Erase the Blackface
Can someone lay down a solid explanation for the sad state of artistic hustle surrounding Black characters in Comics? Especially in the superhero weight class. Is there a publishing house rule at Marvel and DC that explicitly states, “any and all Comics with Black characters in the forefront should get a busted-assed artist assigned to them“?!?
Many Black characters in Comics artistically have no flavor or presence; it’s the 90’s all over again. Aside from John Paul Leon masterfully laying down lead to paper on Static, the prominent Blacks in Comics had no solid artists breathing life into them. Why isn’t the A-list talent getting tasked with providing the necessary artistic hustle for the big-house Black characters? Do Marvel and DC hate Black people so much they have to assign us the Z-list brand artist?
With cats like Leinil Yu, and JR JR, there is hope. I recognize myself in their Black faces. That’s a crucial element to any story. When I look at a Black character, I need to be able to recognize myself to some degree. I can’t get down and appreciate a Michael Turner spin on John Stewart, when he looks like Bruce Wayne in Blackface. On the flipside, I can subscribe to an interpretation of Firestorm by Khary Randolph, or Steel if Jock was pencilling. I’m not on board with Jamal Igle — all his characters lack presence, and often feel short.
Personally, I’d like to invest my hard earned dividends in Comics featuring Black characters, crafted in a way that portrays them as recognizeably Black. Black Comics characters need the best artists laying them out, period. The Kirby era of same face Comics are dead. I’m working on putting my money where my mouth is. Stay tuned. Marvel and DC should clue up and start putting more clueful artists on the Comics featuring Black characters that truly represent Black people. Bahlactus has spoken.
April 5th, 2007 at 12:49 am
I like Jamal Igle, myself. His Firestorm was one of the few titles that actually had black characters looking black.
Another sharp guy is Joe Bennet, currently on Checkmate (I think) and late of Priest’s The Crew/Captain America & The Falcon. He drew believable black folks.
Scot Eaton’s work on Panther made me a believer, too. Really the first time I saw Storm looking black, rather than a dark skinned white girl with braids.
April 5th, 2007 at 12:57 am
D. Bro, we can definitely agree to disagree on Igle — it’s all good! I want to get down with A-list talent on these books and to a large degree, he is still rookie in comparison. There is also that whole camp of unpublished A-list talent not even published that Marvel and DC could tap if they got down with the big picture. Bennett’s work on The Crew was solid. We need more though. One or two cats on isn’t enough. Not by a long shot!
April 5th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Your point still holds, but I just wanted to note that the ’90s also featured Denys Cowan on Hardware. And Mark D. Bright on one of my all-time favorite books, Icon, but I dunno that he fits your A-list definition. I enjoy his work, but he’s probably not pulling in tons of readers with his art alone. I miss Milestone.
April 5th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Bahlactus — You picked on one of my pet peeves, too. All those faces that look alike. They have one male face and one female face and just rely on the colorist to set up race. (This is why its also hard to recognize Asian characters until someone points them out! For years, I thought Jubilee was white, as well as Linda Park.) You’d think in a medium where half of the story depends on the art they’d choose better artists.
Chad — I miss MD Bright too.
April 5th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
I totally agree with what you are saying Bahlactus, it’s also funny that Ragnell meantions Jubilee. I totally though she was white for years too, I think it wasn’t until Steve Pugh ( I think) drew her in Generation X (when it was part of the Counter X experiment with X-Force & X-Man) that her ethnicity truly shined through. Put me down for missing M.D. Bright too, if he and Preist could rescue Quantum & Woody from Hell I’d be a happy man!
April 9th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Preach it!
Dunno how I missed this post, but it seems to be a bit of a trend, lately, on my part. *bad West!*
And Ragnell, hit it on the head with Jubilee and Linda Park. Serious pet-peeves of mine. As far as I was concerned, they did that on-purpose.
Jubilee was even white in the X-Men cartoon.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:02 am
I actually really like Igle’s work, I think you’re wrong when you say it lacks presence. You seem to likeguys who are very stylized to the point of unreality. Ig’e’s work is grounded and has a real visceral quality to it, while having power and weight.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:03 am
he’s definetley an A list talent.It’s only a matter of time before he really blows up.
April 20th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Will, thanks for stoppin’ through, bruh. Quite a few cats dig Igle’s work, and I can respect that. I’m not sure that I’m wrong — I dig the stylized flavor alot of the artists I mentioned. Hopefully Igle will continue to progress and evolve. Who knows, maybe I’ll come around on his artistic hustle!