"Flame On!" The Human Torch Thread

[Kelly]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Y'know, I am really getting tired of this "It's 2013 now" nonsense. That is not an answer to the questions being asked here, people. You are simply telling people what year is on the current calendar. Let's look at a different example here:

"Why hello there, sir, would you like a stick of this tasty Big Red chewing gum?"
"It's 2013 now!"
"Um... about that chewing gum..."

Stating the year doesn't serve as an answer to every question. Sure, that chewing gum example might seem odd, but look at it this way. That ridiculous response of "It's 2013 now" does not answer that question. It doesn't even make anything resembling sense. If people are discussing the fact that an adaptation of a comic with a family theme would logically discuss the family bonds between characters, therefore making a change in the racial makeup of the family something that, again would only be natural to actually bring up in any decent story about family, you cannot say "It's 2013" as a response. Not a response that makes any sense anyway. If anything, trying to handwave things like that is exactly why this type of casting could be terrible. If the politically correct way to address this sort of change is to go so far as to not acknowledge it at all in a story adapted from a series that is part of a universe that has frequently touched on a wide variety of social topics, this so-called politically correct take sucks. Handwaving the relationship is disingenuous. Having a mixed family and making a good story about that is one thing. Having a mixed family and suggesting that Marvel's First Family shouldn't even acknowledge that in their story is crazy. I can absolutely see the argument to make a change. I can't agree with making a change and refusing to actually develop an interesting story with that, though.

What???

[Project862006]

i think he may be drunk lol

[Eddie]

Sorry for not making my post more clear. It was meant to be a response about the "It's 2013" comment some people (even MBJ himself) have made lately. Some people seem to feel that a change in race wouldn't require an in-script explanation, going as far as suggesting that the topic wouldn't even have a reason to come up. They then say "It's 2013" as though it answers everything. Again, even the actor in question did this in his recent interview. Apologies again for being unclear.

[Kelly]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Sorry for not making my post more clear. It was meant to be a response about the "It's 2013" comment some people (even MBJ himself) have made lately. Some people seem to feel that a change in race wouldn't require an in-script explanation, going as far as suggesting that the topic wouldn't even have a reason to come up. They then say "It's 2013" as though it answers everything. Again, even the actor in question did this in his recent interview. Apologies again for being unclear.

OK, I gotcha, I thought you may be talking about keeping the source material exactly as is, as in.....1960's, fighting communism, etc.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Kelly

OK, I gotcha, I thought you may be talking about keeping the source material exactly as is, as in.....1960's, fighting communism, etc.

Nah. 60's Marvel needs fairly hefty adaptation in modern cinema. The underlying themes still ring true, though. Any good FF origin should be about family, regardless of other changes.

[Kelly]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Nah. 60's Marvel needs fairly hefty adaptation in modern cinema. The underlying themes still ring true, though. Any good FF origin should be about family, regardless of other changes.

I certainly agree with that...

[Parker Wayne]

I don't think Jordan means it didn't need to be explained. He never said that in his interview.

What I think he means by "It's 2013" is that African Americans now have more opportunities now than they have in the past (it's not like options like Mixed families or adoption were always an option nor was the potential for him or someonelike him in this role was always possible) and race shouldn't be a huge issue.

I don't understand how people could interpret that otherwise.

[Parker Wayne]

Originally Posted by Bruce Malone

Am i the only person who's ever seen a family where maybe one or two members of the family members appeared to be of a different race and not thinking that was the biggest mystery on earth for how this came to be?

My point of letting the audience figure it out themselves has nothing to do with it being a mystery but the opposite i.e there are a lot of blended-families these days and it's not shocking to encounter a family made up of different looking races.

If they would want to explain it they can but it's not a requisite.

I'd say there would definitely have to be clarification of some sort because it could be either adoption or mixed families. Depending on which one, the audience's perception will be different with the three options (adoption, mixed family, or not explaining) and I believe not explaining it could have a negative effect on the perception of the two characters.

If it goes unexplained that's a big character detail that's being left out.