Anti-russian sentiments in Marvel Comics

[Kingdom X]

It’s the vodka in every appearance for me…

No but seriously the Russian portrayals suck because they’re rarely presenting a positive alternative. I didn’t realize how frustrating it could be until I was watching Stranger Things S3 with my Russian roommate. Her family suffered greatly at the hands of USSR, but that doesn’t mean that every time she sees Russians on screen that she wants to see exaggerated caricatures.

[inisideguy]

It’s the vodka in every appearance for me…

No but seriously the Russian portrayals suck because they’re rarely presenting a positive alternative. I didn’t realize how frustrating it could be until I was watching Stranger Things S3 with my Russian roommate. Her family suffered greatly at the hands of USSR, but that doesn’t mean that every time she sees Russians on screen that she wants to see exaggerated caricatures.

My wife is German and she pretty much has experienced this her whole life. She knows who the bad guys gonna be in 50 percent of the movies we watch. So it is what it is. Look everyone can complain about everything. Movies and media stereotype white male evil corporate leaders all the time as well. People probably should stop being offended at every caricature of any particular demographic or race or culture. Because someone is always going to be offended.

[Rzerox21xx]

I curious if Marvel will ever portrayed China villainous especially with the human rights violations with the Uyghurs. It would be nice to show Aero defending or going against a unjust arrest of Uyghurs the same way Marvel in the past portrayed Border arrest. or give some sort of Criticism.

[Writerblog]

My wife is German and she pretty much has experienced this her whole life. She knows who the bad guys gonna be in 50 percent of the movies we watch. So it is what it is. Look everyone can complain about everything. Movies and media stereotype white male evil corporate leaders all the time as well. People probably should stop being offended at every caricature of any particular demographic or race or culture. Because someone is always going to be offended.

This is deaftone. I barely see germans as villains outside of WW2 movies.

[inisideguy]

This is deaftone. I barely see germans as villains outside of WW2 movies.

Just watched Jungle cruise. German villains. Not even world war 2 but world war 1. Why? Beats me they are German and of course they were evil back in world war 1 to right?

[inisideguy]

I curious if Marvel will ever portrayed China villainous especially with the human rights violations with the Uyghurs. It would be nice to show Aero defending or going against a unjust arrest of Uyghurs the same way Marvel in the past portrayed Border arrest. or give some sort of Criticism.

Look this is a no win game. Someone is always pissed about how someone is portrayed. The Chinese won't show Shang Chi in China because they don't like how certain things are portrayed in the movie. So how do you win this game?

[Writerblog]

Just watched Jungle cruise. German villains. Not even world war 2 but world war 1. Why? Beats me they are German and of course they were evil back in world war 1 to right?

Because Germans were bad guys on WW1, they started the war and used dirty methods.

[inisideguy]

Because Germans were bad guys on WW1, they started the war and used dirty methods.

This is a perfect example of how everyone has different views on different things. The whole well they were bad therefore its perfectly fine to portray them as bad. Well they didn't think they were bad in World War 1. I have Irish friends who absolutely have no problem with showing British people as villains. Because to them, the British are villains.

This is lunacy. Its like white poor people in Appalachia being mad at how white poor people in Deliverence were portrayed. Its never ending.

[Writerblog]

This is a perfect example of how everyone has different views on different things. The whole well they were bad therefore its perfectly fine to portray them as bad. Well they didn't think they were bad in World War 1. I have Irish friends who absolutely have no problem with showing British people as villains. Because to them, the British are villains.

This is lunacy. Its like white poor people in Appalachia being mad at how white poor people in Deliverence were portrayed. Its never ending.

of course villains doesn't think they are the villains. That is faily normal.

Well british did many crimes against humanity all around the world. Of course it is different show some british and show all british people as villains.

[inisideguy]

of course villains doesn't think they are the villains. That is faily normal.

Well british did many crimes against humanity all around the world. Of course it is different show some british and show all british people as villains.

So whats the problem then. The problem is what one person sees as just a bad guy in a movie or comic, or whatever another person sees as that person or persons representing an entire, race, culture or demographic. If in a movie or book there is one or two really stupid vapid women that isn't an indictment on all women. But there are women who will say you can't portray women like that its wrong. So again there is no winning this.

[Ascended]

Not like comics portray American government or corporations any better.

I dropped Aaron's Avengers a while ago, but didn't a member of the American intelligence community literally make a deal with the devil?

How many villains are super rich American businessmen? Or members of the government?

I'm not defending the two-dimensional portrayal of Russians, or of any other group, but comics typically treat any government or corporation as evil, or at best misguided. I mean, does Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad paint a nice, happy, quaint picture of American politics?

We're dealing with a genre that operates on a binary morality; there is good and there is evil and damn little in between. It's not a narrative structure that easily lends itself to the complex, nuanced, and morally gray reality of actual politics.

Let's not pretend that this is limited to Russia, or any other particular demographic. This is the way comics treat everything; you're either a hero or a villain and the anti-establishment core of superheroics mean every government and business is likely going to be at least a little villainous unless the hero is directly in control of it (like Wayne Industries or Wakanda).

Doesn't bother me if the Russian government and the people who work for it are treated as villains. And that's not far from the truth either (just as it rings true for how comics treat American politicians and corporate leaders; they're all crooks). As long as comics don't treat the average citizen the same way it's fine.

[inisideguy]

Not like comics portray American government or corporations any better.

I dropped Aaron's Avengers a while ago, but didn't a member of the American intelligence community literally make a deal with the devil?

How many villains are super rich American businessmen? Or members of the government?

I'm not defending the two-dimensional portrayal of Russians, or of any other group, but comics typically treat any government or corporation as evil, or at best misguided. I mean, does Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad paint a nice, happy, quaint picture of American politics?

We're dealing with a genre that operates on a binary morality; there is good and there is evil and damn little in between. It's not a narrative structure that easily lends itself to the complex, nuanced, and morally gray reality of actual politics.

Let's not pretend that this is limited to Russia, or any other particular demographic. This is the way comics treat everything; you're either a hero or a villain and the anti-establishment core of superheroics mean every government and business is likely going to be at least a little villainous unless the hero is directly in control of it (like Wayne Industries or Wakanda).

Doesn't bother me if the Russian government and the people who work for it are treated as villains. And that's not far from the truth either (just as it rings true for how comics treat American politicians and corporate leaders; they're all crooks). As long as comics don't treat the average citizen the same way it's fine.

Totally agree.

[king of hybrids]

Just watched Jungle cruise. German villains. Not even world war 2 but world war 1. Why? Beats me they are German and of course they were evil back in world war 1 to right?

Everyone was the bad guy in WW1, what with the colonialism, exploitation and genocide.

Bias by western media towards the UK and US aside, Germany suffers from there benign just enough known in pop culture to know that it’s loss set the stage for the better known sequel, sharing deranged leaders with memorable moustaches; and because a fair chunk of the non-WWII “Germans are baddies” films can’t point to the other central powers members

Also memorable headwear

[The Cool Thatguy]

I curious if Marvel will ever portrayed China villainous especially with the human rights violations with the Uyghurs. It would be nice to show Aero defending or going against a unjust arrest of Uyghurs the same way Marvel in the past portrayed Border arrest. or give some sort of Criticism.

They did in the past with China Force, and their treatment of mutants in an old X-Force annual.

These days, yeah they are oddly absent from the world stage.

[inisideguy]

Everyone was the bad guy in WW1, what with the colonialism, exploitation and genocide.

Bias by western media towards the UK and US aside, Germany suffers from there benign just enough known in pop culture to know that it’s loss set the stage for the better known sequel, sharing deranged leaders with memorable moustaches; and because a fair chunk of the non-WWII “Germans are baddies” films can’t point to the other central powers members

Also memorable headwear

Its just goes round and round in circles. Everyone complains about a bias. How are any stories suppose to be written. Is a writer suppose to show a corresponding amount of good Russians when writing about bad Russians? I mean at some point I think everyone is going be off limits so the only thing heroes can fight are robots and aliens. And then then people might say there is to much bias toward robots and aliens.