There's really no reason that even an iconic character like Superman or Batman couldn't be a different race, from a storytelling standpoint. (Side note: I think a black Batman would be amazing, ala Nighthawk in Supreme Power). I honestly can't think of any reason why Superman couldn't be black, for example. Somebody mentioned that Kansas is really white. Well, make him from Mississippi or Georgia or something. Still very Americana, still can be raised by a loving family, still can stand for truth, justice, etc. You can still have the exact same character, from a storytelling perspective.
But really, the issue is more about branding. These characters have been around for so long that their looks are burned into people's minds. And let's face it, it's a bigger issue to people like us than the general audience. Comic book fans don't like change. And we yearn to see the things we've loved on the page come to life. Frankly, comic fans can be a little shallow in that way, placing so much emphasis on appearance.
Right. So if you're opposed to changing the look of a character, which is a defining characteristic of a character in a visual medium like comics, then you're a racist. Oh please. I also recall people on this board complaining about Keanu being cast as John Constantine due to the fact that he's neither blonde nor British. So is that indicative of a deep-seated racism on the part of this board against dark-haired white American men?
