Black superheros - where are they?

While I was checking out some photos for my post on the Black Panther (new lead actor) I ran across a blog post at Bam! Kapow. And it got me wondering.

Black superheroes. It’s almost an oxymoron. I mean just look at all the media. In virtually every venue it’s obvious that African Americans are either villains, bad guy henchmen, drug dealers, or just don’t exist. Which is about 1000x better than how Hispanic/Latinos, Asians, Native American Indians, and any other person of color is presented.

But comic books are supposed to be different. It’s a world where literally anything is possible. That anyone can become far more than the limitations and expectations of society allow. Because in the world of comic books, at least, everyone can be super.

Except that really isn’t true. The abovementioned post was from 2008. It was made in dedication to the film Hancock, one of a handful of film featuring a Black hero lead. A superhero that is drunk over 50% of the film at that. And in this case, as I recall, the only film besides Blade to feature a Black superhero.

That post listed the top 15 greatest Black superheroes. But take a moment and tell me how many superheroes are non-White? I mean really think about it...

I decided to double check the Marvel and DC encyclopedias. Both are books that purport to cover all the major and minor recurring characters (and more than a few one shots) of these major comic book universes.

For DC, there are 886 White characters – which includes aliens that just happen to be White. There are 5.5% (55) that are Black, 2% (18) Hispanic, 1.5% (15) Asians, and .9% (9) Native Indians. I did not count any aliens that were blue/pink/covered in fur/or non-human in appearance. Of the aliens that are of some non-human coloration, 90% were drawn to exact White features.

Of these characters that are people of color, 85% came into existence in the past 25 years. The exception is for the Native Indian characters, which 50% are older – from discontinued comic books like Jonah Hex.

In total this covers DC comic books from the 1930’s until 2004.

For Marvel, in 2006, we get a similar breakdown. Out of 642 characters that have a discernable race (IE not green like Skrulls or blue like Kree) it works out that there are 543 White, 7% Black (46), 3% (19) Hispanci/Latino, 1.7% (11) Native Indians, and 3.6% (23) Asians. Part of the difference in the numbers goes to the fact that Marvel has far fewer alien characters than DC.

Again these characters of color begin to appear roughly 30 years ago, and prior to that time were virtually none existent. Part of that might also be a result of the fact that Marvel is not as old as DC Comics (roughly 5 years fifference). But like DC, the overwhelming majority of aliens are drawn to specifications that would match a White character.

I won’t even bother mentioning how many of these characters of color happen to be villains. Suffice to say that the further back in time you go, the more likely they are to be a villain. In addition to which Marvel seems to love Asian villains, thus having the higher numbers there.

So when I read about a list of the top 15 Black superheroes, well it seems a bit silly. There is only 101 to work from, of which some 80 of them only appeared within the last decade or so and have little fanbase. There are barely enough of them to not be on a top list in the first place. Extend the list to 20 and you are forced to include Sunspot (Brazillian and Black - and little known), M (very relatively new), and Bumblebee (DC, from the 60's, minor support character little seen or known) as examples.

But what does this say about America? What does this say about the way we not only view the world, but the worlds we dream of and fantasize about?

It tells me that we have taught our kids that people of color are lucky to be included. That only the very few might be lucky enough to reach for the stars. That to even be recognized is achievement, versus being recognized for achievement.

Yes some will think this all silly. But the fact is, when television, movies, and even comic books all say the same thing – something you have blasted into your brain every day of your life – plenty of people might eventually believe it. It's a brainwashing, and everyone in the nation is involved every day.

I am happy someone looked through Marvel and DC to create a Top 15 list. I’m exuberant that not only do Black superheroes now get a chance to shine on the big screen, but that they are wildly successful when they appear. And I am looking forward to see more characters, like War Machine or Luke Cage or Black Panther, take the forefront. (I can definitely live without another drunk Black hero)

But the one thing that cannot be escaped is that in a world that claims improving race relations, at a time when many of the youth of the nation believe that the playing field is flat, the media – especially the entertainment media – projects an image that can only be best described as 1950’s segregation overall.

That’s nothing to be excited about. It’s nothing to be proud of. And it will not change until the day we all pay attention and demand it to change.

DC Comics to movie conversions - reality or waste of time?

If you are a fan of comic books, or the flood of movies based on comic book characters, you probably have wondered

"Are there any characters besides the Marvel line-up?"

Comic book fans all know that this is an overstatement of the facts. There are a host of characters in movies these days. And in the past as well. There is Superman and Batman, but also Hellboy, Constantine, Watchmen (excellent graphic novel series and movie), V for Vendetta (another must see/read), Sin City, along with a host of others.

But basically the big hitters that everyone can recall recently are the Marvel line-up (with the exception of the new Batman Dark Knight series and the Superman retread). DC Comics seems to just be lost in the live action trend. Which brings up an old debate:

Who is better, Marvel or DC?

I think the trend in conversions to movies answers the question in definitive terms. Marvel is king. There are plenty of independents that beat out DC. Take away the Dark Knight, and there is little for DC to hang their hat on. Remove Superman as well and everything else for them falls flat. Because that's the best they have.

To me, the characters of DC are far too over-the-top in general. To cartoonish and simplistic. To one dimensional to be realized in the movie format. That's why DC does so well with taking their line-up and transferring it to cartoons (like the Superfriends or Teen titans). They lend themselves to extremism and lack the depth needed to capture the big screen.

That's not to say the DC writers and artists are bad at what they do. To the contrary, I think they do a great job, given the limitations that they work with. But it does mean that the expectations for all the future DC movies are severely lower, and likely to underwhelm even that.

Put it like this. DC is so weak that the top characters are not getting movies anytime soon. Wonder Woman, one of the old favorites and the most obvious title to hit the big screen (since it was a television show at one time), is still sitting on the sidelines with neither a script nor direction on how to move forward. The same can be said of most of the big DC names. Green Lantern is one of the few to likely be showing up soon, though Aquaman will likely be first.

Yes, Aquaman. A character that is one of the more boring characters to me, especially if he is on land for any period of time. And he will likely be competing with Captain America or Iron Man 3 (possibly Spiderman 4 and/or the Avengers), maybe even Deadpool if the script can be worked out for Ryan Reynolds.

DC is so off the radar that Jonah Hex will be next out of the gate. A character so unknown that it's fanbase ended decades ago. My expectations of the movie can be summarized by the movie's description: a spiritual/supernatural Western. Oh yeah, that just drives people to the theater in droves.

Perhaps the best of the upcoming movies from DC may be the film RED - starring at this point Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis. It's still being developed but it puts both actors in roles (presumably) they are comfortable with. Freeman is likely a retired CIA man and Willis is the assassin out to kill him. Even if the roles are reversed (which is unlikely for Freeman) it still works. But that has more to do with the actors than the storyline, fan base, or the source material it is based on.

Seriously, the proposed Voltron movie (an 80's cartoon that was very likely the entire source and motivation of the Power Rangers) sounds better than almost everything DC has planned so far. Almost combined. Definitely at least as big a fan base, and arguably bigger.

So to answer my earlier 2 questions, there are a lot of characters showing up in movies that are not Marvel based. Many are quite compelling and interesting. Some are even must sees. Especially compared to missteps by Marvel - ie the first Hulk movie and Ghost Rider as examples. It's just that almost all the good ones you will likely ever see or want to own on DVD will be independents or based on another medium (anime, books, video games, ect.)

As for the second question, does DC suck? Oh yeah. They have a few good ideas and titles, but basically they are the 'red-headed step-child' to Marvel. And everybody else. Which is a shame since the potential should be there.

But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe a supernatural Western will do the trick. Maybe everyone wants to watch a guy swimming for 2 hours. It could happen. I just wouldn't go to Vegas and bet on it.

Will a Hex be good for DC Comics?

You know when news comes out on April Fool's Day, you have question it's validity. But some things are too silly to be made up. Take the decision from DC Comics as an example. They are moving forward with a film based on the great character Jonah Hex.

You must recall this character. Jonah Hex was born in 1839, under a bad sign. He was abandoned by his drunk parents, and taken in by Apaches. He was then abandoned by them. So he joins the U.S. Cavalry until the Civil War when he joins the Confederate Army (though he did not support slavery - one of the vital requirements to a prosperous Southern economy). Eventually he becomes a bounty hunter scarred with a "Mark of the Demon". Somehow he gets transported to the year 2050, gets married, has a child, is abandoned by both and then returns to the Old West. He is then shot by a bank robber, stuffed and put on display outside of New York City.

How can anyone forget that comic book character.

Honestly there are elements of the story that might be interesting. But there have been few Western's made in the past 2 decades that were really worth watching. Add in Josh Brolin as Hex, and John Malkovich as a voodoo user that wants to create a zombie army to win for the Confederate South, and the potential starts to go bad fast. (I believe they offered Malkovich a lot of money for this one.)

It is also reported to have Megan Fox in some capacity, Will Arnett as Hex's Union soldier partner in the battle, and Michael Shannon as the ringleader of a gladiator circus. I swear I am not making this up.

If it were just a western, I might buy it. If Brolin was not involved I might be interested. But voodoo armies? A wild west gladiator circus? Really?

DC Comics has long been regarded as the poor red-headed step-child to Marvel. This was because DC was very silly and childish in their storylines as opposed to the generally more complex and compelling stories of Marvel. When it comes to movie conversions of these comics, DC has generally followed that same policy (with the exception of the latest Batman movies - based on the graphic novel and not the comic book). Thus Marvel shines, and has a huge audience following.

I don't think that this film, of a mostly unknown and uncared for comic book character will work. DC might as well make a movie based on Metamorpho or Doom Patrol for all their popularity.

I'll be looking for the trailer, and we will see.

Watchmen - the clock is running

There are some things in life you just can’t miss out on. Your first kiss, turning 21, reading a great novel, and on and on. These are experiences you can’t live without, or if you do then your life just feels all that much more shallow and empty. And there are movies that fall into this group as well. In 2009 I expect that a film will be released that will be in that category.

Watchmen

If you have never read a comic book or graphic novel, you need to read this. If you have never seen a movie based on a graphic novel or comic book you need to see this (and what rock have you been under the last 2 decades?). This should be bigger than Spiderman, bigger than The Dark Knight, bigger than all of them.

I’m heaping a lot of praise in advance of this movie which is not normal for me. But if this is done right, you will never question why.

Here is the video that just came out.



The story is too big, and complex to explain in a single post. In fact if you were told about the movie or novel it would be a crime. The pleasure is going on the cruise.

I will say this. Rorschach is the man. And Ozymandus (I always spell it wrong) is smarter than Batman (if you understand that Bruce Wayne is the greatest detective ever – not that the movies show it).

Let me give you a taste of the man that would tell the world …



This is unlike any hero movie you’ve ever seen. This is a story 95% will never figure out ahead of time. Unless they completely screw it up, it’s a movie that will stand out from virtually every story you’ve ever watched.

The clock is running, the joke is on you. 2009 is not too far.

Before you see Hulk or Batman

Ok, a dear friend just sent me this link and I've been laughing my a** off (I needed it after all the stress of late). This is funny. I have to give massive credit to the guys that created this.

Before I provide the link I will present just one of over 40 videos (that tell a couple of movie or comic book style stories) dedicated to Marvel and DC. If you don't laugh at this you are wound way too tight.



Oh hell, here is one more



Go see the rest here http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?p=r&user=ItsJustSomeRandomGuy&page=1

Watchmen, Wil Wheaton, Comic-Con - 8.2.2007.1

Well I have to give it to Mr. Wil Wheaton. He definitely knows how to get a point across on a blog. In a featured post Mr. Wheaton spared no emotions in denouncing the corporate execs that went to the recent Comic-Con. Minus the expletives, he hit the nail on the head.

Mr. Wheaton is upset at all the crappy ‘revisioning’ and ‘updating’ of great stories and movies that is the recent craze in Hollywood. I’ve constantly mentioned my distaste for virtually anything ‘revisioned’, actually I don’t recall any movie that modified or updated a great old concept with new, hip, modern ideas [Batman Begins may count, but it’s not quite right as it deals with the origin of Batman and not the Mr. Michael Keaton/Mr. Tim Burton version, nor the Dark Knight graphic novel they were somewhat based on]. That goes for every genre and has no connection to where the source material comes from.

Madonna’s American Pie sucked the life out of the original. The Hitcher, Psycho, The Honeymooners, Mortal Kombat, Flash Gordon, Dukes of Hazzard, and Starsky and Hutch are all great examples of screw-ups created with the ‘revisioned’ concept in mind. And that’s not the worst of it. Hollywood executives are so without ideas that they are not only making a movie of EVERY comic book character ever made (it seems) they are completely ignoring the storylines that made them popular. And for those movie studios without a comic book deal (yes there is one or 2) they are re-making movies for the 3rd time or more.

I know someone is saying 3rd versions? You have got to be kidding. Nope. An upcoming example is the new Invasion movie starring Ms. Nicole Kidman. Original movie – Invasion of the Body Snatchers – first remake was in the 80’s (as I recall) which was redone to create a heroine, and a back-story that were neither needed nor added to the story. The “new” movie tries to trick everyone with a shorter title (like we are all too dumb to figure it out) another twist to the back-story, another heroine that is now motivated by maternal desires and I predict will utterly fail as they miss the point of the whole damn original concept that made it worth being remade.

All of this is not lost on Mr. Wheaton. His comments on the ruined storylines for Daredevil, Electra, Fantastic Four, Captain America (done at least 2x on television), The Hulk (I can accept the television series, but the movie failed both the comic book and the series), Ghost Rider, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and many others rings pinpoint true. Hollywood exec generally have no clue what the draw is for these films and substitute their own ideas of what might pull an audience, and fail miserably.

The increasingly rare exceptions continue to be where an actual fan is involved. The Spiderman series, the first 2 X-Men movies, The Fly remake, The Lord of the Rings dutiful transition, are all part of a handful of fans dedicated to getting it right.

Which brings up the Watchmen movie. If you have read the graphic novels you probably get what it’s about. It’s intense, powerful and direct without having to hit you over the head. The fact that it is planned for a movie is fantastic. My expectation for Hollywood to get it right is low. I hope they get it right. But I can’t see an exec understanding the joke that is the Joker, or the paranoia of Rorschach. I can hope, and if the director is a fan we might just get lucky. We shall see.

This is what I think, what do you think?