in the industry that makes these characters seem more viable for a change.

The rest depends on how you view fictional characters, I believe there comes a point when you can reinterpret fictional characters, I have seen many versions of Dracula, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Sherlock Holmes, 7 samurai, etc. I believe when modernizing concepts and adapting it is fair game to make an adjustment for the new setting. People have been doing this with stories for ages. Some people disagree that is fine some of us believe when DC or Marvel is refreshing/rebooting their line and the movie world is one-way it is a fair option to change characters and if you are looking for characters to change some of the characters who are in surplus and don't have definitive backgrounds become strong options for a change.

My final statement is obviously I am not changing any character I don't have that power, If I had that power I would elevate certain minority characters not change character races. But when they do change characters I don't mind and stuff like Tim Drake being black on Titans, Hawkman being Black in Black Adam, The West family being black on Flash, Aquaman being Polynesian do not bother me in the slightest because of the reason I mention above especially when the industry seems to have no interest in original properties or stuff that isn't as proven in comics. Again Marvel MCU is looking better in this area, DC is behind but we are seeing signs of life, So maybe in the future, you won't see character changed because of lack of diversity and we all will be happy.

[Castle]

I agree. However when DC, Marvel or WHOEVER has offered original black characters-the LINE starts to the left with SOMEONE having an issue with them.

Along with companies QUICK to give up after one setback or even success.

Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman would have made it possible to make black comic book movies. Smith already did one in 2006, it made a lot of money , quite impressive for a NOT DC or Marvel film.

[Aahz]

The ISSUE is these studios do NOT want to write those CHECKS in the first place. Nor greenlight those movies.

Studios don't write checks, they usually try to find investors who write checks.

[SiegePerilous02]

Sorry but I can’t help but chuckle at the un-ironic phrasing of “you’re eliminating white characters.” Yeah...I totally would ‘take away’ representation from the white community by seldomly race-bending characters like Patrick O’ Brein(aka, Plastic Man) if someone cast him as Asian. I mean think of the outcry from the white community who’s historically never been well-represented in superhero media before, and totally still doesn’t get repeatedly cast as white superhero characters! As Helen Lovejoy would say:”Think of the children!”

lol, come on now. Let’s not get hyperbolic here.

Agreed. I think there are ways to express some concerns about casting choices without going into the "but eliminating white characters is bad!" territory. The majority of American content is focused on white people still, we're not going anywhere. A black Superman isn't going to make the white people go away, so relax.

[Killerbee911]

In defense of that poster, it was my comment talking about removing white characters in some manner that lead them to talking about it. I don't think the poster was talking about white characters being danger being replaced. They were talking about how posters are casual about talking about changing the race of white characters as if white characters' race isn't a valid thing and to some extent they are right on that point.

[Will Evans]

Besides Aquaman being Polynesian we also have now

Hawkman is black
Cyclone is black
Black Canary is black
Supergirl is Latina

[Menacer]

Actually it does make a difference beyond being white was how he was presented for years. Clark Kent is story of rural couple from middle America Kansas raise a kid on a farm. While that could apply to several races, Clark Kent story is very much story of white kid growing up on farm in rural America. Whiteness is general part of his story because that sub section of country is pretty much that. You can't do Clark Kent story and change his race and not understand that would change things and his experiences.

You can make the adjustment necessary but it does make a difference to his story. A black family owning a decent size farm in Kansas feels as alien as literally alien flying around with powers, If you understand that part of the country. The framework of his experience would be much different as black person.

He doesn't have to be from Kansas, nor a reporter... its literary like you've never read a multiverse story...

We've had multiple Supergirl origins...

Its as though you didnt read my whole post...

Your post is a huge face palm to read

[SiegePerilous02]

He doesn't have to be from Kansas, nor a reporter... its literary like you've never read a multiverse story...

We've had multiple Supergirl origins...

Its as though you didnt read my whole post...

Your post is a huge face palm to read

I don't think he necessarily has to be from Kansas (Smallville wasn't in Kansas pre-COIE was it?), but if it's Clark he absolutely needs to be a reporter of some kind. It's essential to the character.

In other media, Kara's origin as being his cousin from Krypton is pretty consistent. The other Supergirl origins tend to not make it into other media because they were cooked up as a way around outdated editorial mandates against Kara existing. Since they are no longer around, there's no need to avoid making Kara herself.

[Menacer]

I don't think he necessarily has to be from Kansas (Smallville wasn't in Kansas pre-COIE was it?), but if it's Clark he absolutely needs to be a reporter of some kind. It's essential to the character.

In other media, Kara's origin as being his cousin from Krypton is pretty consistent. The other Supergirl origins tend to not make it into other media because they were cooked up as a way around outdated editorial mandates against Kara existing. Since they are no longer around, there's no need to avoid making Kara herself.

No he doesnt need to he a reporter.

Multiverse

Same reason this guy is Clark Kent

Screenshot_20210228-102014_Chrome.jpg

[SiegePerilous02]

No he doesnt need to he a reporter.

Multiverse

Same reason this guy is Clark Kent

Screenshot_20210228-102014_Chrome.jpg

You'd have a point if they were making an Ultraman movie, but they're not. Also the mainstream does not know or care that much about who Ultraman is.

After so much grief the controversies surrounding the Superman IP has cost them, do you think the studio wants to invite more by spending a ton of money on a product that's Superman in name only? Casting a black or POC actor as Clark would be controversial enough (it shouldn't be, but reality sucks), removing all the familiar trappings or even not having it be Clark on top of that would be creating a needless headache.

Superman isn't popular only among white people, I'm sure there are a lot of aspiring black actors who'd like a crack at playing the real deal character and interacting with all his iconic stuff: Lois, Daily Planet job, the Clark/Superman divide, vs. Lex and Brainiac, etc.

[Menacer]

You'd have a point if they were making an Ultraman movie, but they're not. Also the mainstream does not know or care that much about who Ultraman is.

After so much grief the controversies surrounding the Superman IP has cost them, do you think the studio wants to invite more by spending a ton of money on a product that's Superman in name only? Casting a black or POC actor as Clark would be controversial enough (it shouldn't be, but reality sucks), removing all the familiar trappings or even not having it be Clark on top of that would be creating a needless headache.

Superman isn't popular only among white people, I'm sure there are a lot of aspiring black actors who'd like a crack at playing the real deal character and interacting with all his iconic stuff: Lois, Daily Planet job, the Clark/Superman divide, vs. Lex and Brainiac, etc.

Ideally speaking I'd like a white superman/clark kent to interact with a black superman/insert name here.

The same way miles Morales exists along side peter parker...

Ideally.

But I stand by what I said, the multiverse can have white Keaton Batman interact with white Affleck Batman...

Or white film barry with cw tv Barry

No reason a great story can't be written about a black clark kent superman interacting with white clark superman...

But yah ideally the miles morales model is personally more appealing to me...

Ultimately we will see what dc does.

In some cases controversy can generate more interest

[Castle]

I am left with one question to ask and hope I will get some amazing good answer beyond, representation.... because if is about representation, DC can just create a new character.

What other reason would there be to change his race? when they do, they must make Ma Kent and Pa Kent black as I will dislike that a black Superman was adopted by White parents also does this mean Lois Lane will be black too?

See this is why I think a lot of problems will arise and not for the best, anyone remember black Johnny Storm and white Sue Storm from Fantastic 4 2015? If they want to make superman black, they better make his primary supporting system of characters mostly also black too, but guess what? this studios will never want to go that far.

[SiegePerilous02]

Ideally speaking I'd like a white superman/clark kent to interact with a black superman/insert name here.

The same way miles Morales exists along side peter parker...

Ideally.

But I stand by what I said, the multiverse can have white Keaton Batman interact with white Affleck Batman...

Or white film barry with cw tv Barry

No reason a great story can't be written about a black clark kent superman interacting with white clark superman...

But yah ideally the miles morales model is personally more appealing to me...

Ultimately we will see what dc does.

In some cases controversy can generate more interest

In some cases controversy can be good, but otherwise it's needless and causes more problems. They've had nothing but controversies since the Snyder Superman stuff, and they have Ray Fisher causing a stink every other day (and using this announcement to make more). They need to read the room sometimes and not be gluttons for punishment.

[The Gold Stream]

they must make Ma Kent and Pa Kent black as I will dislike that a black Superman was adopted by White parents also does this mean Lois Lane will be black too?

i doubt there'll be a problem with interracial adoption or relationships really

anyone remember black Johnny Storm and white Sue Storm from Fantastic 4 2015? If they want to make superman black, they better make his primary supporting system of characters mostly also black too

iirc the storm family was black in that and sue was a white adoption