The Asian Market is Huge...better if JL if they had an Asian Character?

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I would like to live in an era where my personal and individual tastes are taken into consideration more than pandering to the minority group I belong to. Because being viewed as a collective than an individual hurts and feels more racist than anything else. Because then you ARE making it a thing about race. Representation is fine if done right, but I know something is wrong when every other comic involves them talking about said issue.

That is why I'm terrified of the new female Dr. Who that will be airing soon. It's fine that Dr. Who is female and trying something new, but I can smell bullshit if every other episode talks or mentions her being a female.

I agree, but I am glad popular culture is finally making an effort to expand its reach beyond the traditional straight white male types. Thus far, they've managed to do a great job of utilizing these characters that a fully-realized human beings rather than tokens like Apache Chief, Samurai, Black Vulcan and El Dorado were back in the 70s.

On the CW, Vibe, Vixen and Martian Manhunter are great characters beyond the color of their ethnic background. I'm curious to see how they approach a far more overtly racial character like Black Lightning, but I have high hopes. I also don't expect Cyborg to be treated as a token character, despite the predictably racist dislike toward the character from certain segments of the fanboy community.

[MajorHoy]

. . . I also don't expect Cyborg to be treated as a token character, despite the predictably racist dislike toward the character from certain segments of the fanboy community.

I'm not sure if I've ever noticed an overall overtly "racist dislike" towards Cyborg as much as a "he doesn't belong here" attitude. And that didn't seem like it was race-related as much as

* he took over the spot from another character (Martian Manhunter)
* people set in their ways ONLY want to see him on the team he was previously on (the Teen Titans)

Sometimes there's a lot of hate / dislike for changes when people at comic book companies don't keep team line-ups exactly as they were when many fanboys originally began to regularly follow comic books.

[skyvolt2000]

I would like to live in an era where my personal and individual tastes are taken into consideration more than pandering to the minority group I belong to. Because being viewed as a collective than an individual hurts and feels more racist than anything else. Because then you ARE making it a thing about race. Representation is fine if done right, but I know something is wrong when every other comic involves them talking about said issue.

That is why I'm terrified of the new female Dr. Who that will be airing soon. It's fine that Dr. Who is female and trying something new, but I can smell bullshit if every other episode talks or mentions her being a female.

I think it's only western medias where things like skin color, etc, are really important and relevant. That's why I always find people complain here and there. Not that it is a bad thing. It's just that I see those medias come from America, a foreign country, so it's not like it's really a matter if they don't have Asian characters in it. I'm with you on the last paragraph. Maybe I think like this because I'm not American (or westerner), I don't live in America (or any western countries), and, like you, race has never been an issue (for me at least, because I'm the majority in my country).

It's an issue because certain groups don't like it when you try to add POC in stuff period. Especially when they never read the books or seen the show in question. Or cherry pick rage.

It's an issue when certain groups are showcased in the same way over and over and over again.

It's an issue when writers would rather go with trope than just writing the character.

It's an issue when folks want more but every excuse is tossed out to not do it.

It's an issue when you get a POC that breaks those stereotypes and folks don't like it.

At any rate, we have a Chinese Superman, the Atom, Dr Light, and Katana. If a writer wanted to add them to the JL then go ahead. But as an Asian myself, I would rather read Clark Kent and Ray Palmer. Race has never been an issue for me and I don't feel oppressed or denied. Because I've never really viewed race as a thing or "selling point".

It's an issue for folks who don't like COMPETITION.

It's an issue for some folks because it means when they walk into that comic book store they see a JL book with 4 Asians with say Batman, WW, Barry, Hal & Aquaman. For them that is OFFENSIVE. Not because they would not BUY the book-but because when they grew up in the stone age-Justice League was all WHITE. Or they CLAIM it was.

And yes I have heard this mess before-from a Hulk fan toward Cho Hulk-yet he NEVER read a single issue of Hulk in his life.

The folks who go off like that are not the ones who BOUGHT the book when those guys were not there. They are just mad about who is on the cover. Because in their mind the story will be racist towards white straight males. When in reality it's not.

Most books are not being sold on the selling race angle. Most are just being made to showcase a group that has been IGNORED and in many cases on PURPOSE.

Now if you have a book that tries to enforce RACE-when it's not part of the plot (like Black Magic's Black series) that is a book that is trying for ATTENTION. It probably stinks as a book.

[skyvolt2000]

I'm not sure if I've ever noticed an overall overtly "racist dislike" towards Cyborg as much as a "he doesn't belong here" attitude. And that didn't seem like it was race-related as much as

* he took over the spot from another character (Martian Manhunter)
* people set in their ways ONLY want to see him on the team he was previously on (the Teen Titans)

Sometimes there's a lot of hate / dislike for changes when people at comic book companies don't keep team line-ups exactly as they were when many fanboys originally began to regularly follow comic books.

It can be race.

DC has made as if Cyborg is the face of black heroes for them. He has the JL spot and the only solo. Which of course gets folks furious as the only black hero they are showcasing is the one that is messed up. All we see is a black face and a crappy design in an age and time where he should have a better LOOK.

What message does that send to black folks? We aren't good enough to get a better choice like Vixen or Black Lightning? To go with the LEAST interesting and unappealing person on your roster? And under the hands of your BEST WRITER-he can't do anything with him? Except make him Batman's Internet & transportation?

He gets a book and it's man versus machine nonstop and he still gets HACKED by folks despite having a Mother Box? While every other black character stands in the background? Or toss out trope like Nu Wally & even Duke Thomas?

And then we wonder why Marvel's collection of blacks are getting the attention? Better sales in some form-mainly trades.

While folks are more excited that Static is in Young Justice. Bumblebee is in DC Bombshells & DC Superhero Girls line.

Here is Cyborg with nothing? Just a role in a movie and ugly CGI. Folks want him in Titans because that version be it cartoon or comic was entertaining. Not this loser who doesn't seem to get along with Daddy and at one cries about being a freak and had no friends. Funny it took a writer of Static & Peter Parker to get him some decent stuff.

If Dc put a better EFFORT from day one with Cyborg-folks would be onboard. Instead he's in the background while folks go nuts over Miles & Black Panther. While everyone else is stepping up in representation.

Then they want to play catch up after all the blood sweat and tears by others have been spilled.

They have the superior roster-yet the Silver Age love affair take priority.

[Icefan]

They have the superior roster-yet the Silver Age love affair take priority.

I think it's more Super Friends nostalgia than love of the Silver Age. Wally West and Ted Kord are silver age creations but DC is perfectly content shitting on those characters and their fans.

[Bukdiah]

One of my favorite Asian characters was Tony Chu from Chew. They didn't make a big deal out of it or draw an absurd amount of attention to it.

[MajorHoy]

. . . choice like Vixen or Black Lightning? To go with the LEAST interesting and unappealing person on your roster? And under the hands of your BEST WRITER-he can't do anything with him? Except make him Batman's Internet & transportation?

I guess the fact that he's HIGHLY RECOGNIZABLE from his stints with the Teen Titans as well as the the later Super Friends and Super Powers lines don't play a part in it?
And what FACTS do you have that Cyborg is the "LEAST interesting and unappealing person" among DC's African-American heroes?

. . . While folks are more excited that Static is in Young Justice.

Static, as far as I'm aware, is not a property that DC owns outright; I believe he still technically is a Milestone property, isn't he?

. . . They have the superior roster-yet the Silver Age love affair take priority.

Y'know, most people consider the "Silver Age" to have only lasted until the +/- early 1970s, don't you?
Cyborg didn't show up until 1980, well after the end of the "Silver Age".

By the way,

I think it's more Super Friends nostalgia than love of the Silver Age. Wally West and Ted Kord are silver age creations but DC is perfectly content shitting on those characters and their fans.

Wally West was a Silver Age creation, but as Kid Flash; Wally didn't become The Flash until after CoIE.
Ted Kord's Silver Age creation was at Charlton comics. He didn't begin appearing in DC comics until the 1980s, also after the Silver Age was over.