Diversity in comic books can almost sound like a dirty four letter word. It is a word that has made me cringe – and I am a fairly liberal guy when it comes to social issues. I won’t lie and I will say that there are certain things that make me cringe when I hear it. Things such as Bunker the Latino homosexual that joined the Teen Titans upon the dawn of the new 52 re-launch in 2011. I’m not cringing because he is a Latino homosexual… I’m cringing because he IS a Latino homosexual. Confused? Don’t worry, I’ll explain it shortly. Diversity is basically something that sends alarm bells in my head when I hear it used in a comic book tense. This is because most of the time editorial just doesn’t get it. Diversity should be a good thing, women in comic books are more than just a damsel in distress or there to be fridged, homosexuals are more than just the flamboyant or tombish gay or lesbian and minorities are more than their country of origin. I will just state, before getting into this editorial, that women are far better represented in comic book form now. There are quite a few books that are led by females in both Marvel and DC. Throughout this editorial I will be looking into a serious equality imbalance within the white washed strong jawed male genre of comic books and I will shine the ugly mirror back at it. We all know why comic book characters are this way – they were born in the sixties and before – but there is no reason why they should stay this way.
Okay, let me open up with elaborating on that Bunker comment. What I meant was that there is what is known as a diversity quota where each comic book cast needs a certain amount of diverse characters. This usually is one black male (sometimes female), at least one or two females and so on and so forth. In Bunkers case he felt like he was simply there to fill out that quota.
I have no issue with characters having these traits – what I do take issue in, is if the character is simply a minority or a woman or a homosexual and nothing more - that is their primary function in the team. It is insulting and downright lazy. This is the case with Bunker from what I have read of Teen Titans. He is introduced as an eccentric Mexican that is in awe of how great America is. First of all it is infuriating that the characters first dialogue is “Madre de Dios! What in the name of the sacred mother is that?!” geddit cos he’s Mexican. This is shortly followed by “Thank you Mr Hobo -- -- For not throwing me off the train and onto my cute butt.” geddit cos he’s gay. Contrast this with another slightly Latin gay character in DC, Renee Montoya. She has a whole character that is not centred on her ethnicity or sexual orientation. She is a tough no nonsense character and none of her character is influenced by either of the two traits. Now let’s look at Baz – the new Middle Eastern Green Lantern. He couldn’t just be Middle Eastern, no – his introduction to the DC universe had to be him being interrogated by the police for being a suspected terrorist. Stay classy DC. I know it seems like I may be picking on DC – but just wait, I will get to Marvel. DC does have good characters that are diverse without it being their only characteristic – Renee Montoya being one of them, Static Shock, Blue Beetle, Scandal Savage (well pre-new 52) and Batwoman just to name a few. So don’t think I’m on a complete anti DC diversity, I do think that they can do it right – it is just the narrow mindedness of some creators and editorial for not picking it up that astounds me. Having a character like Baz or Bunker is akin to Falcon turning to the thug life due to his parents dying – cos that’s what black guize do yo! Whereas white guys just get international training and become the God dammed Batman.
Let me open this by saying that overall, in my opinion, Marvel does a decently good job at representing minority and gay characters. They have Luke Cage, Northstar, Black Panther, Ms Marvel, Black Widow, Falcon, Blade, pretty much all of Claremonts X-men, and countless others that are main stays of the Marvel universe. Marvel do play with stereotypes (I mean, Black Panther and Luke Cage, what else can I say?). But they seem to have gotten better with that in recent years to where even the stereotype characters have gained personality and freed themselves from their diversity shackles. But where Marvel falls down really hard is that Marvel loves to race bend. This article is well timed due to the recent development regarding the Captain America mantle being taken over by Sam Wilson. Now, let me say off the bat I DO NOT MIND this – in fact I love the concepts, shake up the status quo of the books, do something different. That is why I was such a big proponent for the Superior Spider-Man. And for those moaning and complaining – do you even read comics?! Captain America will be back quicker than you know it. I said this about Superior before it launched, despite Dan Slott’s insistence on the contrary. And look where we are now – Peter Parker is back and there are new stories to be mined due to the mess that Doc Ock left behind.
*Large Inhale* So anyway… Back to the race bending of Captain America. I don’t mind it from a story stand point – but I don’t like what it implies. It implies that if those characters were to come out in their own book then they wouldn’t sell – they need pre-established monikers of big white men to sell. It can’t just be All New Falcon #1, it has to be All New Captain America #1 that is actually Falcon in a Captain America suit. I wouldn’t mind this if there were other books that Marvel bought out that starred a minority, but there really aren't that many. As it stands the only minority led books are – Deathlok, Captain America, Storm, Iron Patriot, Ultimate Spider-man and All New Ghost Rider. From that list five of the six titles are characters that have taken over the mantle of a previous white hero or villain. Do you see what I mean now? There is no excuse to have these characters take mantles of white heroes.
I think that there is a bigger issue at hand here. Perhaps Marvel thinks that placing these characters as the title will not sell as well. Let’s have a little gander at the trending patterns for books from both DC and Marvel. In the first wave of the new 52 DC had a whopping eleven books that either were led by a minority or had a minority in a team. Now, seven of those books were cancelled and dropped due to low sales – most of them were dropped within or just over a year of release. Most of the books left were team books featuring a minority. Over to Marvel Now there were roughly ten books that included minority characters and most of them were cancelled. Likewise, most of the books left were team books. Look, there is a pattern and trend here, people aren’t buying books lead by minority characters. This leads to bone head moves, like Marvel having to race bend a character. I’m guilty of this and I’m sure you all are too. I’m not saying for you to pick up a book just because it stars a black person or a Muslim. I am saying to give these books a go. For all intents and purposes, books like Blue Beetle, Ms Marvel etc etc should sell well as they are concepts and characters that deserve support despite their race.
I think Marvel and DC are as much if not more at fault for fans not buying these comics, as they tend to not promote their diverse characters in media. I think it is an utter travesty that the only two black led comic book movies are Blade and Steel; and literally the only two female led ones are Catwoman and Electra – it is rather sickening if you want me to be honest. As great as Marvel studios is, I want to see a black or female led super hero film or a minority led super hero film. Black Widow is far popular enough to lead her own film by now. How can Marvel or DC expect people to buy a comic if there is no public awareness of that character? If not movies then integrate the characters into cartoons. Maybe instead of another Batman tv show WB should invest in a John Stewart Green Lantern show, or how about Cyborg or Mr Terrific or even freaking Wonder Woman or any of the myriad of Milestone characters DC has. Likewise with Marvel, make a Black Panther show or a Heroes for Hire, or a Captain Marvel, or Ms Marvel; you get my point. Static Shock should have been the start of a new era of race blind super hero shows, but it wasn’t. Nothing has changed and everything is mostly the same. I just long for a day when the word diversity is no longer a thing and characters can just be characters, regardless of race, sex, or sexual orientation.
Sorry for the heavy subject guys. It is just something that pops in my head every now and then that makes me annoyed. As a writer I don’t write black characters as black or gay characters as gay – I write them as people and that is how they should be written. Sound off below and tell me what you think – do you agree or do you think I’m being a bit too nit-picky and it is an non-issue? Do you think I’m completely off base and have no idea what I’m talking about? Let me know and we shall create some discussion. If you liked this article (I promise they don’t really deal with these kind of issues normally) then you should check out my other ones. Also don’t forget to click on that red thumbs up to tell me that you liked this article. Thanks for reading, and I shall see you guys next time!