Marvel can't seem to do right by black characters

[Devaishwarya]

Besides the fact that Perch's vids are usually "stream of consciousness-type rambling" with hits and misses, the issue is more involved than simply "not doing right by Black characters".

Attempts have been made...some half-heartedly/assedly and some serious, and for any number of reasons (poor creative team choices, uninspired storyline, lack of marketing and promotion, general reader disinterest and/or low expectation) a project will "fail".

In my opinion, we've seen a slight forward push for more diverse characters and PoCs but still...Editorial just don't put as much effort and energy (in whatever capacity) behind unproven IPs and it will take much more than an anthology book once every six to months to gain consistent interest.

And the onus is not just on the Marvel. We the readers decide what wins and what fails...if we don't buy and support the efforts then those Black/PoC books stay off the shelves.

[Anthony W]

I wish that Tim Seeley series for Blade had been allowed to happen: it sounded super promising, but it was shut down because the writer had the wrong skin colour. Storm's ongoing received NO press or publicity from Marvel and she was at one time the most popular female character in all of comics (I believe there was a poll in the 90s that determined that). The way Marvel undid Sam as Captain America was lazy and borderline offensive. And then there's the whole New Warriors debacle that was so ill-received it was quietly canceled and nobody from the company acknowledges that it was ever a thing.

Wait, wasn't Seeley the guy that wanted to give Blade a teenage daughter? If that is the same guy I'm glad he was shut down. I still live in fear that the idea will somehow see the light of day...

[Anthony W]

Apparently the dude did a video on Storm as well

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aX-Qv8oCgEA

[ed2962]

I don't really understand how marvel can't make Blade a premier character. To me he has huge potential. Its very strange.

The irony is that the general non-comic reading public likes Blade. However, the character doesn't move units in the comic shops.

[9th.]

I don't really understand how marvel can't make Blade a premier character. To me he has huge potential. Its very strange.

I don't understand either, it's baffling. I know movies don't guarantee comic sales but people STILL name drop Blade in real life damn near 30 years after the fact. The lack of solo runs a character with Blades profile and notoriety makes ZERO sense.

[skyvolt2000]

I don't really understand how marvel can't make Blade a premier character. To me he has huge potential. Its very strange.

Blade falls into the same boat as MANY POC and others fall into.

Their audience and those who would BUY something are not the same as the ones in comic book stores.

Take Shuri.... she has ZERO comic books.

However between NOW and July 2022- she will have 6 brand new OGN and novels. Not trades but new material. No other character can boast that.


That is why you see a push for OGNS to bypass the comic book store.

[Celgress]

A follow-up video, sort of -

[Huntsman Spider]

I've been meaning to ask but when and how did they undo Sam as Cap?

After Secret Empire, with the real Steve Rogers back and HYDRA-Cap imprisoned in a black site somewhere, Sam Wilson ceded the Captain America identity back to Steve. Granted, he'd already done that after being disgusted with how Rage was treated by the police, the justice system, and the media in the wake of his attempts to fight against the excess brutality of the Americops --- being locked up with many of the criminals he'd helped take down and beaten into a coma by them during that period --- but at that time, it was really HYDRA-Cap. Again, the real Steve came back and set things (mostly) right, so Sam reverted to the Falcon.

Besides the fact that Perch's vids are usually "stream of consciousness-type rambling" with hits and misses, the issue is more involved than simply "not doing right by Black characters".

Attempts have been made...some half-heartedly/assedly and some serious, and for any number of reasons (poor creative team choices, uninspired storyline, lack of marketing and promotion, general reader disinterest and/or low expectation) a project will "fail".

In my opinion, we've seen a slight forward push for more diverse characters and PoCs but still...Editorial just don't put as much effort and energy (in whatever capacity) behind unproven IPs and it will take much more than an anthology book once every six to months to gain consistent interest.

And the onus is not just on the Marvel. We the readers decide what wins and what fails...if we don't buy and support the efforts then those Black/PoC books stay off the shelves.

Pretty much this, especially on your last point. If we care so much about having a greater variety of voices, stories, and characters in the comics or creating comics, we should be willing to stand up and support with our dollars and our voices those we feel are giving us (or can give us) the content for which we're looking.

[Spiderfan001]

After Secret Empire, with the real Steve Rogers back and HYDRA-Cap imprisoned in a black site somewhere, Sam Wilson ceded the Captain America identity back to Steve. Granted, he'd already done that after being disgusted with how Rage was treated by the police, the justice system, and the media in the wake of his attempts to fight against the excess brutality of the Americops --- being locked up with many of the criminals he'd helped take down and beaten into a coma by them during that period --- but at that time, it was really HYDRA-Cap. Again, the real Steve came back and set things (mostly) right, so Sam reverted to the Falcon.

Huh, I can see that.

Still Sam as Cap made a lot of sense.Shame

[9th.]

Huh, I can see that.

Still Sam as Cap made a lot of sense.Shame

It really did, I loved that entire run

[inisideguy]

Blade falls into the same boat as MANY POC and others fall into.

Their audience and those who would BUY something are not the same as the ones in comic book stores.

Take Shuri.... she has ZERO comic books.

However between NOW and July 2022- she will have 6 brand new OGN and novels. Not trades but new material. No other character can boast that.


That is why you see a push for OGNS to bypass the comic book store.

Thats really interesting. I did not know that. I will say I still think its odd that Blade hasn't had what I think anyone considers a good comic ever. Unless there is one out there I haven't heard of. Although heck, I will say I always thought Hannibal King was also a really cool character from Tomb of Dracula that they never have done anything with.

[skyvolt2000]

Huh, I can see that.

Still Sam as Cap made a lot of sense.Shame

That was always going to be a temporary thing.

Generally looking at history-a new person takes the title and the old one comes back. Followed by the new guy getting a new iD and going from there. And still seeing usage.

Look at Rhodey's 2nd run as Iron Man-he took the War Machine armor and kept on and got a mini and later an ongoing and so on.

Or Steel and Conner Kent's run after Superman came back.

I think Steel (although he never called himself Superman) has the longest solo run.

If you want reason you get legacies is look at history.

Falcon went 25 issues as Cap America and he sniffed below 20K near issue 20 as he run was ending any way. He did that faster as Falcon.

The folks who scream they don't want legacies (especially those of color) DO NOT show up to support the original POC books.

[skyvolt2000]

Thats really interesting. I did not know that. I will say I still think its odd that Blade hasn't had what I think anyone considers a good comic ever. Unless there is one out there I haven't heard of. Although heck, I will say I always thought Hannibal King was also a really cool character from Tomb of Dracula that they never have done anything with.

You would think they could find SOMEONE for Blade.

It's not like there is NOT a demand or interest in vampires after the mess known as Twilight.

True Blood had books. Buffy carried Dark Horse and doing fine at Boom.

Elvira books are doing fine at Dynamite. Even Vincent Price had a comic book series.

[Kingdom X]

If one has an issue with Riri-who NEVER called her self Iron Man like Doom did-should they have an issue with Natasha Irons? What name is she going by?
If one has an issue with MILES-where is that rage with Miguel O'Hara? Who was doing FIRST.
If one has an issue with Falcon as Cap America-where is the rage for US Agent, Winter Solider, Danielle Cage and everyone else?

Ok THIS. I was watching a youtube video about the new Beyond Spider-Man comics, and was reading all these comments talking bout,"I'm so glad Ben is taking up the mantle and not Miles [insert nonsense about forced diversity]." Like WHAT?!? What happened to all the people only wanting the original, Peter Parker, in the mantle? The arguments against legacy characters seem to conveniently only pop up when the legacy character doesn't look like the original.

[Spiderfan001]

Ok THIS. I was watching a youtube video about the new Beyond Spider-Man comics, and was reading all these comments talking bout,"I'm so glad Ben is taking up the mantle and not Miles [insert nonsense about forced diversity]." Like WHAT?!? What happened to all the people only wanting the original, Peter Parker, in the mantle? The arguments against legacy characters seem to conveniently only pop up when the legacy character doesn't look like the original.

What video lol? All the comments(on every platform from twitter to insta to youtube) have been overwhelmingly "Why isn't Miles doing this"(this and "stop w/ the replacements").I know because I counted ones in favor of Ben and ones tired of replacement arcs, etc. because we were talking about this on CBR and youtube is a bigger audience.This was w/in the first 2-3 hours of the announcement vid on youtube.

The answer is because he's already Spider-man, A conversation they had in an arc called Last Remains in ASM had Peter telling Miles he's glad that someone is there to step up as Spidey if/when he's gone to which he says "I've already stepped up".He's already Spider-man, "blessed by the original" in his own words.

I'm against Peter replacement arcs from now on anyway, they are horribly executed and always for the sake of the replacement arc themselves instead of being an organic part of the story as in Peter is "killed/in a coma/lost powers/etc." for the sake of being replaced unlike Wolvie, Cap, Tony, etc.

Not saying you're lying, there are some disgusting mf'ers(specially for Sam as Cap, some people were PISSED off and exposing themselves) out there but I haven't seen any for this.

Also Ben is kind of a corporate shill in this one and it's only lasting for 6 months, so Miles doing this wouldn't work and would be character assasination.We are getting him fighting Beyond(the bad guys) because they sued him for working under the Spider-man alias.So Miles is on the good side of this arc.

Also Miguel as Spider-man didn't replace Peter, he was from the far future.Even Miles was introduced in the fallout book from Peter's death and then in 616 right alongside Peter.Not saying hating him is justified(it's not), but it's a faulty comparison.Not to mention Miguel's execution in both uniqueness and quality was better(Just for the start w/ Bendis who Miles was stuck w/ for the longest time, Ahmed is doing great for the most part).And Miguel is also a POC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kynMBbmFV_U

One day old video w/ 22k views.They are all either excited for Beyond or want Peter back.No one is happy Miles is not in this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz8ZZmF5Kro

Marvel beyond trailer w/ 166 K views

They are all either excited for Beyond and Ben's return, want Peter back or "Miles is more deserving of this" w/ an unhealthy dose of NWH comments

I've read 4 comments in the scrolling I did saying Miles deserves this more w/ likes some even in double digits and 1 saying Ben deserves this spotlight more than Miles.No comments about diversity, most of them are excited or disappointed w/ another arc screwing Peter up.