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There's no cowboy-costumed, Uncle Sam kitted, or even a Black Panther Party button to be seen anywhere in the Justice League or the Fantastic Four. But foreign heroes have to where their country's flag, or a something modified from last century's clothes. That's the American Comics Law, apparently.
And if you're from an Asian country, you have to have light/heat related powers. Not that Japan, say, hasn't done the same sort of thing in reverse. Cacti-Gundam, and all.
If you're actually from the US, but happen to be derived from that stock o' human that was here before whitefolk came along... you get to wear a feathered headdress or a breastplate, and say 'pale eyes' a lot. Or, you're Wyatt Wingfoot.
We've at least got past having to put 'Black' at the front of any black character's name. But really, let's look around a bit... Chinese comics have handled some superpowers, including fire-based ones, far better than a lot of American comics, simply by remembering that fire isn't just a visual, but y'know, hot and stuff. Fire shaped into giant scissors isn't going to cut, it's going to burn. Hotly.
Japanese comics have managed to take a variety of superpowers that have equivalents developed in the States, and handle them in different ways... without dressing them in seventeenth century clothes and having them speak of honor every three seconds. Look at the 'Jubei Ninpuchu' comic (or the movie), and how it handles the Kitty Pryde-style phasing. Or any number of characters, from Bolt Crank ('Eat-Man') to Goku ('Dragon Ball'), Lum ('Urusei Yatsura'), Strikeman ('You're Under Arrest'), or ninety-five percent of the characters managed in various CLAMP series. Then, look at a set of Japanese characters from Marvel or DC. Fireguy/Lightlass, the kid in big mech, the samurai, and the Oriental-deceit-lady with the slit dress and speech patterns like Yoda doing latenight bar pick-ups. And that's it.
I actually think that this Chinese team is a step up from the standard, but it's still a little...
Does anyone remember the 'foreign teams' from any Alex Ross future-story? That's offensive! Black Widow and Colossus? Because they're Russian, you understand. Big Buddha Guy Smash! I am Asian Defender because I wear a tao on my face! Nunchucks and braid and robe... and a freakin' tao on my face! Can you not see? And I think that was actually supposed to be a white guy, anyway.
Which, is not to say, that these types cannot be utilized. But do something with it, something useful or new or interesting.
If you have to have the Silver Samurai, play him as his spiritual brother, Tatewaki Kuno, from 'Ranma 1/2' and let him shine. The man's got obvious brain damage, is clearly behind the times, reactionary, and... I mean, look at when he stabbed up Hank McCoy! Delusional and pompous don't begin... and everybody seems to steer clear of that angle, and yet, clearly, cannot make him a sensible, practical person, either. Last year's Shadowcat mini did manage to come pretty close, though.
If you have to use Batroc... Batroc's a dope all on his own, not because he's French. He's a dope because he obviously has the skill and potency to be a badass... and yet, isn't.
If you have to use Wyatt Wingfoot... never put him in that stupid wooden helmet like Alex Ross. Racist, stereotypical, offensive bullshit, that was. 'I am an Indian, why haven't I got a wooden eagle head to wear? I am so ashamed and must go shopping for it, right now!'
This is why those designs above-thread, aren't that bad. The scale's really loaded. |
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