Black Superheroes Movies - Part 2

[RockSP]

Originally Posted by CConn

The other group that I think is largely ignored by both blacks and whites is the large population of Black Americans who aren't always all fired up about their individual culture and solidarity. I mean, there's a large percentage of black people at my job - and I'm actually pretty close with several of them - and very few of them would ever say anything like "to tell our stories the right way and need to do it ourselves". They're just people. Who have varied interests and hobbies and flaws and whatnot and aren't at all limited to a singular alignment with a particular culture. Just like there's Italians that don't give a damn about Italian culture, etc.

What a strange statement. The people who would say your quote are "just people" too. The average person regardless of race probably isn't thinking about the behind the scenes work it takes to get something created, so someone who would say your quote would be someone who has put thought into that. Doesn't mean they are "all fired up" or militant. Just means they have the common sense to know it doesn't make sense to depend on and/or wait around for someone else to make the types of films/books/comics/whatever they want to see. Also "do it ourselves" doesn't = "only for us, nobody else can enjoy it".

[CConn]

You - like you normally do, actually - are missing the point. DarKush got it just fine, and he disagreed with me, even.

[Anubis]

Originally Posted by DrCosmic

This is a fascinating thread. Interesting about the regression since the 80s.

I don't know if we need to 'make our own' per se. I think if the money is shown to be there, it'll get made. I think Black superhero movies might be part of they key. As there are black superheroes, and any movie made about them would be black-led action movies.

I do think it is important to include whites in these stories so they don't freak out and think it's Roots with Super Powers, but it all just seems very doable. I think the tack to take is very much a healthy racial identity, where being black is like being Italian, so to speak. Where it comes up, as a fact, where their mom cooks soul food, not as an identity, where they must prove some sort of blackness as a character.

I look at movies like Blade and Hancock, where their ethnicity is completely irrelevant, and I think that's the 'safe' way to go. Hire crossover/ambiguous actors like Mya Rudolph, Rashida Jones, Dwayne Johnson and, I dunno, Cuba Gooding Jr or one of the superstars (Zel, Will, SLJ) or somebody. No one complains, no one feels uncomfortable, except, y'know, Morris and Taye who get stuck with Romatnic Comedy Cameos.

The alternate, radical way, building up a film industry from virtual scratch in Africa (I know they have one, but I've seen it, and it's scratch) is something that I don't think anyone's really interested in doing, we just want the effect.

....What???

[CConn]

All movies with black people should be made in Africa. Hah.

[DrCosmic]

Is that what I said? How did you (guys?) get that from a two liner about an alternate way?

[Paradox1]

Avengers would of been an excellent opportunity for Marvel to introduce Black Panther to a mass audience.

[Anubis]

Originally Posted by DrCosmic

Is that what I said? How did you (guys?) get that from a two liner about an alternate way?

Because that's what you f**kin' typed. You could have like, I don't know, NOT typed it....but you did.

Also pretty much everything you typed was some vaguely racist boos**t. Roots with super powers. GTFO.

[terry78]

Yeah, having some white guy as a central character in a supposedly "black" film is what we have been *****ing about since this thread started.

[CConn]

I think everyone with blonde hair should have their movies made in Finland.

[Incrediblejeff]

Originally Posted by CConn

I think everyone with blonde hair should have their movies made in Finland.

I see what you're trying to do,but race and hair color are 2 totally different things.

What I believe DrCosmic was trying to say was that maybe we shouldn't really rely on Hollywood to make a black superhero film the right way.We should make it ourselves.Going to Africa(or any other foreign country) may be an extreme way to get things done(Something Melvin Van Peebles did successfully),but maybe relying on Hollywood may not be a good idea.

Since they seem to mostly greenlight the same type of superhero films constantly.Hell it doesn't even have to be about race.Almost all superhero films follow the same formula that make all the films damn near identical to the point where there is only minor details that differ.

So something as different such as a Superhero film with a Minority lead may have a harder time getting through the cracks than a "Blonde Haired" Superhero.

[Anubis]

Yeah, we been saying that....only instead of f**kin' Africa, we were talking about Atlanta, which is where a lot of black film makers seem to be congregating. Pfft, Africa....I'll Africa you right in the nut bag.

Also, seeing as all the big time black characters are owned by the big two, who are owned by Disney and Warner Bros respectably, Hollywood's all you got. I mean, start making up black super heroes to put in movies and you'll have pretty much the same problem you'd have with making up white super heroes to put in a movie. No built in fan base to start from. I mean, Hancock did okay, but that was mainly cuz Will Smith was in it. (And Charleize Theron's boobs. )

[CConn]

Originally Posted by Incrediblejeff

I see what you're trying to do,but race and hair color are 2 totally different things.

What I believe DrCosmic was trying to say was that maybe we shouldn't really rely on Hollywood to make a black superhero film the right way.We should make it ourselves.Going to Africa(or any other foreign country) may be an extreme way to get things done(Something Melvin Van Peebles did successfully),but maybe relying on Hollywood may not be a good idea.

Since they seem to mostly greenlight the same type of superhero films constantly.Hell it doesn't even have to be about race.Almost all superhero films follow the same formula that make all the films damn near identical to the point where there is only minor details that differ.

So something as different such as a Superhero film with a Minority lead may have a harder time getting through the cracks than a "Blonde Haired" Superhero.

Actually, it was really just a simple joke without any serious innuendo. But since you ruined it, I will say this:

The simple fact is, black people in America are Americans and to suggest they have to travel anywhere outside of our country's boarders to be treated fairly is inherently offensive.

It both has echoes of the storied bigoted chant of "go back to where you came from" and is offensively simply because we - as an intelligent and inclusive people - should do something way to rectify the situation before anyone has to "go to Africa".

[Incrediblejeff]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Yeah, we been saying that....only instead of f**kin' Africa, we were talking about Atlanta, which is where a lot of black film makers seem to be congregating. Pfft, Africa....I'll Africa you right in the nut bag.

Also, seeing as all the big time black characters are owned by the big two, who are owned by Disney and Warner Bros respectably, Hollywood's all you got. I mean, start making up black super heroes to put in movies and you'll have pretty much the same problem you'd have with making up white super heroes to put in a movie. No built in fan base to start from. I mean, Hancock did okay, but that was mainly cuz Will Smith was in it. (And Charleize Theron's boobs. )

I really think it is possible to make a great Superhero film from scratch without using characters adapted from comics.It just seems like no one wants to do it.That can quite possibly bring new life into the genre.Built on fanbase idea are why we have so many remakes and adaptations of the same things over and over.We could possibly have more Black Dynamites and less of the same old Same old.

Originally Posted by CConn

Actually, it was really just a simple joke without any serious innuendo. But since you ruined it, I will say this:

The simple fact is, black people in America are Americans and to suggest they have to travel anywhere outside of our country's boarders to be treated fairly is inherently offensive.

It both has echoes of the storied bigoted chant of "go back to where you came from" and is offensively simply because we - as an intelligent and inclusive people - should do something way to rectify the situation before anyone has to "go to Africa".

It's really hard to tell when people are being serious or joking on the Internet.Sarcasm doesn't show up well.

But,since the conversation got started I'll continue.Going to a foreign country can be an option.Regarding the Melvin Van Peebles story I referenced.Melvin Van Peebles couldn't get any studio to make his films.The only company that was interested was a French company.That's where he made The Story of a Three-Day Pass.He had to go to France to get his films made.I never specifically said Africa

And I don't really think it's anything similar to saying "Go back to Africa".I think it can apply to all filmmakers.If you can't get work in your home country you can go somewhere else.There are lots of stories that will never get made if people won't consider every possible option.


Just my 2 cents,Sorry if I ruined your joke.

[Daniel Thompson]

Made up superhero films can work if done right. Hancock just was not interesting to me, he had a lame name, lame costume and weak orgin and villian. Made up hero needs a cool name, costume, orgin/story and villian.

[CConn]

I will only accept your apology when you offer up your wife or sister to me in tribute.

[CConn]

Here's another question, what black comic book characters do you people (I mean comic book fans) actually like?

There honestly doesn't seem to be that many really awesome black characters. And the ones that are, don't seem very viable for movies.

Personally, currently I'd have to say I really like...

Batwing - a new character, and bat-related, so he doesn't have a chance in hell to get a movie.

Luke Cage - a character I've grown to like thorough his character progression and involvement with the Avengers...but a singular solo movie probably wouldn't be able to feature any of that.

Miles Morales - Obviously impossible.

Patriot - Actually...I could kinda see a YA movie happening if Avengers is as big as it looks.

Cloak and Dagger - always awesome, but they've only been in like 5 comics since 1985, so I kinda doubt they could support a movie on their own.

Everyone else I'm not too crazy about. John Stewart is boring as hell; Black Lightning, Mr. Terrific, Cyborg, etc., really don't have any big draw to them; Static Shock seems terribly dated; and Black Panther...I've never been able to get into. Although he probably would be the most likely and viable character of them all.

[RockSP]

Originally Posted by Daniel Thompson

Made up superhero films can work if done right. Hancock just was not interesting to me, he had a lame name, lame costume and weak orgin and villian. Made up hero needs a cool name, costume, orgin/story and villian.

Indeed they can. For example, Superman, Batman, X-men, etc...

[Anubis]

Black Lightning and BP are awesome.

While I don't care for Cyborg, with the push DC has been giving him, I wouldn't be surprised if he got a movie.

All of them with the exception of Mr. T have a compelling origin. Or at least one that could be adapted for a film. I don't really see why any of them couldn't hold a film if it's written well. Would people go see it? I don't know.

[CConn]

I did like Black Lightning when he was being written awesomely. But that only seemed to last for like 6 months.

I think it's the royalty aspect of BP, I don't like. All of that pretentious verbiage and what not gets stale...kinda like Thor can suffer from.

Plus it strikes me as inherently dumb that they'd have to have "black" in their names.

[CConn]

Oh wait. I kinda think Firestorm would be a pretty awesome character to see on screen.

I almost forgot about him.

[RockSP]

How many comics a character has appeared in or if it is a "made up" character is something only comic fans worry about, not the general audience.

[Anubis]

Nobody said it did, but it helps to have those comic fans. And I don't know why you're harping on made up. Simply another term for not established.

[RockSP]

Harping...huh. Thought I was expressing my opinion. If you mean my response to Daniel Thompson, his phrasing was funny to me...superheroes are all made up, obviously...so I made a joke. Guess I should've included an emoticon.

[Anubis]

It helps.

[CConn]

I think another question that kinda needs to be asked is, why aren't black superheroes more popular in general? I mean, Spawn is probably the only major black superhero with a legitimately long running series.

BL, BP, Luke Cage, etc. all haven't been able to support their own solo books, and any time we do have a black character gain some popularity and focus (like Mr. Terrific or Cyborg) it more seems to be from white guys trying to push diversity than an overflow of support from the black fan base.