With so many Comic Book related movies coming out and the lack of black lead superhero rolls in comics, we felt it would be a good time to re-post this outstanding post by 17... Especially with the whole Luke Cage Netflix show looking to finally update the character... Check it out...
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Marvel
Comics VP Tom Brevoort asked a question on Twitter
about Black representation in comics and which writers are doing it the best.
Honestly, answering that question would be about as telling as asking which
Kardashian do you think is the smartest. It doesn’t matter because the person
at the top of that list is only there by default. “Hey guys what white man writes
Falcon and Kingpin Goon #12 the best?” Well, Tom, I like the way this guy uses
“ay, dawg” instead of the typical “hey, yo”. It’s all bullsh*t. Blacks in
comics will continue to play the background because at the end of the day, most
of the guys writing mainstream comics are 40 year old Caucasian males who
couldn’t point out Trinidad James from Etta James. Don’t get me wrong, a great
writer can transcend skin color and gender, but only if they have a point of
reference. A writer can go to the mall or hang at his niece’s birthday party
and understand how a 16 year old girl acts to the point where he can write the
hell out of Jubilee. However when it’s time to make a character like Rage or
Bling (why do n**gas always have the most wack azz names in comics?) sound less
generic, where do they go? These writers aren't Tarantino or Timberlake, they
aren't in tune with the culture, or can pull those voices from friends they
know or places they've been. You think Denny O'Neil was going to roll up to
Queens Bridge in his Prius and listen to how inner city kids really talk and
deal with drama? These guys are excellent storytellers, but black culture is
foreign to them, so most are going to pop in some dated movie about urban youth
trying to make it out of the struggle, jot down, “Dawg” “tripn” “my bad”, and
add it to what will turn out to be just another white washed black character,
who now uses slang from five years ago as opposed to ten. That’s not inclusion of
black voices, that’s a f**king joke.
My biggest
beef is with Marvel comics in particular. Unlike DC, who doesn’t even pretend
that anything outside of a Bat title is supposed to resonate in real life,
Marvel prides itself on being the company built around superheroes dealing with
real world issues. That’s why I’m a Marvel fanboy. Their complex and thought
provoking stories inspired me to become a screenwriter. The crucial flaw in
these comics, however, is that it is still a “real world” where black characters
are relegated to the sidekick or the hand me down role. Look you
guys it's Power Man aka Luke Cage, he had an Afro and a yellow blouse in the
70’s, now he has a baldy and shades on—he’s sooooo cool and black. F**k Luke
Cage. Black people care about Power Man as much as white people care about
Method Man. A Blaxploitation character who went to jail because “the man” did
him dirty, and became a superhero? Call it what it was, a cash grab by Marvel to try to lure in the Americans that were loving those 70's films, not a real want to be diverse.
Who else do
we have? Oh, Black Panther, the King of some place I can’t pronounce. “You are kings my dark brothers, so buy Black Panther Vol. 12 before it’s canceled by
the 7th issue!” Oh you silly white people. Do you realize the disconnect
between Black Americans and Africans? We’re not all one united face with a
shared culture. That’s like saying The Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins
should just merge because they share a beltway. These creators are so ignorant
that it’s not even funny! Sure American blacks respect their African heritage,
but we are American to the bone. To keep it all the way real, a lot of American
blacks are elitist and turn their nose up at those born in Africa. Black people
don’t want to be Black Panther because African Kings aren't cool in the same
way Shaolin Monks are cool. That’s why we have Wu Tang Clan and not Shaka Zulu
Tribe. That’s why rappers want to be Don Corleone, not King of Zamunda. White
creators didn’t understand this, that’s why we’re stuck with Black Panther and
Storm as the token blackies. We all like Storm (when she’s not being played by
Halle Berry) but we don’t love her. Rogue is more of a contemporary black woman
than Storm. Down south accent, stallion booty, in love with a no good thief and
can’t let go, ratchet streaks in her hair… that’s relatable.
What about
Bendis and his Spider-Man Miles Morales? Yay we overcame, my president is black
and my spider-man is a mutt! Womp Womp. I enjoy Ultimate Spider-Man, it’s a
good book and the character has potential, but my people do not want Peter
Parker’s hand me downs! Why must blacks step into a role made famous by white heroes? Why couldn't Miles be his own man? That's right no one would care if he
didn't have the crutch of Spider-Man. Yessum Massa, I’m so happy to wear your old
webshooters now. That sh*t is wack. No Black kid is running around Harlem
talking about, “I’m the Miles version!” They’re pretending they’re Peter Parker
under that mask, not because they want to be white, because Parker is cool. He
got to smash Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane at the same damn time. The list goes on:
Captain America Isiah Bradley—hand me down revisionist BS. War Machine,
sidekick who got to wear Tony Stark’s used condom. Nick Fury, reimagined as Sam
Jackson—wow how creative!
I grew up in
the hood where comics weren't the thing to be into, so the first comic I
remember catching my attention enough to buy was New Warriors. The cover had
a blonde chick with wings on her ankles, some guy with a bucket head, that
Firestar broad from the Spidey cartoon, and a black guy with a skateboard and
cool armor. I had a skateboard, and I too wanted to own cool armor one day—I
read it and was hooked. Night Thrasher, as written by the masterful Fabian
Nicieza, was the last cool black character I can remember. Sure he may have
been a bit of a Batman rip off, but Dwayne Taylor, Chord, and Silhouette
actually sounded and acted like black people I knew, not just Hawkeye with
slang. That was the early 90’s, where are the new age of black characters in
Marvel comics? I don’t think Marvel is racist (although M from Generation X
going from darkskin to lightskin still bugs me) they just don’t scout for black
talent the same way Hollywood does it's writers and the NFL does it's coaches.
The late great Dwayne McDuffie opened the door years ago but that door slammed
shut as soon as he was through the threshold. Why wasn’t Reginald Hudlin
allowed to create a new wave of black characters? Why hasn’t Kevin Grevioux
been brought into Marvel Now to give it some much needed diversity? Let’s go
even younger and less established than that, why isn't there a new writer initiative? There are tons of hip writers who could update older characters and
introduce new ones that actually make sense in the 21st century.
So I say to
Tom Brevoort, and the other editors, it’s time to be progressive. I don’t give
a f**k which 40 year old white guy writes Misty Knight less sassy and more
grounded, it’s still a lame azz character. It’s time to create realistic black
heroes who the people can actually relate to, not vampire hybrids or African
kings. Cultivate minority talent when it comes to writing, not just art, and don't
keep it the same old middle aged white boys club in the bullpen. Hip Hop culture is
huge, and many rappers reference comic book characters, or take on their names…
the only person who has ever wanted to emulate Luke Cage is that crappy actor
from the Ghost Rider movies. On behalf of those comic book fans who are just as
hood as they are geeks, it’s time for a change. Marvel brought back the young
X-Men from the 60’s, and it won't be a culture shock when they run into their first black
character from the present, because let’s be honest, nothing has changed in that
universe except blacks now have dreads instead of Afros.
Click To Read Next: Snap - The Day Spider-Man Became A Killer
I like the sentiment.
ReplyDeleteEven bleeped, though, I believe the profanity weakens your argument and -- in many ways -- validates that of your would-be opposition.
Also, I believe you misunderstood his question: I believe he was polling to hire somebody. Maybe even somebody Black. I suggested to him Marc Bernardin, Geoffrey Thorne, Dani Dixon and Brandon Easton. Others offered Eric Wallace, Gary Phillips, Vince Moore and more.
If *one* of them gets the call, that's a Black person getting a check and taking a swing at the Twenty List (did you know only 20 Black people in history have every written more than one issue for DC or Marvel, representing 70% of the market share?) and getting a check. In this day and age, I can't be mad at that.
Likewise (and don't get me wrong, the origins of Luke Cage are an embarrassment) the nature of your attack, going after characters that *could* be fixed is destructive instead of constructive. From a rhetoric standpoint, a possible deficit.
You asked: "Why wasn’t Reginald Hudlin allowed to create a new wave of black character?" If the last cool Black character you can remember is Night Thrasher, then you missed Milestone, you're not down with most of Brotherman, you didn't get Quantum and Woody, you weren't there for Shadowlaw or Journeymen or Number 13 or a gang of Black owned, Black created works or even Adam the Blue Marvel. The market listens to your lack of support. Many of them are not with us anymore. If your dollars weren't there, your voice of support wasn't there, then isn't some of that on you? That didn't happen because the market didn't believe you'd buy it. To quote Gordon Sumner, "there is a deeper world than this, tugging at your hand ..."
You asked: "Why hasn’t Kevin Grevioux been brought into Marvel Now to give it some much needed diversity?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Marvel_(Marvel_Comics)
He was. Ask me how well it sold. Go on. Ask me. The answer is "not well."
You asked, "Let’s go even younger and less established than that, why isn't there a new writer initiative?" Where's the profit in it? Companies don't exist for reasons of social justice, they exist for reasons of private profit, or to quote our own great philosopher David Blake, "If it don't make dollars, then it don't make sense." They don't owe us anything, and -- judging from what's happened to Wakanda -- they know we won't punish them economically for doing things we don't like.
You said, "Cultivate minority talent when it comes to writing, not just art, and don't keep it the same old middle aged white boys club in the bullpen." Why? What possible reason would they have for that when even the complainers (and in that I bought Secret Avengers yesterday, I am one of them) KEEP GIVING THEM MONEY TO DO THE SAME THING?
Now, I am trying to support the independent brothers and sisters -- Tumble Creek Press, Black Inc. Imprints, Genre 19 and so on. I vote with my dollars, and my big two spend is WAY down.
I wholly appreciate and respect your passion and your sentiment. I am not as sure about your tactics, as I do it more like this ...
http://goodmenproject.com/komplicated/comics-dccomics-and-marvel-will-not-hire-black-writers-you-know-why-hannibaltabu/
@Hanibal much respect, but to quote Ms. Lauryn Hill " I add a motherf**ker so you ig'nant ni**gz hear me" profanity is apart of my life, my culture, and my music. Tell Donald Goines's family, Chris Wallace's family, The Hughes Brother's family, that their messages are weakened and their legacy's are lessened because of PROFANE WORDS. miss me with that argument. If you reread I said this was aimed at Marvel comics, you think I left out Spawn (the most profitable black hero) or Icon by accident? Milestone, Image, etc... wasn't talked about because this wasn't all encompassing, this was aimed at one company MARVEL.
ReplyDeleteand guess what? Tom Brevoort read this article and responded directly.
I curse, I talk sh*t, but I know how to get a point across to the people it was meant for, if I would have played nice and dumb down who I am when writing that wouldn't have happened.
To those reading this, agree or don't agree, I spoke my mind. The VP of Marvel Comics read it. The message is out. Now let's hope the real issue of diversity will be addressed in the coming year.
If you have an issue with comics, speak out people, don't just accept the status quo and suck up because you are fans, words do have an impact and you can make things happen if you dare to go hard in the paint(that's slang).
nuff said.
I never, ever would say I disagree with your sentiment nor your passion. In terms of our actual perspective, we are on the same side.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, I've been banging this drum since the last two Black writers in comics got fired fifteen months ago ...
http://goodmenproject.com/komplicated/comics-every-black-writer-in-mainstream-comics-got-fired-today-dccomics/
... a point more than a year after Marvel had let its only Black writer go. They haven't had one since 2009. That piece got some crazy attention after Gail Simone retweeted it, I spoke to tons of editors and what not. Nobody got hired. Wakanda got flooded after losing all its vibranium and making T'Challa the first failure in the history of the Black Panther line. In the vernacular of our people, "s*** is still f***ed up." It's one of the things that Kevin Grevioux, Larry Hama and Tone Rodriguez will discuss in a panel I'm hosting with CSULA on May 1st. I'll hopefully be able to webcast it.
Look, I like the idea of change. I even like the idea of poking massa with a stick. However, after talking to the first Black writer and editor in mainstream comics, Christopher Priest, I know the sorts of things they'll say about YOU behind closed doors while referring to your work. The language we use with each other, I was raised to believe, is not what we use when we're trying to trick white folk into giving something up. Biggie and Donald Goines and the Hughes Brothers weren't using their art to rage against the machine. They spoke to us, as they should. You're talking to Marvel. Whole different language. However, I follow the words of the African proverb: "counsel your brother, if he does not listen, let adversity teach him."
Marvel's fine. They make stuff. Cool. They don't care about us and they never will, because there's no economic reason for them to need us. Our percentages are forgiving and largely negligible in the direct market. I'm moving for change in Black owned, Black created, Black controlled things and (as I told one elder) trying to get away from petitions and sitting in and whining in and begging in for Massa to *finally* act right.
Again, we agree: massa ain't right, and that's not cool. We are in agreement on 99% of our points. We simply differ on packaging. I, however, wish you all the success in the world, as I win when you win. Blessings to you.