Racism and comic fandom

awhile ago I notice a lot of comic sites talking or at least asking about if there racism in comic book fandom. These talks seemed to have steamed about something Mark Waid (comic writer and editor of Boom) said about fans not reading comics with Black leads.


Well I'd like to put an end to this question about is there racism amoung comic book fans and I would say yes. All one has to do is look many of the comic book forums or blog comments when the subject is say a minority character(s) join a team or a person of color takes the role of a character that before was white.

Yes we will always be fans who say they hate the new verison of characters and want the one they grew-up reading back but in the case legacy characters passing on there title to nonwhite characters talk of dislike isn't just about wanting the old back, it about the race of the new character and often that's stated in negative light.

having a minority on the team usually doesn't bring up as much negative chatter if we are just talking about a token team memember here or there but I remember when McDuffie was righting Justice League and the team had more then a token Black member and on DC's message board there where a number of post about fans that where up set that he was making the team "Black"

Now I don't think these people make up the majority of comic book fans but there is no denying that they are there. The question is how big of a minority this group is. Do they look like a bigger group because they are very vocal or is what we see what we get.


Now back to Mark Waid saying people don't read comics with Black leads I don't think that problem is just do to racist comic fans but fans who may not pick up a book with a minority lead not due to negative veiws of minorities but passing the book by because the assume that the book isn't aimed at them or they wouldn't be able to relate to the characters because they are of a different background then them

I would say comic fans tend to stick with what they know and not try new things a lot but Mark Waid didn't seem to say BOOM had any trouble selling other books (besides license books most would be new stuff)so I don't think that needs to be stated.

Bob Harras new Editor in Chief at DC comics

Bob Harras has just been named the new EIC for DC comics. Which will put him in charge of not only the DCU, but Mag magazine and Vertigo.

Bob Harras formerly was EIC at Marvel from 1995 to 2000 and was editor at DC's soon to be closed Wildstrom line and DC's collections editor.



hmmm looks like we can get ready for superman's clone saga.

So long Wildstorm and thinks for all the wildcats and more DC news

DCE has closed up shop on the Wildstorm line and ZUDA. The main Wildstorm line will more likely return under the DC banner, The licensed titles definitely will. It is unknown yet what the future of the creative own books Wildstorm publishes will be.


There has been a rumor that DC will be moving to the west coast and shut down their New York offices because they want DC closer to WB as they start to make more proprieties in other media related to DC comics. Will that rumor is only partly true, DC is not shutting down it New York office but DC is opening a new office in California to work on DCE stuff in other media.

The Burbank office will also house DC digit comics department and that is where many of Wildstorm's editors will land.

Heroes or Monsters

So my brother's wife bought a few old posters with Marvel super heroes on them for their kid. You know a mix of Marvel characters together in your standard action pose looking as they are running into battle.


Tbe problem my 3 year old nephew thinks they are monsters. Which leaves his mother feeling a bit bad that she got posters that he seems a little bit scared of and wondering why is she able to find underwear for him where the same characters are happy but posters where they are looking all angry.


I guess that's the problem marketing the same characters to different age groups. The poster she got was aimed at older comic fans (and by older we talking pre-teens and up) while she's looking for something aimed at young kids.

I guess I should look for some marvel super-hero squad and tiny titans (do they make any?) posters for JR.


I also learn that spider-man is perfect for licensing products because you don't have to worry about small things like having him smile or gritting his teeth may turn off a fan base (or scare them in this case)

Nerds get thuggish: Stabbing at Comic-Con

Well here's a story I didn't really expect to write about. At San Diego's Comic-Con a man stabbed another man in the eye with a pen.

It happened in Hall C, the room normally held for big events because it's the larger room in the con, just before Universal pictures panel for films like Cowboys & Alien and Paul.

It seems the indecent may have been over squatting, a practice where fans wait in the room during one event to make sure they get a good (or just a) seat for another panel.

Static in 2011

Over the weekend DC comics released the news that there will be a new Static series coming out next year.

Great news if you are a fan of the 90's series like I was.

Hopefully we will see the Milestone characters used more. I know many Milestone fans that wonder why after DC got the right to use the milestone characters aren't they being used more. In the 2 years since the Milestone character became part of the DCU we've only had Static in teen titans, the use of a few Milestone characters in Justice League when Dwayne Mcduffie (co-founder of Milestone) was writing the title and the Milestone for ever mini series. Not a lot when you compare it to the fact that around that same time DC was also using Archie comics' Red Circle characters and gave number of those characters their own one-shot specials and comic series.

Things are spinning for Sonic the Hedgehog

First the voice of Sonic (also known as Steve Urkel) has been report on hitting his girl friend in her breast and now the Sonic world is turned upside down again with the news that Ken Penders won a copyright lawsuit that gives him the rights for the characters he made during his run of Sonic The hedgehog comics.

Ken Penders say's that

As a result, I am now officially recognized by the U.S. Government as the owner of every single SONIC and KNUCKLES story I ever created

What does this mean?

That means anyone seeking to use my characters, concepts and stories that were published in the pages of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, various SONIC 48-page specials, various issues of SONIC SUPER SPECIALS, the PRINCESS SALLY mini-series, the SONIC'S FRIENDLY NEMESIS KNUCKLES mini-series, KNUCKLES THE DARK LEGION and the KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA series, must first contact me for permission and to make arrangements for the use of this material.

This ruling also means that Archie wont be able to use Ken Penders characters anymore or reprint stories with his character unless they contact him first.

Which I think will be a hit for Archie since Sonic is a good selling title for the company and they sell a reprints of their stories in different formats (tbp, digest etc) The reprint point is probably the bigger issue since Archie still has rights to Sonic and a lot of the character created by sega and I guess some others and maybe can just reboot the series if they can't come to an agreement with Penders on the use of the characters.

The thing about this story is that I'm happy for Penders for getting the rights to his character but I'm surprised Archie didn't negotiate something with him before it got to a point where Penders felt that he needed to go to court.

Wonder Woman's new look

I'm sure by now you have seen the news that Jim Lee has designed a new look for Wonder Woman.

And you have surely read a lot of comic book fans complain about the look.

I have to say I like the new look.

everyone has different taste so I understand that not everyone is going to like the look but reading the comments on DC's blog I think some fans are just going a little hyperbolic in their stating there dislike of Wonder Woman's new custom. I mean I read a guy who said that he vomited when he say the look and others saying they will no longer read Wonder Woman because of it (hmmm makes one wonder why they where reading the book, if they are now stopping because the character is now fully clothed)

My Aqualad is Black!

It seems like there is a new Aqualad in town and he happens to be Black.



I guess it is a bright day after all.


though I fear the way things have been at DC for a while how long will it be before he is either killed or maimed.

E.C Stoner first Black comic book artist.

I ran across this interesting blog post talking about the life and career of E.C Stoner the first African American artist to work in comics.


His first comic book work was drawing in Detective comics issue 1. A bit before the cape crusader showed up.

Not only was he the first Black artist in comics he's also credit for co-creating Mr. Peanut.

Super Team up Kyle Baker & Shaq

Cartoonist Kyle Baker is partnering up with the man of steel himself...no the other man of steel...eh the one that played Steel in the movie...that's right basketball player Shaquille O'Neil.

ok Kyle Baker and Shaq are starting a studio that will produce books, cartoons, games and more. These things wont just be based on Baker's work but others as well.

I think comic book pros need to meet more Black people

So Marvel is introducing a new Hulk in their Ultimate line of comics and the new Hulk happens to be Black.

Here he is


Which reminds me of when Marvel put out the Cage mini series under their Max line.

and I have to wonder

Have to wonder was the last time people working in the comic book industry seen a Black person was in a rap video in 1989?

Cry for Justice, Weep for DC and it's fans

The last issue of the Justice League mini-series Cry for Justice came out yesterday.

Now that the series is done I would like to ask the question "Is there anyone that actually liked this comic?"

Since the series begin I don't remember hearing or reading anyone say that this was a good series. Instead everyone seems to be talking about how bad the comic was and the last issue has giving people even more stuff for everyone to hate.

The thing is that even thought it seems everyone hates Cry for Justice the mini series has been selling pretty well. I haven't seen the sales for issue 7 yet but here is the sales figures for the first 6 issues (thanks to the beat)

24 - JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE
07/2009: Cry for Justice #1 of 6 -- 68,317 [72,719]
08/2009: Cry for Justice #2 of 6 -- 54,553 (-20.2%) [58,829]
09/2009: Cry for Justice #3 of 7 -- 54,726 (+ 0.3%)
10/2009: Cry for Justice #4 of 7 -- 54,386 (- 0.6%)
11/2009: Cry for Justice #5 of 7 -- 52,400 (- 3.7%)
12/2009: --
01/2010: Cry for Justice #6 of 7 -- 49,193 (- 6.1%)
----------------
6 months: -28.0%

Yet sales have been going down on the book but the title was still the 24th top selling comic book in January.

It's because of this even though I would like DC and Marvel to come up with better comics I realize they wont. Because as much as people say they don't like the series many comic fans are still buying it.

Plenty of people seem to be feed up with the grim and gritty story telling that has returned to comics but with less charm then it had in the 90's. But as a business DC smart to keep going with this type of story because all the shock seems to get people talking about the book and more importantly keep on buying or at least more fans pick this up then say an issue of Booster Gold, Power Girl or Guardians of the Galaxy or even better yet all the indie comics being made by people. Instead of buying books like Cry for Justice maybe by something better.

New Heads of DC

There have been some changes in DC Entertainment's executive board today.

Jim Lee is no co-publisher of DC along with Dan DiDio. Geoff Johns is now the DC comics' Chief Creative Officer. John Rood is now the EVP of Marketing and Business development and Patrick Caldon is the Finance and Administration EVP.

I'm sure most comic book fans will be focused on the fact that Geoff Johns is now the creative force of DC and Jim Lee is co-publisher. And even thought I do find that part very interesting what peaks my interest in this change is John Rood.

Why? It seems that comics could always do a better job at marketing themselves (or at least to those who aren't already comic book fans) and looking at the companies Rood's has either worked for (Disney/ABC family, Warner) or worked with while he worked at a marketing firm (Miller, McDonald's and Burger King)it seems DC may have someone who knows how to market to the general public. Now lets see how well Rood can market DC comics.

Don't be scarred check out The Assignment

If you are looking for a horror comic I'd like to suggest the webcomic The Assignment written by Justin Jordan and art by Anthony Peruzzo

The comic is about a hitman who's mark just doesn't seem to stay dead.

The Assignment 01 | R&R Publications