Marvel's Black & Minority Characters: Roundtable Discussion

[Lightning Strykez!]

And that's sad. So sad.

 

[Manic]

"Kin-kyyy" -Hedley Lamarr

 

[Cosmic]

Hudlin was great on Black Panther! I feel that a character as powerful in as many ways as he is should be written by a actual black writer. The sense of pride and inclusion I got from his writing is the same that I recieved from Milestone comics. Black characters written by people that actually understand what it's like to live the black experience.

If you didn't like Hudlin you can suck it.

Welcome to the Hype. I don't think I've ever heard of any actual Hudlin fans, until now. At least, not in these forums. Up until he he left, most BP fans around here either abandoned the title completely, or kept hanging on in the desperate hope that he'd eventually go away, or change his style. So it looks to me like you're the one who's "sucking it," since Hudlin is out, and Maberry's stories and dialogue are already a vast improvement over what we've seen in the past few years.

Go check out Unknown Soldier by DC/Vertigo. That series features a black hero who is far more intense, more complex, and more real than BP has ever been. It's a GREAT series, and guess what? It's written by a white author.

 

[Cosmic]

Black perspective? Don't give me that crap. BP is a king with the most tech and money in the world. How many other black people can say that's anything like a "black perspective". Personally I hate this ****. There is no difference between me and my black cousins other than skin color. We have the same perspective, everyone meets small minded *******s in their lives no matter what skin color or lifestyle choice. The question is do you let that define your perspectives to complete exclusionism of all other people and types based on the idea they haven't lived your life exactly, or do you incorporate the similarities in all walks of life and build your perspective off of that? One mindset is responsible for most of the racism in the world the other is responsible for most of the people I would buy a beer.

I agree. BP is one of my favorite Marvel characters, but he's about as relatable to me as is Buck Rogers. It's cool that he's the first black superhero, but I can't see how he has ever had anything to do with any sort of "black perspective" based in reality.

 

[Greg]

Personality differences. John Stewart in the comics is a lot more lame than John Stewart in the cartoon. Even Dwayne McDuffie, one of the writers on Justice League Unlimited, didn't like using John when he wrote the JLA comic.

DISAGREE greatly. I felt John Stewart written by Jones (GL: Mosaic) was the best John you'd ever read and a lot more interesting than Stewart in the cartoon. The very first issue where you go inside of Stewart's head showcases how fantastic of a character he could be written as and is hands down one of the best first issues I've ever read.

 

[Anubis]

I agree. BP is one of my favorite Marvel characters, but he's about as relatable to me as is Buck Rogers. It's cool that he's the first black superhero, but I can't see how he has ever had anything to do with any sort of "black perspective" based in reality.

Relatability? Overrated.

 

[kguillou]

Originally Posted by Greg
DISAGREE greatly. I felt John Stewart written by Jones (GL: Mosaic) was the best John you'd ever read and a lot more interesting than Stewart in the cartoon. The very first issue where you go inside of Stewart's head showcases how fantastic of a character he could be written as and is hands down one of the best first issues I've ever read.

Which is why i'm a little disappointed that DC didnt try to take advantage of John's increase in profile when JLU was airing. I didnt even KNOW there was a black green lantern til i watched that show and i imagine im not the only one. If marvel could make Luke Cage the A-lister badass he is today, I dont see why DC couldnt give John Stewart an extra push??

 

[Manic]

Well, let's be real. DC isn't even pushing Kyle Rayner anymore, and he was the star of the Green Lantern comic until Hal Jordan came back from the dead. Of course John isn't going to get a push.

If it's any consolation, John is getting a huge push at Six Flags theme parks. I'd say a majority of the time, they hire black dudes to dress up as Green Lantern and walk around the park. That cartoon made John Stewart the face of Green Lanterns to the general public.

 

[Anubis]

At least until the movie comes out.

Also, on a side note, they screwed over the Question as well. He got a lot of popularity due to JLU, and they put him in a big event comic, and you know what they did? They killed him off and replaced him with a Lesbian.

 

[Manic]

Yeah, I don't get that. JLU brought the Question to my attention, but they immediately decided to kill him off and replace him with Detective Montoya from the Batman comics. It's like they had the perfect opportunity to cash in on that extra attention, and they wasted it.

Now all I have are the trades of the Dennis & Denys era. Love 'em, though.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Going back to Black Panther for a minute I do have to say I enjoy the new creative team's work as well. Much better than Hudlin. Sure, I'd prefer if we could get back to T'Challa being Black Panther, and get Storm out of the book, when she feels so tacked on, and fix all the little things than the hack left him with, but he's working with what the bastard gave him real well.

 

[RockSP]

Yeah, I don't get that. JLU brought the Question to my attention, but they immediately decided to kill him off and replace him with Detective Montoya from the Batman comics. It's like they had the perfect opportunity to cash in on that extra attention, and they wasted it.

Now all I have are the trades of the Dennis & Denys era. Love 'em, though.

The original Question did have a mini a few years ago. JLU was still airing at the time, I think.

 

[Varient]

...
BP related on a black spin?
........................................ Okay,.. I never quite thought that way,... Luke Cage comes closer since he addresses preconcieved notions and either lampoons or caters to stereotypes.

The current storyline holds the Panther out of character for me,... but I'm waiting to see what happens,..


V.

 

[Shockdingo]

Ugh, don't even get me started on The Question....I knew NOTHING about him till I watched JLU (I've always been more of a marvel dude) but I totally fell in love with the character, he was just so cool and striking....then I hear news of him dying and being replaced by Montoya. Well....crap.

 

[Manic]

To tell the truth, I'm of two minds about Renee Montoya replacing Charlie Szasz/Vic Sage. On one hand, I really miss Charlie and reprints Dennis O'Neil & Denys Cowan's old run only make me miss him more. On the other hand, they made a long-running subplot out of Renee's training throughout 52, where he was clearly training her to replace him since the first issue-- so it didn't come out of nowhere. Also, Renee's story in the back of Detective Comics isn't bad.

 

[mikethought]

The moderator makes a point. As you can see from the succeeding comments no one else got your joke. Hence his wise admonition to you.

And to think we don't even get paid for this.

I stand chastised. I must say in my own defence that I am used to a different kind of board than is "The Hype".

Please except this delicious Bean Pie as an apology.

I still like Hudlins work though. *shrug*

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

Bean pies give me gas.

However, I will accept your sacrifice of atonement. Go over there and put it on the altar and burn that ****. You'll be forgiven.

 

[Manic]

Bean pies. Feh! Feh, I say! Give me a sweet potato pie any day.

Oh god, I hope grandma makes one for Thanksgiving...

 

[Cosmic]

Relatability? Overrated.

Oh, I agree. But that's not the point. Someone said that the Black Panther should be written by a black writer who understands the black experience. My point is that this argument is false. Since his creation, the character has had virtually no connection to any sort of black cultural experience in the real world.

 

[terry78]

Considering one of the best DC writers right now is black, I will have no qualms with a white dude writing Panther.

 

[RockSP]

Oh, I agree. But that's not the point. Someone said that the Black Panther should be written by a black writer who understands the black experience. My point is that this argument is false. Since his creation, the character has had virtually no connection to any sort of black cultural experience in the real world.

I'm not quite sure what you are saying here. I mean he's a comic book character. What real world experience could he have?

Considering one of the best DC writers right now is black, I will have no qualms with a white dude writing Panther.

Well Panther was created by white people, so I guess they are allowed to write him. Most people who've written him to date have been white.

Who is this DC writer you're talking about?

 

[Anubis]

Considering one of the best DC writers right now is black, I will have no qualms with a white dude writing Panther.

Really? Who would that be?

 

[T'Jai]

think he's on about Dwayne McDuffie...

 

[Manic]

Didn't DC fire Dwayne McDuffie because he publicly complained about how they wouldn't let him write anything on JLA?

 

[RockSP]

They fired him from JLA but not from writing anything ever. Hell, in the same call that he got fired from JLA they offered him another book.

He also has Milestone Forever coming out soon.