Minorities should stop stealing white superheros!

[ComicConnoisseur]

The saddest thing about the whole issue is that every time a white person makes a comment about a non-white person that can be construed as even slightly negative, they feel they have to do a pre-emptive defence.

 

"Disclaimer:

I married to a Spanish dark-skinned woman with a child from her."

 

Comic Connoiseur shouldn't have to justify himself to make a comment, nor should Rodriguez (like Cumberbatch) have to back pedal furiously to avoid the twitternazi trolls.

 

The word racism has been twisted to stifle debate by people with an agenda to do exactly that.

 

There is nothing wrong with discussing wether any character is better served by being played by a particular skin colour.

 

SJ nails Nick Fury. Making Jonny Storm black was tokenistic pandering - the demographic of the group made the switch seem all about minority pandering than anything to do with the actual film role.

 

James Bond can be black. Alba is English - Bond is English. Who cares?

 

But if T'Challa was played by a white actor it would be ridiculous, as the whole racial demographic of Wakanda would have to be changed.

I don't recall many, if any white Wakandan warriors.

 

So, yes, in some roles, ethnicity is irrelevant. In others it is a change, for the sake of pandering to the PC groups.

 

Debating this point then brings the cry of "racist" - which applies, as Rodriguez is finding out,to anyone the PC lobby deems as counter to their indoctrination.

 

And it is actually harming the efforts of people who genuinely fight racism, as the R word is so diluted by it's constant, and often inappropriate use.

Does anyone really think Cumberbatch was being racist?

So true what you say Beige.

I had to put that disclaimer because in the water cooler a boardie accused me.

Soon as I started debating about a race issue in the water cooler. He pulled out the race card to stifle me from debating further. It was about a year ago, but I didn`t forget how someone can be labeled a racist quick if misinterpreted.

I think the debate was about Johnny Depp playing Tonto of all things.

 

 

If I`m married to a Spanish woman and feel uncomfortable talking about race issues, then I can only imagine how other people must be careful of what they say.

Sad to what it`s become.

 

 

[krighton]

is the supposed new James Bond getting the role because he's an amazing actor who will do the legendary JB justice, or are they just trying to be more diverse.

 

the new Annie movie was horrendous, they should have stopped after the original in the 70s.

 

talking about any of this stuff is like running through a mine field carrying an elephant.

[jsilverjanet]

O que la chingada...

 

 

No mamen gueyes

[jsilverjanet]

I'm not sure who's a bigger insufficiently_thoughtful_person

 

Michelle Rodriguez or whoever asked her that question

[Awax]

Got quiet in here.

[Mr. Hog]

It's late and were middle aged white men.

[ttfitz]

The saddest thing about the whole issue is that every time a white person makes a comment about a non-white person that can be construed as even slightly negative, they feel they have to do a pre-emptive defence.

 

"Disclaimer:

I married to a Spanish dark-skinned woman with a child from her."

 

Comic Connoiseur shouldn't have to justify himself to make a comment, nor should Rodriguez (like Cumberbatch) have to back pedal furiously to avoid the twitternazi trolls.

 

The word racism has been twisted to stifle debate by people with an agenda to do exactly that.

 

There is nothing wrong with discussing wether any character is better served by being played by a particular skin colour.

 

SJ nails Nick Fury. Making Jonny Storm black was tokenistic pandering - the demographic of the group made the switch seem all about minority pandering than anything to do with the actual film role.

 

James Bond can be black. Alba is English - Bond is English. Who cares?

 

But if T'Challa was played by a white actor it would be ridiculous, as the whole racial demographic of Wakanda would have to be changed.

I don't recall many, if any white Wakandan warriors.

 

So, yes, in some roles, ethnicity is irrelevant. In others it is a change, for the sake of pandering to the PC groups.

 

Debating this point then brings the cry of "racist" - which applies, as Rodriguez is finding out,to anyone the PC lobby deems as counter to their indoctrination.

 

And it is actually harming the efforts of people who genuinely fight racism, as the R word is so diluted by it's constant, and often inappropriate use.

Does anyone really think Cumberbatch was being racist?

 

Interesting, coming from a guy who calls himself "Beige".

 

 

[Beastfeast]

I pretty much agree with everything you said, Beige.

 

BUT (and it's a big but), a lot of white people...especially older white men and women...can't talk about race without inserting accidental, deeeeeep institutional racism. For example, if you were alive and lucid during legal southern segregation, your world view is fundamentally shaped by that separation, no matter what happened after (and I think us southerners can agree that racism is still VERY alive and kicking down here...from all races towards all other races). That's where people start getting sensitive and rightfully so, I think.

 

The Tumblr/Twitter army of ultra-sensitive PC weirdos is not representative to the majority of people talking about race who can do so without losing their minds.

 

 

[Hulksdaddy1]

Hollywood/PC/Progressives:

 

Black is relevant.

 

White is irrelevant.

 

I remember when people strived for equality.

[Awax]

[Meeklo]

Wow…7 pages of this topic….

 

I'm not catching up, but I'll add my thoughts.

 

I'm not a huge fan of different ethnicities visually playing different parts. Some times it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

For example, Michael Clark Duncan did a pretty decent Kingpin, regardless of skin color…but I don't believe Michael B. Jordan will be good as Human Torch.

 

I do prefer when they try to at least match the look of the character. I like Samuel Jackson as Fury, but it was well established in the Ultimate comics that Fury was black (and looked like SLJ).

 

Race and ethnicity aside…do you really want actors to not look like the characters? Would you be happy with a blonde Mary Jane Watson? How about DJ Qualls playing Colossus?

[Mr. Hog]

How about DJ Qualls playing Colossus?

 

Had to look that one up... Hahaha. I would pay to see that. Loose unitard and all.

[Revol]

Discussions like this make me cringe so hard It's why I stay out of the Water Cooler.

 

First off, anything that Michelle Rodriguez says should be prefaced by the fact that her life is a train wreck, and she is usually drunk.

 

Secondly, I must have missed the announcement that all white superheroes are suddenly being played by 'minorities'. How many have had their race changed? Nicky Fury, Jonny Storm, whoever Idris Elba was in Thor. Is it really ruining superheroes for white people to have those few characters change skin colour?

 

If a character changes race in a comic or film (and its never a character just changing race in a comic, its just a different character wearing the costume for a while), the history and all of those back issues still exist, everything is still there, nothing is being destroyed.

 

It's about being inclusive, not pandering. I'm sure the young Jewish men who created Superman, Captain America, Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers etc would have loved to have had at least some of those characters as Jewish. But no, they had to 'pander' to the market at the time, which was mainly white christian. That market has changed, so why does that legacy of the 1940s & 50s have to be set in stone?

[JAM_NYC]

NewEnglandGothic has removed himself from this topic.

 

COWAAAAAAAAARRRD!

 

 

 

[He11blazer]

So if Marvel/Disney cast the Black Panther as a white guy but can act the role tremendously well is that acceptable to the general audience?

 

Just playing Devil's advocate here......

 

One of the main points of Black Panther is that he is black. It's a big part of why the character was created. The point of Bishop is not that he is black. His blackness is irrelevant to the character.

 

Others have probably already said it - I didn't read the whole thread - but sometimes race is a significant attribute of a character and sometimes (more often) it is not.

[Bosco685]

How about DJ Qualls playing Colossus?

 

Had to look that one up... Hahaha. I would pay to see that. Loose unitard and all.

 

Same here.

 

 

He has tattoos now. So he has that going for him. But I wonder if his Kryptonite is well-warmed French Toast.

 

 

But his next role has been cast already.

 

[He11blazer]

...These are not our characters, most of us don't even like the superheroes we think we do. What we really like is a short period of story/art/rose colored glasses time frame of a particular character and not the 50+ year history of them. So when a movie or even a new version of a character in a comic is made well,... that's not my superhero, they are ruining it for everyone (when it is just you whining).

 

 

Very true!

[Bosco685]

I do prefer when they try to at least match the look of the character. I like Samuel Jackson as Fury, but it was well established in the Ultimate comics that Fury was black (and looked like SLJ).

 

That definitely fits into the the approach of representing a character at some point of their publication lifespan. Marvel chose a point in time where it wanted to focus its characters.

 

Although I was surprised when I heard he was going to play Nick Fury, when someone pointed out it was the Ultimates version it made more sense. And he turned out quite well in the movies.

[Comicopolis]

Wow…7 pages of this topic….

 

I'm not catching up, but I'll add my thoughts.

 

I'm not a huge fan of different ethnicities visually playing different parts. Some times it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

For example, Michael Clark Duncan did a pretty decent Kingpin, regardless of skin color…but I don't believe Michael B. Jordan will be good as Human Torch.

 

I do prefer when they try to at least match the look of the character. I like Samuel Jackson as Fury, but it was well established in the Ultimate comics that Fury was black (and looked like SLJ).

 

Race and ethnicity aside…do you really want actors to not look like the characters? Would you be happy with a blonde Mary Jane Watson? How about DJ Qualls playing Colossus?

 

I'd be happy with a blonde Mary Jane Watson

[Davenport]

First off, anything that Michelle Rodriguez says should be prefaced by the fact that her life is a train wreck, and she is usually drunk.

Ah, the ol' intimacy-card.

Drunk, disturbed or both, known personal facts for the win.