Comics have come a long way since Milton Caniff could put a hideous Chinese stereotype in a family newspaper, or create a racist World War II guide to telling “Japs” from Chinese people — right? Well… but what about those papers today that only want one “black strip” — Candorville or Curtis, but not both? The top ranks of Marvel & DC heroes are overwhelmingly white — and, thanks to “regressive storytelling” at DC, they’re becoming more so. Black heroes, Hispanic heroes, seldom have their own titles. And, oh by the way — how about some characters with roots in India? Please? Tim, Kumar, and Mulele discuss the past history of racism — intentional and not — in American comics, and the present-day reality of most comics’ racial non-diversity. Also: Why Canadian-citizen Kumar never cared about Alpha Flight!
Links, links, and more links:
- A new beginning for the black superhero?
- Why we need minority heroes in superhero comics
- The five most unintentionally offensive comic book characters (featuring racial separatist Tyroc, black Lois Lane, and “pimp” Falcon)
- Yellowface: A Story in Pictures
- Why Ebony White isn’t Sassy
- Top 12 Latin Superheroes
- Black Racer
- Black Panther
- Is Mark Millar sexist and racist?
- Why does this insanely racist thing happen in Spider-Man: Fever?
- Idris Elba to play Heimdall in Thor movie
- EC’s controversial 1950s story “Judgement Day”
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