io9 
Enter your username and password.
San Francisco, 6:53 AM
Thu Nov 26
21 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip your editors: tips@io9.com
Editor-in-Chief:
Annalee Newitz | Email
News Editor:
Charlie Jane Anders | Email
Associate Editor:
Meredith Woerner | Email
Assistant Editor:
Lauren Davis | Email
Weekend Editor:
Graeme McMillan | Email
Contributors:
Joshua Glenn
Stephen Goldmeier | Email
Ed Grabianowski | Email
Austin Grossman
Paul Hogan | Email
Lauren Davis | Email
Chris Hsiang | Email
Lynn Peril | Email
Ann VanderMeer
Alasdair Wilkins | Email
Graphic Designer:
Stephanie Fox | Email
Interns:
Tim Barribeau | Email
Julia Carusillo | Email
Alex Eichler | Email
Cyriaque Lamar | Email
Caitlin Petrakovitz | Email
Mary Ratliff | Email
Josh Snyder | Email
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
09/08/09
Examples... 1) The Prowler - Hobie Brown, black villian. Hobie is first shown as a window washer, (dead end job) and frustrated with his place in life mostly due to his color. 2) "Robbie Robertson" the lead editor of the Bugle. Robbies son was involved in a strike at E.S.U. (non racist strike) and the father & son have a discussion about 'making it in a white mans world'. A few instances where Robbie convinced JJJ that he was supporting a racist (Sam Bullit). Once JJJ realized his mistake; he (Jonah) pulled the newspapers support and threw Sam out of his office.
The Sam Bullit issue (#91, "To Smash A Spider") is an excellent example. The issue touches on the racial tension of the day w/out allowing it to interfere with the story.
09/08/09
09/08/09
The reason why I disagree is because of when these comics started. Spider-man began in 63! Wrong or right a black Spider-Man simply would not have sold in 63. With that in mind I think Marvel did a good job addressing the race issue and offering their opinion on it while still working to sell a product. The prowler issue ends with Hobie Brown as the 'lucky one' (no matter your color, you get to lead a 'normal' life while I must continue being miserable) and the Sam B issue ends in a similar fashion - With Sam getting outed by JJJ & Robbie.
S-M is but one example. Many of our favorite comic super-heroes are very old, they go back as far as the 60's & 70's. Selling a product in that time almost demanded the 'white guy - leading role'. Still even with that demand, still knowing they have to sell a product (yes, Marvel employees love their job but they gotta pay the bills like the rest of us), I think Marvel has done a good job at least offering their opinion on the race issue = "It's wrong"
Stan has even mentioned (more than once but I cant find the orig reference I want) that the X-Men (Mutants) are based on racism and the struggle to live in harmony with those that are different. [newsone.com]
09/07/09
09/07/09
Maybe not an elephant in the room, but there is at least a cash cow in the room: Archie. *That* would be a better fit for the Miley Cyrus crowd, and with Marvel under the wing it would mean more crossovers like this:
09/07/09
09/07/09
I think the reason Milestone failed was that they were not part of the regular DC universe. The easiest way to shore up the sales of a lagging title is to have special guest stars ("hey look! It's Static's pal Batman!")
I think what I'm saying is that this isn't a problem that can be easily solved.
09/06/09
09/07/09
Sure thing. Dark Knight pretty much saved Warners last year, so I don't think they're going to part with it any time soon.
09/06/09
09/06/09
09/07/09
Hey, there was an Ant Man movie in the works, and it was actually a pretty great idea. Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) was planning to write/direct, and he was going to base it on the Scott Lang version (possibly starring Will Arnett)
09/05/09
09/07/09
I agree it's a writer problem. One of the stupidest things I remember from the Secret Wars was Jim Shooter's portrayal of Rogue. Now, white Southerners are not a racial minority, but their accents are often used as examples of "stupid" by Northerners. As written by Claremont, Rogue still retained a bit of her accent but became a bit more sophisticated. When Shooter wrote her around the same time, she sounded like she belonged on hee haw.
09/05/09
09/07/09
The only reason he'd sell is if he's tired of being caretaker of the brand name.
09/05/09
09/07/09
Seriously, they should just reprint the Howard comics in all their glory. Gerber was the Zappa of Marvel in the 70s - a genius who happened to be nuts.
09/05/09
UGH...
However, if Disney does a reboot, or even a cool sequel, of the Black Hole, that would be interesting.
09/05/09
09/05/09
09/07/09
Need I remind you what the biggest movie was of last year? I really don't think Warner would want to give that up. But you're right, if the Superman heirs totally take DC to the cleaners (and I'm not erntirely sure they would be wrong to do so) it might be a different story.
09/05/09
09/05/09
09/05/09
09/05/09
09/06/09
09/06/09
Plus, Patrick McGoohan as Billy Bones.
09/05/09
09/05/09
09/05/09
These Kids Today seem way more into the manga... although I suppose Disney could be planning more cartoons, live-action shows, and movies for merchandising. Not so much the comics themselves.
09/05/09
Not too important, they're freakin' comics ...
That's kind of like the Earth-shattering cultural influence of chewing gum ads.
-Kle.