Minorities and Other Issues in Comics Thread/Community IV

[Genki Sudo]

And god forbid you try posting in a Storm appreciation thread as a Black Panther fan...

Geek gods help the poor soul who does

Best way is to do a book outside, or self publish, and make an impact.
It is easy to say, 'i can write/draw that better' but you have to put your money where your mouth is and take the risk and prove it.

That's how the guy who created Vescell got more work at Image, put a book out through them and someone high up saw it and gave him more work

[Johnny P. Sartre]

Yes. That's what it'll take to write for one of the Big 2 companies, but you know what? As a black writer, this week has opened my eyes to how high the mountain top is not only for minority characters (especially Black ones), but for creators who are Black as a whole. From the minute you step into the world of Marvel and DC, you will literally have every decision of yours questioned, analyzed and criticized by people who quite frankly do not have the mental capacity to carry out those functions on a satisfactory level. It creates an environment where a Black writer has to be better than Morrisons, Vaughn and Gaiman's of the world for people to notice his or her skill, and even then they would still have a vocal group of detractors who will use any little thing to beat that small, but loud drum. You can also apply this a Black Artist and he or she would have to be on the level of a Reis, Kubert, Buckingham or Quiety to have that same thing happen

With the venom that gets spouted on the Internet, I really do wonder if Marvel or DC can even begin to attract those special people. With the smaller major press companies starving for ideas and stories, they could easily make their name their, take their show to the digital market and never bother with a Market that doesn't want their voice for a market waiting to hear those voices. The Big 2 could easily lose a generation of non-white developers over their practices.

That's already happening in a way and a current and future generation of minority readers too.

Why stick to the big two when you have ultimate freedom with indies. Granted there are more risks and shaky financial security but those should already things are a part of being in the comic industry and you should already have come to terms with them.

[7thangel]

congrats to Gabby Douglas. hopefully she will get the praise she deserves

[Kid Kamikaze10]

Yes. That's what it'll take to write for one of the Big 2 companies, but you know what? As a black writer, this week has opened my eyes to how high the mountain top is not only for minority characters (especially Black ones), but for creators who are Black as a whole. From the minute you step into the world of Marvel and DC, you will literally have every decision of yours questioned, analyzed and criticized by people who quite frankly do not have the mental capacity to carry out those functions on a satisfactory level. It creates an environment where a Black writer has to be better than Morrisons, Vaughn and Gaiman's of the world for people to notice his or her skill, and even then they would still have a vocal group of detractors who will use any little thing to beat that small, but loud drum. You can also apply this a Black Artist and he or she would have to be on the level of a Reis, Kubert, Buckingham or Quiety to have that same thing happen

With the venom that gets spouted on the Internet, I really do wonder if Marvel or DC can even begin to attract those special people. With the smaller major press companies starving for ideas and stories, they could easily make their name their, take their show to the digital market and never bother with a Market that doesn't want their voice for a market waiting to hear those voices. The Big 2 could easily lose a generation of non-white developers over their practices.

Yup, I said something like that in the previous thread. And I think they have already lost a generation or two.

[RolandJP]

Add Vescell to the list. In fact, I feel that book should carry the monkier of said list's "Ichi Ban."

Everybody cut back a marvel and Dc title and add VESCELL.

Seriously.

WHo is with me..to pledge buying this title on a monthly basis?

[Vibranium]

Yes. That's what it'll take to write for one of the Big 2 companies, but you know what? As a black writer, this week has opened my eyes to how high the mountain top is not only for minority characters (especially Black ones), but for creators who are Black as a whole. From the minute you step into the world of Marvel and DC, you will literally have every decision of yours questioned, analyzed and criticized by people who quite frankly do not have the mental capacity to carry out those functions on a satisfactory level. It creates an environment where a Black writer has to be better than Morrisons, Vaughn and Gaiman's of the world for people to notice his or her skill, and even then they would still have a vocal group of detractors who will use any little thing to beat that small, but loud drum. You can also apply this a Black Artist and he or she would have to be on the level of a Reis, Kubert, Buckingham or Quiety to have that same thing happen

With the venom that gets spouted on the Internet, I really do wonder if Marvel or DC can even begin to attract those special people. With the smaller major press companies starving for ideas and stories, they could easily make their name their, take their show to the digital market and never bother with a Market that doesn't want their voice for a market waiting to hear those voices. The Big 2 could easily lose a generation of non-white developers over their practices.

you're just learning this now? this is something every black professional regardless of industry knows....you have to do it better, smarter, and faster to even be quantified and even then it might not even happen

[skyvolt2000]

Lets face it.

Race debates are insular phenomenon brought up often by Minorities.

Regardless if you think which side is correct--it is fair to say, most of the time the result of said discussion is another group defending the event and minorities being even more outraged.

The dynamic alone lends itself to censorship.

And without emotion, its a financial issue. In the CINEMA, MArvel and DC have to cater to minorities..because they can see the dollar differences. In Comics, Minority dollars are NOT shown to be effective...because lets face it..their hasnt been any financial protest. We still buy Batman, Daredevil, Wolverine, Secret Avengers..etc...that has no minorities in them. (Not that there is anything wrong with that)

BUT LETS Say if most minorities were to get together and Boycott MARVEL and DC or chose a title..and invest. And I mean do it seriously. then those companies would notice.

Its all about the money.

Look at Chic-Fil'a )

Christian and Church groups have enabled its founder to not retreat from his statement because they have gone in droves and voted witht heir dollar. No Gay march can stand up to a 120 million dollar quarter. No matter how many kiss-ins.

Now that's real POWER. Minorities need to show solidarity and decide..do they want comics more diverse..and then actually do something collectively to send a message.

How can you do that when most minorities aren't reading comics or have ever had comic in their neighborhoods?

The only real way you would send that message is for every comic book fan that is sick and tired of minorities in comics being mistreated or any writer/artist of color getting their work protested before the first issue even comes out. For one full month-no one buys a new comic from the big two.

At this rate the catering to white over 35 white guy who thinks that minorities are inferior are going to be the ones that will KILL it. Where are the next generation of fans?

The fans that loved Static Shock and are going ape that he might be on Young Justice. Now would be a great time for a Static Shock book before hand. Yet your fan base won't allow it.

This guy pretty much summed up what the issue is with DC. I don't know about the 100k issues sold.

http://www.shawnsjames.blogspot.com/

Like the relaunched Static Shock. A poplular character from a hit animated television series, Static’s previous Milestone series had a small cult following. DC had an opportunity to sell at least 100,000 copies. All they had to do was pick up where the popular animated series left off. An animated series that was top rated on Kids WB! and had over 4 million viewers a few years ago.

Moreover, he and his editors overruled Rozum and refused to let him write the character the way the late Dwayne McDuffie envisioned him and most people new him. Instead they insisted on going in their own direction for the New 52. DC’s editors arrogantly thought they knew better than Rozum, a seasoned writer who had written Static in an appearance of an issue of Kobalt when he worked at Milestone.

And thanks to their lack concern for the characters’ history, and not caring about what the casual readers wanted, Static Shock part of DC’s new 52 was cancelled after only eight issues. Again, this was a title which could have easily sold over 100K copies with the right editorial management. A book with a ready-made audience and a cult following of readers from the old series ready to pick up off where the animated series left off. A book with an opportunity to pick up thousands of casual readers who would have recognized him from the old TV series.

Looking at Static, it was Didio’s decision to move the character to New York that derailed the new series and kept it from reaching an audience of new readers.

http://www.shawnsjames.blogspot.com/...right-and.html

Sorry, but diversity isn’t creating a Black, Hispanic, or Asian version of a White character. It’s creating original characters of color and sexual orientation and allowing them an opportunity to access the comic book marketplace. Moreover, it’s about allowing women and minority writers and artists an opportunity to find employment in the comic book industry.

These attempts at diversity by comic book publishers are a reflection of the real problem within the comic book industry: The lack of African-American, women, Hispanics, Asians and other minorities working behind the scenes. 40 years since the introduction of characters of color on the pages of comics and the creative people at the keyboards writing the stories and drawing the pictures are still 95% white and 95% male.

And that’s why their attempts at making minority characters fail so miserably.

If the comic book industry were serious about diversity on the pages of their comic books, they’d be hiring more women and minority writers and artists behind the scenes to write and draw the stories. Then they’d let those women and minority writers and artists create some new minority characters and let those characters find an audience on their own instead of forcing people of color into roles that don’t fit them.

[Froggy]

alreayd doing it man

[RolandJP]

congrats to Gabby Douglas. hopefully she will get the praise she deserves

Glad she isnt an Avenger. because readers would swear she was forced on the team. lol

[FanboyStranger]

congrats to Gabby Douglas. hopefully she will get the praise she deserves

She's blowing up on ESPN right now. Everyone's calling her "Gabby Gold" and saying she (and Michael Phelps) are the two biggest US stories in the Olympics right now.

[Kid Kamikaze10]

Meanwhile...

156 to 73. I am not proud to be a nigerian right now.

[FanboyStranger]

Meanwhile...

156 to 73. I am not proud to be a nigerian right now.

Heh. I know someone who actually took Nigeria and the points. (The spread was 42.)

[FanboyStranger]

If we're going to list 10 Comics that Feature Minority Characters and are actually good, then I'm going to add The Sixth Gun. It's a Western with horror elements, and one of its central characters is Gord Cantrell, freed slave, Civil War veteran, and occult adept. It's one of the best books on the shelves, and it doesn't shy around with sensitive subjects.



I'm already buying Vescell.

[Ballard Blues]

congrats to Gabby Douglas. hopefully she will get the praise she deserves

I shed legit tears when she won the gold. I'm so proud of her.

[Johnny P. Sartre]

That comic gets better and better with every issue.