[ad_1]
Today we’re looking back at one of the most controversial Superman comics, I Am Curious (Black), published in September 1970 as part of DC Comics. Superman’s girlfriend Lois Lane Run.
Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #106 Story
in lois lane In #106 (written by Robert Kaniger, Werner Roth, and Vince Coletta), a famous reporter visits Metropolis’s “Little Africa” and interviews some of the residents for the story he wants to write. To do. She was delighted with her report, boasting that she “deserves a Pulitzer Prize for her work, which captures her ‘core’.”
She hires a taxi and is dropped off at the ghetto, expecting to gather all the information she needs to write her piece, but to her surprise, no one wants to talk to the white woman. Adults and children alike turn their backs on her and slam doors in her face. In fact, the only person who speaks to her is an elderly blind woman who doesn’t care at all about the color of her own skin.
Lois Lane feels defeated when she hears Dave Stevens, a black man, criticize white people who continue to discriminate against black people. “Never forget, she’s white!” he added. “She will let us shine her shoes and sweep her floors…but she refuses to let us enroll in her lily-white school!”
This bothers her because she does not consider herself a threat and believes she is only trying to help. I can see why author Robert Kaniger believed this was a good idea. He wanted to use Lois as a means to show how white people understand racism. That’s understandable, but there’s a big difference between being ignored for a few hours and being treated as a second-class citizen for the rest of your life.
So while this is a nice attempt, it doesn’t quite hit the mark.
Superman swoops in to find Lois in the park and transports her to the Fortress of Solitude, where he inserts her body into a “Plastimold” machine. Lois suddenly emerges from her machine, a much darker shade and her straight jet black hair replaced by a curly brown afro. Yes, blackface with the power of Krypton!
Of course, Lois Lane ditched her office skirt and jacket for an African-inspired ensemble. She called a taxi a second time, but this time it drove right past her. “My money is not colored enough,” she added. “For the first time, I learned about the importance of being black!”
Lois Lane meets Dave Stevens again and he begins to interact with her because she is black. They hear a commotion coming from an alley and discover a group of white thugs selling drugs to young black men. Dave accuses them of selling “poison” to his other brothers. A scuffle begins and gunshots strike Dave, sending him to the hospital.
He has lost so much blood that he needs a transfusion, and Lois offers to donate blood. He is only alive because of her. The “white savior complex” metaphor creates the false assumption that even though black people demonstrate toughness and perseverance, they still ultimately require white people to play the role of savior.
Lois eventually reverts to her white self when the effects of the plastimold wear off. She is afraid of meeting him because Dave might not want to talk to her as a white woman. Superman encourages her and Dave, happy to see his girlfriend, shakes her hand to thank her for her help in donating blood. end.
This comic may have had good intentions, but its approach and lack of recognition or mention from black writers about the best way to tell these types of stories makes it a surface-level attempt to address larger issues. Ta. Still, it’s a worthy attempt, and one that wasn’t the biggest trend of the 1970s.
message?
Racism is bad, and deep down everyone knows it. The real message should be what we do about it and how we change. Unfortunately, this manga only focuses on the issues of the time. Unless we start thinking about these things from a different perspective, there are few solutions.
One of the problems that always exists in the creative world is trying to tell stories about people that people don’t necessarily relate to or connect with. Does that mean only black people have the right to tell stories about black people, or do white people tell stories about white people? No, it doesn’t matter. That’s like saying only superheroes should write about superheroes, but we know that can’t happen because so much of what we enjoy comes from our imaginations.
Creativity creates worlds that didn’t exist before, allowing us to escape and aspire to something better and more beautiful. Research is a big part of the creative journey, or at least it should be. But beyond research, collaboration is needed. Let’s move beyond stories where the burden of desegregation falls on white characters, as in the case of our black Roy.
solution
This may sound like airy fairy tales to some, but it would be great to have a future where veteran comics writers serve as mentors and collaborate with up-and-coming black creators. Together, they could craft an interesting story that explores the complexities of race with a lot of nuance and authenticity. These comics don’t shy away from difficult themes, but they also celebrate the good in all people, including Black people. Collaborations like this could create an industry that creates comics that are not only funny but also spark meaningful conversations at the same time.
In 2024, Warner Bros. plans to release a “black” Superman movie set in an alternate universe. More than 50 years have passed since that 36-page comic, and not much has changed. Judging by the reaction to this news and the fact that a black actor will be playing Superman in a live-action movie, there’s still a long way to go.
[ad_2]
Source link