Comic books (or culture) are bigger now than ever before, some may even consider this the new golden age. Not because everyone is reading comic books, per se, but because comics are being made into movies and TV series that set records for total revenue. More people are watching these than ever before, and more than ever before people of all backgrounds are being enticed by the comic scene (specifically superheroes). White men continue to reign as the most prominent characters in superhero comics, who used to be the main consumers. However, times are changing and so are the tides of the seas. Now more than ever, women and people of color are delving into the comic scene, not only as consumers but as creators as well.
As I inch closer to my final project for this class, I think about (as we have discussed in depth) the portrayal of certain identities in comics and how these ideas are perpetuated. I should also mention how the continuous need for reform, change, and social justice play into the world of comics and how the world of comics also plays into our real world (helping to form or change our views and perspectives on life and other peoples). Also, I want to continue looking into how certain groups are displayed time and time again, and whether the portrayal supports or breaks down stereotypes, educates where ignorance thrives, or communicates in such a way that deters some groups from reading such comics. This, of course, seems to be a wide horizon of what I want to look into, and so, for the time being, I will focus on this construct called race. Why I call it a construct is something we can dive into another time should you be interested.
I did not have to look around too much before finding an article of interest, or one that fits my criteria, surprisingly. Personally, I thought I would have to dig forever to find something of interest or that pertains to such a topic. I found a very interesting article title, “Negotiating new racism: It’s not racist or sexist. It’s just the way it is.” I think the title alone is very pulling and compelling as it brings about many unanswered questions and thoughts to the table. This qualitative analysis was done by Whitney Hunt, from Wayne State University.
The author of this study, again, used a qualitative content analysis approach, utilizing public forums online as a means of gathering data. The author chose to look at trends and themes, and finalized saying that fans are participating in new age racism, explained by the lack of diversity prevalent in the comic culture. The author found much discussion on the “whitewashing” of characters in the Marvel and DC universities, respectively, as well of much debate on what is called “racebending.” An idea that is often defended in aims to or what seems to be defending “whiteness” as the author says. There was much discussion on rationalizing thoughts/ views, and why companies like DC or Marvel do what they do (in terms of using certain raced characters). More fans argued to keep characters white than anything else and insisted that the main consumers of comic culture will continue to stay and be mostly white males.
This brings about many questions of race and gender and how each of these separate areas/ disciplines are portrayed and shown. The research conducted demonstrates how people rely on what they consume as a means for generating discussion, specifically in terms of what is deemed to be discrimination. There are very few “fans” that question or dispute representation and what has been normalized. With new generations coming up being more and more multicultural, there is a need for new and more studies examining how views, discrimination, and representation change. I would recommend reading this study as it contributes to consumer data of media and how vital it is to understand how it engages and molds the minds of consumers.
