CCW 2.44: Ethnic Characters in Comics Part 1

[sexfanatic]

STORM is a universal character while the BLACK PANTHER is not.and she is black ..but BLACK PANTHER is just uninteresting as a character BUT not becuz of his race...I ALSO think that one dude who is from the future(y'know the one with the M scar across his eye from the X-MEN series) is way better than BLACK PANTHER and he too was a black character i believe

[Invincible5972]

Bishop

[johnnyhorror92182]

Black Panther Rocks!

[Tahdigga]

Before you guys do another rant please do some research on the topic...Thanks...lol

[Tahdigga]

Their solution was to import slaves from Africa and, as a consequence, the vast majority of the Africans who immigrated to Puerto Rico did so as a result of the slave trade from many different areas of the African continent.

So yes there were slaves of African decent in Cuba..oh my and Puerto Rico (gasp)..hence thats why you have darker skinned Cubans and Puerto Ricans.

They to are of African decent.

[comicculturewarrior]

Ummm...we're two guys talking comics in a comic shop. We're not trying to give a history lesson. Whatever the origin of the pigment of someone's skin is irrelevant. Not all people with dark skin consider themselves of African descent. 'African', as in part of the culture. I have black friends who really don't care for the term 'african-american, and that's their deal.

Regardless, I meant no offense when I said that dark-skinned Puerto Ricans weren't of African descent.

Elliott

[Tahdigga]

Blacks in Puerto Rico begins the African freeman who arrived with the Spanish Conquistadors. The Spaniards enslaved the Tainos, who were the native inhabitants of the island, and many of them died as a result of the treatment that they had received. This presented a problem for the Spanish Crown, since they depended on slavery as a means of manpower for the mines and construction of forts.

[Tahdigga]

I know it's hard to believe but Puerto Rico and Cuba had a history dealing in slavery.

Just a little research on the background would not hurt you guys one bit...lol

One of the reasons why there are dark skined cubans is because of the Haitian Revolution in Saint-Domingue, from 1791 to 1804. Thousands of French refugees, fleeing the slave rebellion in Saint Domingue, brought slaves and expertise in sugar refining and coffee growing into eastern Cuba in the 1790 and early 1800's.

[comicculturewarrior]

Sigh. History lessons on a COMIC BOOK DISCUSSION BOARD!?!?

Ummm...

Yawn.

LOL.

Elliott

[Tahdigga]

Their union shows that a human and mutant can love and live together in harmony, giving Professor X's vision credence and meaning. He speaks about this very issue in Black Panther # 18.

[Tahdigga]

So as far as them not having a history is b.s.

IMHO There is nothing wrong with showing black african love between two heroes...It's not like there are a whole lot of black heroes to go around to begin with. It's relatable to young people of african decent, seeing a black power couple like Black Panther and Storm together. For the record, Storm is half american because of her father.

[comicculturewarrior]

Those were all retcons for the purposes of the story.  But hey, if you liked it, more power to ya'!

Elliott

[Baec]

@comicculturewarrior this is actually not true. He has had quite a few adventures with Storm long before their marriage. h t t p : / / mailittoteamup . blogspot . com / 2009 / 07 / storm-and-black-panther-in-cry­. h t m l

I really don't get why people harp on two black characters getting married. Black People do get married. Or Should Black males and females only marry other non black people. Seriously there are almost no Black couples in mainstream comics. T

[Tahdigga]

I for one love and enjoy the union of the Warrior King T'Challa aka Black Panther and the Goddess Queen Ororo Iqadi T'Challa (née Munroe) aka Storm!

I hope they have a long lasting and loving marriage for years to come.

[comicculturewarrior]

It's comics. Nothing lasts forever.

;-)

Elliott

[Tahdigga]

A six-issue limited Storm series written by best-selling novelist Eric Jerome and continues in Black Panther #14, then builds-up to the wedding, which will take place in Black Panther #18, written by Reginald Hudlin.

For the record Forge was never man enough to ask for Storm's hand in marriage. He would rather consult Jean Grey about Storm's feelings for him and chickened out like the pussy he is...lol

[comicculturewarrior]

Oh snap!  Talking about my boy Forge?

Treading on thin ice...

LOL.

elliott

[Tahdigga]

The characters have a history......Marvel Team-Up #100, a Chris Claremont and John Byrne collaboration that provided inspiration for the entire Storm Black Panther affair. Then Christopher Priest wrote Black Panther Vol. 2 #26 from 2000.

Claremont returns to the storyline he helped set in motion, with an Uncanny X-Men Annual #1, which was described as 'an all-new wedding tie-in focusing on Storm's past.

[DVGamer7]

so what is the argument exactly?

why dosnt everything be like me?

lol..

[GrifterUno]

"El Chapulin Colorado" was my first favorite superhero too since I was a little boy growing up in Lima...and when I was 5, I even had the red suit with the big red hammer (I think it was called "chipote chillon").

Now, that's a superhero, I think he is the reason why I love the Daredevil so much now...lol!!!

[comicculturewarrior]

LOL indeed GrifterUno!

My parents watched the ECC when I was a kid and I thought it was pretty goofy, but in an endearing way. Plus, it was something my parents would watch. Nice memories.

Elliott

[deemar325]

Elliot hey my brotha, you Cuban/Puerto Rican homie it ain't that farfetched to say you might have African ancestry.

Remember the majority of the slaves brought to the Americas wasn't the USA, but South America and the Carribean. The Portugese and Spanish by far outstripped the British and Dutch in that arena. Plus a good chuck of Cuba and PR population is african desent let alone Brazil damn near 70% if not more.

[locusmortis]

The first slaves in the carribean were actually Irish fact fans, they were catholics who were beaten by the commonwealth forces of Oliver Cromwell who is still despised to this day in Ireland. They all died from disease and the heat pretty quickly so they started getting african slaves instead then.

[deemar325]

Didn't know that, must look more into this

[deemar325]

It's pandering when you try to hard, how Luke Cage is handled currently is the perfect balance.

He feels authentically "black" don't ask me how a Jewish guy from Cleveland "cracked da' code" for lack of a better term, but it's effortless, I suspect Bendis for all the crap the guy gets probaly actually grew up with or befriended, talked to whatever..with black folk. He get's it.

[deemar325]

With Black Panther in particular there seems to be this lack of knowledge or willful ignorance on this difference between black American/African. Each with it's own nuances and cultural ques.

[deemar325]

Alright, glad to see you guys hit this up.

I'll start with the initial comments on BP, Elliot is right there is a difference in being Black/American vs African my thing is Hudlin doesn't get that he interjects African-American troupes into BP as opposed to Chris Priest who totally got T'Challa's "African-ness" it felt authentic in his run.

To me it's the difference between an Italian and a Italian-American same lineage different culture experience.

[locusmortis]

I completely agree, I work with lots of nigerians and they completely different from african-americans that I know (as you would expect) but hudlin has never got those kind of distinctions. Perhaps he's trying to americanize Black Panther to make him more popular?

Chris Priests run on Black Panther was brilliant and he also paid homage to Kirby during his long run on BP

[deemar325]

Right exactly, Hell even when it comes to blacks in different regions, a black guy from the south (exp. New Orleans) is different from a brotha from New York etc..

But I'm not gonna ask a writer to be that specific just believeable

[Pinkhamsterino]

That Chapulin Colorado clip you linked to reminded me of this other clip I saw on YouTube recently, down to the scientist with the female assistant who gets visited by the superhero in the red suit! If curious, do a YouTube search for: Italian Spiderman Episode 4.

[smallmaniac]

If you look at all the top characters at DC and Marvel, they're all white males. Some of the most famous and greatest writers in comic book history were white males. There is definitely a connection there. I know your talking about ethnicity, but it's also good to point out gender. There are only 2 true female characters who were there from the beginning and that's Marvel Girl/Jean Grey and Sue Storm. Most of the female characters in comics are either 2nd or 3rd tier or just supporting roles.

[comicculturewarrior]

Don't forget Wonder Woman.  Plus there were a bunch of other female characters at the advent of comics (Liberty Belle and Miss America come to mind) but none seemed to get the same push that the male characters did.

Good point smallmaniac!

Elliott

[deemar325]

Too true the women in comics are shorted also, I'd like to see more female writers for sure, but just like my gripe w/ Hudlin, Whedon etc..if they come with that heavy handed feminist stuff I zone out.

[smallmaniac]

Well, what point is there between feminism and misogyny that you prefer? For Whedon, he writes great, but I'm so sick of his misandry(which is one problem I have with feminists). I know us guys don't have the best rep, but make solutions not insults.

[deemar325]

I like strong female characters, but when it becomes an excuse to bash men I ain't hearing it.

[locusmortis]

Jim Balent does strong female characters...with huge boobs. so I guess theres something there for everyone ;)

[saar1707]

it wasn't me, sorry...