5 Comics That Should Be Diversified!

Diversification in comics is a huge topic right now. DC’s relaunches is claiming diversity while some vocal fans outright claim there is none. On the Marvel side the new Ultimate Spider-Man was announced to be a half-black/half-hispanic ethnically which brings up the question: what other comic characters should be diversified? Diversity for the sake of diversity isn’t the point of this article but more so what characters or concepts should be re-looked at and show a broader representation of people.
Over on our facebook I asked what characters should be changed ethnically, gender wise or in regards to their sexual orientation. As the focus of the changes in comics have been on ethnicity many of your responses were heavily influenced based on ethnic background! Here are 5 comic characters that you and I think should be diversified!
Hawkman - Longtime NK Community member TechieMike suggested that a character in much need of change is a character that has had a long standing bout with staying relevant. I 100% agree that Hawkman should be given a change up but diversification should have been part of this character from the get go. Reincarnated Egyptian Pharaoh eventually becomes a white Archaeologist? This barbaric warrior with alien technology should most definitely be Arabic, Egyptian or of Middle Eastern decent and the best part is it won’t change a damn thing about the character. He can still be a reincarnated Pharaoh that is a modern day Archaeologist.
Dr. Doom - Damon Scott of Nfamous Gamers suggested that Dr. Doom should become African American as there is little to no mainstream black supervillains. Ethnically I am torn on this because Dr. Doom is the ruler of a Slavic-based country and I would hope that he would look similar to other Slavic-people in the region but instead he is a character that looks white but since Ultimate Dr. Doom is dead there is more than enough room for a new non-white Dr. Doom to take up the mantle. Black, Hispanic, or European this bad ass definitely could use a make over.
Wonder Woman - NK Senior Editor Jeff Adams suggest that DC Comics’ high profile character Wonder Woman should be be given the diversification treatment as well. A woman on a secluded island made up of various women from different ethnic backgrounds? Wonder Woman should be ethnically ambiguous but just like the other members of the DC Trinity she is white and blue-eyed. Making her look Hispanic or African American skin tone wise would probably piss of a whole lot of people but also being that she is from a different make believe country all together and is a symbol of truth for all mankind her ethnic background should be a mix to represent that.
Robin - A character that has almost always been a young white male is Batman’s sidekick Robin. At times the character has been female but never for too long. This sidekick being different either by its gender or ethnicity will alone set the character to be worlds apart from their predecessors. Grant Morrison has proven in the pages of Batman Inc. that different Batmen can exist so why not a different Robin?
Ultimate Fantastic Four - There isn’t much that could be done about the 616 first family but with the Ultimate Fantastic Four no longer in existence it makes a whole lot of sense of a new first family to be diverse as they come. The F4 is the perfect stage for diversification to take flight. Powers, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation could all be elements that are played with as the team has always been focused on more than just superheroics.
What other characters do you think should be changed up? Do you love or hate the list above? Leave your comments below!

Posted by Nerd Boy Wonder 2 August Permalink

DCnU’s 5 Year Continuity Doesn’t Work!

The biggest thing to happen to comics in a very long time may be standing on some shaky ground. Many writers and fans find that DC Comic’s continuity is what prevents many of the characters from moving forward or their books harder to jump into. Writers on the other hand have proven otherwise that the rich history can be utilized to not hinder the characters but propel them forward or even reintroduce them to a new audience.
So why is DC Comics attempting to reboot their entire line? I believe it’s for the two following reasons: money and creativity. The money aspect does sound like they are being a greedy typical money grubbing corporation but the facts are facts. DC Comics is a business and in order to continue to operate they must worry about their bottom line. Being second to Marvel in overall sales since the late 60’s is something DC will probably want to turn around. Creating a new line that will cater to not only superhero genre fans but also fans of horror, westerns, and war comics seems like a smart way to go. The new line may work in terms of purpose and may very well work for their goal to create a stronger brand that flows across various media forms. So why am I saying DCnU’s reboot might not work?The reboot works from every other point except the one aspect they are trying to clean up: story continuity. Yes, they are removing decades worth of cluttering history that will piss off fanboys to no end but I’m not talking about that story continuity. I am referring to the new continuity that already has 5 years of pre-set stories told with various popular tales from the old continuity still being upheld. Blackest Night, Identity Crisis, and Brightest Day will all be considered canon. Not only that but Batman and Green Lantern’s sometimes convoluted continuity will remain untouched due to their high profile success.

Apparently in a five year span of operation Batman is on his fourth Robin, the Justice League got tired of villains targeting loved ones and lobotomized them, many of the dead friends that may not have died in the new continuity returned to kill them as ring bearing cosmic zombies, Hal Jordan died and came back to life with Earth earning 3 other Green Lanterns within the 5-year time span, the JSA never existed, while the Teen Titans never met until the books release, Superman has just appeared 5-years ago, is not married to Lois Lane, and possibly never was Superboy. That still does not address any of the Crisis events that may or may not have happened. At least the heroes aren’t wearing shorts on the outside right?
Understandably, DC Comics can do whatever the hell they want in order to drive sales and open their universe to new audiences but they need to make sure that their new initiative has a cohesive story continuity to stand on. In a 5-year time span, many of the fan favorite stories logically cannot take place as they are set up by various events or plots that are being wiped out of continuity. DCnU is both exciting and scary for fans and the comic industry as decades worth of art and writing are being re-interpreted to capture a new audience in an age where print is struggling.

Posted by Nerd Boy Wonder 14 July Permalink

Between The Panels: Final Crisis Counseling Pt. 2

Thank you everyone for the comments!  With part one I was only able to get the history of what the Crisis Trilogy is, yet I did not get to one of the important questions that is asked after every status quo changing comic event: What happens now?  With questions from some readers and those commonly found on the Internet, I hope to explain what did just happen in Final Crisis along with what happens next.  This is a very spoiler happy Final Crisis Counseling!

WTF Darkseid just goes away why not a all out battle?

An all out slug fest?  Remember, throughout this whole series, Darkseid was dying and pulling Earth with him into a black hole at the center of the universe.  He was shot point-blank by Batman with a Radion Bullet.  Radion is a poison chemical that can kill New Gods.  Even after the radion poisoning, Darkseid fired off an Omega Sanction at Batman (more on that in a bit) and later at Superman.  During the confrontation with Superman, The Flashes intervened by redirecting the Omega Sanction at Darkseid with the Black Racer following them.  The Black Racer then collected Darkseid’s physical body, but Darkseid returns in his pure energy form only for Superman to explain that everything is made up of vibrations and then creates a counter vibration to finally end Darkseid.

Who brought back Barry Allen?

As stated by Barry Allen in Final Crisis #4 page 19, “An unknown force reversed-engineered me to life out of a blizzard of faster-than-light particles.  I’m sorry I seem a little abstract.”  I am going to assume this will be followed up by Flash: Rebirth series so keep an eye out for that!

What was the important of Nix Uotan, The Monitor, throughout this whole series?

Nix Uotan was the Monitor who was banished from the Monitor world for failing to protect Earth-51.  After being sent to New Earth (Earth-0)  to live the rest of his life as a human, he is later reawakened and re-powered into the Multiversal Monitor of the Fifth World.  In the simplest sense, he is the bringer of change.

Who is Mandrakk and why is he important?

Mandrakk is the ultimate evil.  Originally Dax Novu the greatest Monitor, he became the embodiment of the contamination of the Multiverse.  He is in fact the father of Nix Uotan.  To read more about Mandrank click here.

Who is this Obamaman?

At the beginning of issue 7 it shows an African American Clark Kent as President of the United States.  An obvious tip of the hat to our 44th President, Barack Obama.  Also this is a tip of the hat to an older Superman story where it asked “What would happen if Superman was president?”  This African American Superman is from an Earth where ethnicities are altered.  This Superman is shown to be recruited into a Superman Army of the Multiverse.

What is the tower we see through the beginning of FC #7 and what’s happening inside them?  Why are those kids turned into capsules and being frozen into icetrays?

The watchtower being used is one of the few watchtowers used as a defensive safe haven for the survivors of Earth.  Following the freeing of those under the influence of the Anti-Life Equation after the defeat of Darkseid, with The Atom’s shrinking technology and employment of a super cryogenics technology, the heroes shrink and freeze the survivors of Earth-0 in hopes to unfreeze and unshrink the survivors on their new home within the Multiverse.

How did Wonder Woman break free?

Highly unclear, but assuming that contact with Frankenstein allowed her to break free.  Frankenstein was immune to the Morticus God-Bacteria, which infected Wonder Woman, because he was a living dead man.  Following that, she used her lasso of truth in order to free the minds of all those enslaved under the Anti-Life equation.

What happened to Black Canary and Green Arrow in the JLA Watchtower?

Died but not dead anymore.  The only confirmed deaths coming out of Final Crisis are Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, and Batman.  Green Arrow and Black Canary returned after Superman made his wish into the Miracle Machine.

What happened to Batman and why is he hanging out with a caveman?

That caveman is in fact Anthro The First Boy as an old man.  He was given fire by Metron at the beginning of the series.  Batman was hit by Darkseid’s Omega Sanction, which has the ability to send someone back in time or make them live a series of lives that are worse than the ones before.  Hopefully when Grant Morrison returns to Batman after Battle for the Cowl, we will see what happens to Bruce Wayne.

So is everyone on Earth-51 now?

No, After Superman made his wish into the Miracle machine, Earth-0 (where the heroes originally were from) was rebuilt, still with some of the damage created through Darkseid’s takeover.  Earth-51 though took majority of the mayhem of Darkseid’s takeover of Earth-0 and became home to Kamandi the Last Boy, The New Gods, and any other of Jack Kirby’s creations.  In a sense, Earth-51 is now known as the Kirbyverse.

What happens now?  What does it all mean?

No more Monitors.  The multiverse is intact but will no longer play into the DC Universe as a whole for awhile, unless Grant Morrison decides to write a Multiverse book for DC Comics.  The Fifth World is the Age of Gods as Men.  The New Gods are now reincarnated on Earth as men.  Also the Fifth World of Gods as Men can be interpreted as The Monitors, watchful Angel/Vampire Gods living amongst Earth as humans now.

Would like to thank Lt. Dan and UzamakiJ for sending in their questions to help out with the article!  You can read Part 1 in the link below!
Between The Panels: Final Crisis Counseling Pt.1

Josh “Buddhapunch” Pacheco
Co-Founder & Staff Writer

Posted by Nerd Boy Wonder 2 February Permalink