The Boy: Mommy! I hate going to get comic books with you – you keep reading them! Why can’t you just buy them without going through every page?
Me: Because some of this stuff is not appropriate for you. It’s my job.
The Boy: Daddy doesn’t go through all that….
Me: *raised eybrow*
The Boy: Oops. Never mind.
Yesterday when we made our semi-annual pilgrimage to the dentist (it is an hour away), we stopped for lunch – right next to the comic book store. As a rule, I don’t do comic book stores or video game stores. That is reserved for daddy. I went in… just this time.
Usually, I get my DC/Marvel updates in the condensed versions from my brother. He knows I now have three kids, and very limited space in my brain to accommodate any non-essential information, so he tells me what I need to know so that I can make informed decisions for date night and when choosing movies to review.
Well… he failed to tell me about this! We were standing in front of a shelf of comics, and I thought I was seeing things.
According to Shadow and Act:
DC Comics has revealed that their upcoming Action Comic # 9 in the series will present for the first time a black Superman.
The stand alone comic, written by regular series writer Grant Morrison with art work by Gene Ha, takes place on a alternative Earth in which the superhero battles with a monster from a parallel world, a Superman surrogate known as Superdoom.
Source: blogs.indiewire.com via Eva on Pinterest
Alternate earth, huh. Okay. Fine with me! 🙂
Marvel introduced Miles Morales last year, a half black, half Hispanic Spider Man.
According to USA Today:
He takes over the gig held by Peter Parker, who was killed in Ultimate Spider-Man Issue 160 in June.
In his first appearance, he simply breaks up a fight.
In the regular Marvel Universe, Peter Parker will still be the same web-swinging Spidey as he has been since his first appearance in 1962. But in the Ultimate line, launched in 2000 to tell contemporary stories, he received a new origin and a reimagined supporting cast that paralleled the Spidey in regular Marvel continuity.
Does it matter? Really? Not to me, but to kids who love comics it does. Most kids aren’t as interested in being an accountant or school teacher, like a parent or other real life role model. They want to be SUPER. Grown folks too! DC and Marvel have made billions on movies, comic books, and merchandise – and fans come in all races.
I think it is cool for kids to be able to see super heroes that look like them, and may share a similar background – as we know – the backstory in comics is really important to enthusiasts. Black super heroes aren’t new. One of the first main stream ones that I knew of was the black Green Lantern. He originally appeared in December of 1971, and was an architect and Marine Corps veteran. As John Stewart, He was one of the first costumed black superheroes for DC comics. I applaud DC and Marvel for their continuing efforts at diversity. For some, these things still cause an uproar (like having Will Smith play the lead in “I am Legend”), but others take it in stride as the evolution of a multi-cultural society.
My oldest was the one who shared the info on Miles Morales with me for this post. He is a Spider Man fan from WAY back.
7 years ago, I decorated his room in Spider-Man for his birthday – including this mural. The finished product included a ledge… that lit up. I can be so extra sometimes. My girl Toy from Talkaholica.com came down from NYC to help with this project.
Who do you think will play Miles Morales, the new Black Superman, or John Stewart as the Green Lantern if they ever make it to a movie? Do you think that they can command the big budgets and salaries? Is Will Smith’s portrayal of a role previously played by Charlton Heston in “I am Legend” an indicator?
