Chanigng characters race or sexuality for DC characters

[mathew101281]

The fact that reimagining old characters is the only way to inject diversity into the genre just proves that the genre is dying creatively. To man old fans that don’t try new things.

[The Darknight Detective]

Case by case basis, and I'm way more forgiving of it in live action castings. Because it's giving a real life flesh and blood person an opportunity they might not otherwise have.

Like I wouldn't want Black Canary to be made black in the comics, but I really liked Jurnee Smollett-Bell in the role and am kinda bumped we won't likely see her again.



I think that was a case of it coming out in the 90s/early 2000s and bi-siexuality not being taken as seriously back then. It seems you were either gay or straight, but couldn't be attracted to both sexes. So in their minds if they wanted Willow to be in a romance with a woman, she had to be gay. It's probably no coincidence that Oz is rarely ever mentioned again in the last three seasons. To me though, it would have made more sense for Willow to be bi, or for her to articulate how she maybe misunderstood her feelings for Xander and Oz (and her crush on Giles, and she did swoon over Angel a bit along with Buffy) before realizing she was gay. But they never really did that.

Exactly. It's like Whedon flipped a sexuality switch for her and everything before never happened.

[Timothy Hunter]

When was it revealed that Obsidian was gay? I'm currently reading through the original Infinity Inc and it appears to me that Obsidian wasn't intended to be a gay character from the get go.

[The Darknight Detective]

The fact that reimagining old characters is the only way to inject diversity into the genre just proves that the genre is dying creatively. To man old fans that don’t try new things.

The problem is new characters tend to get ignored by the CB audience, so that's why they use the old ones.

[Sacred Knight]

Generally not a fan. Case by case basis and all but overall, my opinion is its always best, albeit harder, to create and foster new characters with the traits desired.

[Johnrevenge]

The problem is new characters tend to get ignored by the CB audience, so that's why they use the old ones.

Exactly this.

[achilles]

When was it revealed that Obsidian was gay? I'm currently reading through the original Infinity Inc and it appears to me that Obsidian wasn't intended to be a gay character from the get go.

Late 90s/early 2000s IIRC. No, he wasn't intended to be gay originally either.

[achilles]

The problem is new characters tend to get ignored by the CB audience, so that's why they use the old ones.

Well, also that doing new things is hard. Actually, I think it's more of a case of that.

[scary harpy]

Comics are too white and too straight and too entrenched in the old order for the "just create new characters with the proper race/sexuality/whatever and hope they get to the level of the preexisting characters" process to work. So just do it.

exactly this

[cranger]

The problem is new characters tend to get ignored by the CB audience, so that's why they use the old ones.

The characters get buried either way, but the optics are better for the press release and subsequent Top 10 lists the character might show up in.

Well, also that doing new things is hard. Actually, I think it's more of a case of that.

Pretty much, and the head exec who is passing through leading the publishing division just wants to not be responsible for a big loss before moving on to better position.

[The Darknight Detective]

Well, also that doing new things is hard. Actually, I think it's more of a case of that.

More the reluctance of creators today to make new characters than that it's hard to do, IMO.

[Rend20]

The problem is new characters tend to get ignored by the CB audience, so that's why they use the old ones.

But the dilemma there is the end result doesn't necessarily align with the reasoning behind it.

Trying to rely on a character's already existing fan-base while changing the character on a fundamental level (not just those related to race and/or sexuality) is a difficult juggling act. It's obviously harder the more popular the character is as we saw with Wally in the New 52. I believe both methods take serious commitment.

That's why I usually prefer new characters because they seemingly don't have the immediate hopes and expectations tied to them like what happens when you go the other route. You just have to stick with it while knowing it most likely won't be an immediate success so the character can grow something rather than just shrugging your shoulders and saying we tried after a year.

[Mistah K88]

It really depends on who it is really... Though I will say that sexuality is easier as even in real life people can be known as straight all their life and then be known as gay later. I'm speaking from experience myself. It even gets harder as I've even known men who were "player" types who turned out to be gay.

With race it tends to be a little harder, though supporting casts tend to be fair game as a good chunk of them have barely ever shown up enough to really establish a character (not everyone is going to get up to Jim Gordon levels of infamy) .I mean do you REALLY care when Inspector Henderson is black when he was originally white?

[postfutureshock]

I love it. Make all characters queer in my opinion. If you don't like, you have nearly 90 years of comic books to go back and read. Onto the future my friends.

[OopsIdiditagain]

They only change races in adaptations. I don't see a new character of different race taking over a mantle as the same as racebending. New characters take over mantles because it progresses the story.