Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: Watching half my country turn into Gilead
3,530 posts, read 4,179,323 times
Reputation: 2925
Advertisements
Michelle Rodriguez recently caused a stir by saying that minorities shouldn't portray traditionally white superheroes. She was criticized for this (I think quite unfairly) but she does raise a valid point.
Are progressives going too far by 'shoehorning' minorities into typically white (or male) superhero roles?
Personally, as a minority who is about as liberal, multiculti as it gets, I think it depends on how it's done. I think Sam Jackson as Nick Fury was brilliant, as Nick Fury has always been kind of a peripheral character defined more by his character attributes (brash, bold, authoritative) than his race. Sam Jackson is pretty much synonymous with those traits, and really does justice to the character. Conversely, I would have no problems if Meryl Streep was cast as Amanda Waller, a traditionally black female character, if she could embody the essence of the character.
I think it becomes overdone, though, if the background of the character is completely thrown out JUST to make them a minority. The new Fantastic Four reboot with a black Johnny Storm, I think, is going too far. Michael B. Jordan is a phenomenal actor (see Fruitvale Station if you haven't), but Johnny Storm is literally the brother of a white female (Invisible Woman). Since the movie isn't out yet, we can only speculate on how they'll reconcile this, but to me, a minority, it just seems wrong and pandering. I don't have high hopes for the movie regardless, as its another unnecessary reboot, but I think this casting will hurt the movie even more, through the backlash caused.
Alternate versions of superheroes, like Miles Morales, the Afro-Latino Spiderman, and the female Thor also seem a bit wrong to me. While not technically the original characters, it still comes across as heavy handed. In theory, it's a nice compromise, but it just rings hollow to me. We've had 'traditional' 'good' black/women superheroes for a while now (Black Panther, The Falcon, Catwoman, etc.) I don't feel we need to infringe on other identities just to 'diversify'. If more representation is needed, just create more characters. Hancock with Will Smith was a so so movie, but it was a brilliant idea, in my opinion. I think more original properties is preferable to infringing on already established genders/ethnicities.
Lastly, the orientation of superheroes is the last thing I could care about. Apparently Catwoman is bisexual now. While this does 'fit' the character, who really cares? If anything, it just comes across as misogynistic and pandering to horny dudes. I think a gay male character could work, but it would have to be tastefully done and an original character. And I would loathe if they took a traditional character, say DareDevil, and made him gay just for the hell of it.
These are just some of my thoughts, though. Looking forward to hearing yours...
Last edited by qworldorder; 03-05-2015 at 05:03 AM..
Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury is brilliant casting, and not without precedent. In the Marvel Ultimate Universe comics., Nick Cage is a black man obviously modeled by Samuel Jackson.
There's has been (is?) a black Green Lantern. And there are multiple versions of lots of comics characters all varying in race and gender depending upon universe, and story arch. That said, a black Johnny Storm based on the Fantastic Four canon is really silly. But then again FOX has really turned out some stinker movies compared to Marvel Studios so I'm not surprised.
People should calm themselves and not judge harshly over a comment like that. I don't think she has said something THAT wrong.
Super hero is something personal. Everybody's personal hero is different. My personal real life heroes are my brother, Vincent van Gogh, and Ernest Hemingway. My fictional super hero is Superman.
Every human being has an origin story. Every person carries a unique past and experiences that color their present character and behavior.
My brother served in the Marine Corps back in the 90s, he's tall, dark, handsome, and he was a Force Recon Marine and because of that, he was my bragging right when I was a kid. He is now the owner of a very successful business, he is one of the best in his field. He's very kind, and always ready to help somebody who are in need.
Why do I like superman? well, because superheroes are not so different from regular people. Loneliness is a big factor for Superman. Although well-loved by his Earth parents, the fact remains that he is the only one of his kind on the planet. Being sent to Earth by his parents immediately after birth. This forced him to adapt to the Earth’s atmosphere which made him stronger and more powerful. It also forced him to spend most of his life trying to figure out who he really is, where he belongs, and coping with the fact that he is different from everyone else. I was born in the United states, but was sent overseas to study. I am racially mixed, so Yes, I am also one of a kind. Superman might be a white male, I as a racially mixed girl can relate to that character. So what?
If there aren't enough minority superheroes isn't it up to the comic book creators to draw them that way? It's not like these superheroes are an original idea by Hollywood screenwriters. Has anyone asked the comic book creators?
Alternate versions of superheroes, like Miles Morales, the Afro-Latino Spiderman, and the female Thor also seem a bit wrong to me. While not technically the original characters, it still comes across as heavy handed. In theory, it's a nice compromise, but it just rings hollow to me. We've had 'traditional' 'good' black/women superheroes for a while now (Black Panther, The Falcon, Catwoman, etc.) I don't feel we need to infringe on other identities just to 'diversify'. If more representation is needed, just create more characters.
Well said. Changing the ethnicity (gender, sexual identity, etc.) of established characters does seem to be nothing more than pandering from an industry ashamed that our oldest and most well-known characters are all white.
Lets see more diversity in new characters, rather than trying to shoehorn new identities into characters we all know. Or use the characters that are already out there. There are a good number of existing minority characters in comics to draw from; let's dig into that. We're getting a Black Panther movie in a few years. I'd love to see a Blade reboot. Give War Machine a bigger role in Avengers 2. Use John Stewart as Green Lantern rather than Hal Jordan (alternate Green Lanterns makes sense and doesn't feel forced, IMO).
Of all the idiotic threads on POC , this one ranks pretty high. Next up: D list actresses who dress their dogs.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
