Why isn't there much diversity in comics?

Question

With the exception of X-men there is basically no diversity in superhero teams and don't count Justice League because they just added the Green Lantern so they could have a black guy.

Answer 1

Fat Albert

And even though it is 34 years old, it still portrays the black community to a tee.

Answer 2

You're wrong on that point- John Stewart has been around for over 30 years. He was introduced in the Green Lantern comics back in 1972. He's not some guy they just came up with to have a black guy in the justice league. When they had the chance to make an animated series, they chose him because he was a well-established hero who would bring diversity to the team.

The issue with comics is the same as with TV & movies- there just wasn't much diversity for a long time because that's what society was like. Look at the shows of the 50's and 60's - how many non-white faces did you usually see?

As attitudes slowly changed and minority characters existed, convincing someone to put them in a TV or movie was risky, because the companies producing them want to make money and hate veering from their time-worn formulas.

But there have been black heroes around for quite awhile- John Stewart in and Cyborg of Teen Titans in DC, Luke Cage, Black Panther in Marvel, followed by Storm and Spawn (independent).

More recently we have Bishop, Jim Rhodes/War Machine and even afterthoughts like Steel and Static. Asian heroes like Dr. Light, SunFire, Shang Chi, Jubilee. Brazilians like Fire and Sunspot.

Granted, Native Americans like Thunderbird & Forge aren't as common, but in the comics there's more diversity than onscreen.

Answer 3

A lot of the ideas where created when there was a stigma against Diversity in print. Like it took till the 1990's to get more color in magazines. By then a lot of the ideas have been used up. How many stretchy people, flying people, and super stealthy people do the comics need?

Answer 4

Thats a good point, but not true in the case of John stewart. He was written into the story when they killed off Hal Jordan. I think the writters don't believe there white audience will accept the world being saved by responsible upstand black and latino Superheros.

Answer 5

what about spawn? he was black, and im not talking bout his suit
Two-face was black. Blade was black in the movie, but not the comic. You know what else? Your probably right, I cant think of any more. But SPAWN! Freakin Al Simmons! SPAWN! he is the best character ever!!!! And what about Lando Calrissian. He got to fly the millenium falcon. Afterwards it became many-a comic books.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were at least a Minority. lol

Answer 6

I can't give an answer, as someone might say there's no market for a black or a latio or a chinese super hero.

One would need to know sales along ethnic lines to see where the concern might lie.

Nicolas Cage, when he was growing up, loved "Luke Cage" comics and that starred a black man.

Answer 7

I got a theory, many of the writers are white and think they cant write a non white hero because they think they "cant rellate". I disagree, people are people and we're all human beings, you write your character as human being and the color of his skin is only interesting. If I were writing a female character, I'd probably need a female cowriter because I believe there is different perspective between men and women.

Answer 8

the reason is is because people who write comics think like video game makers blacks play sports asians know karate and **** like that and when Hal Jordan died they brought the 1st Green lantern and Guy Garnder to help Kyle John Steward was the mosiac

Answer 9

Most comic book super heroes were created in the 1900's, need I say more. There were more racist people back then.

Answer 10

Blade is black. Why does everyone have to pull the race card? I'm japanese, and I don't give a fock about race!