Black Comix Panel at C2E2

Chicago Radio was kind enough to post a video from the Black Comix Panel that was held over at C2E2. Check it out and share your thoughts.

Back In The Day

Remember when you were really little and you tried to create your own Superhero costume. Sometimes just using a towel as a cape was enough to have you run around the house or yard pretending you could fly. Maybe you'd get more creative, add some accessories and role play with friends or family pretending to swoop in and save the day as only you could. It was all so innocent and fun then.

I remember just being excited that I even saw a Black Superhero in a comic book, let alone on TV or in a movie. I've grown a bit since then and as I have become more sophisticated and exacting, so have my requirements for how Black Superheroes are presented. Hip Hop music has changed too, I think for the worst. I believe comics have fared better. It's just that I miss the times when it was only about joy, wonder, and having fun.

Meteor Man

Meteor Man began as comedic Black Superhero staring in a film of the same name created by Robert Townsend. His powers came from a Meteor which hits him in his chest, crushes his spine but miraculously heals him. His powers included flight, super strength, x-ray vision, a healing factor, and the ability to absorb knowledge and skills from books just by touching them. His mother makes his costume and everyone in the neighborhood seems to know his identity. He doesn't wear a mask. One of the comedic bits is that even though he can fly, he only does so close to the ground as he is afraid of heights.The film boasted a smörgåsbord of popular African-American actors including Bill Cosby, James Earl Jones, and Marla Gibbs to name a few. His nemesis was the leader of a local gang and the whole movie seemed to be trying to be about neighborhoods taking care of themselves. It wasn't a great film. It was cheesy, not very funny, and had a very low budget feel to it but I did appreciate it, and support it.

The same year, Meteor Man debuted in his own Marvel mini-series comic book where he met Spider-Man and Night Thrasher. That suprised me. I thought that just maybe he would be incorporated into the Marvel Universe proper. That, of course, didn't happen. I don't think the character was ever taken seriously but in 1993, Meteor Man was probably the Black Superhero of the Year. I've included the trailer below and if you'd like to to see the first few minutes of the actual movie, it's on Youtube. You can check that out here.

Black Superheroes On The Web

Black Superhero stories from around the web

• Review: Firestorm in Batman The Brave and the Bold
• Author discusses black superheroes in Wilson Library
• MC Hammer Developing Panther
• Celebrating Black Lightning
• Black History of Comics
• Martin Luther King comic book redefined superhero for a generation
• Stealth: The World's Greatest Superhero Webcomic!
• On the Unlikely Whiteness of Imhotep
  
• 7 Black Superhero Movies (The Good, The Bad & The Ugly)
• 'Black Age' Founder Challenges Snoop Dogg's Black Superhero Claim
• Watch Mos Def Play a Singing Superhero on "Yo Gabba Gabba!"
• Tyrone Ross our Black Superhero

The Black Hulk Revisited

Last year I wrote a post about the possibility of a Black Hulk. It was all comedy because I kinda figured that no one would really publish the Hulk as an angry Black man. It seemed kind of redundant. I mean, if there's a Black Hulk then what happens to Luke Cage? Now it seems that Marvel Comics has decided to...in their Ultimate Universe Comics. The issue in question, ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #3, written by Mark Millar,  is not out yet but the cover is. I'd be interested in hearing what you think about an African-American Hulk. Doesn't he kind of look like a cross between Mr. T and Luke Cage in this picture?
It also looks like half the Ultimate Avengers are African-American now.

Shades of Grey

A documentary is in the works called Shades of Grey: An Examination of Race Relations in Comics. The trailer is below. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Shades of Grey - An Examination of Race Relations in Comic Books from jaystealth on Vimeo.

Dread & Alive

I've seen the character here and there around the web and waited to hear more. Just recently, the comic was released and a reader brought this character to my attention again so I'm passing it to you. Here's the rub: "Drew McIntosh was born in Kingston Jamaica and now resides in San Francisco. He is a cultural anthropologist who's life changed after venturing into the Cockpit country of Jamaica where the mythical Maroons lived. In a contest of strength and cunning he emerged victorious and was granted the Maroon medallion which gave him the powers of a full grown lion and the power to heal others. He is an Eco-Warrior." 

If you'd like to know more, Dread and Alive has an official website complete with Reggae music soundtrack. You can also find out more about the character here. The comic has a Facebook page too. Finally, ComicVine has a Dread and Alive preview which you can view here.

After taking a look at all that, I'd love to hear what you think about the Drew McIntosh character. I'm excited about the idea of a Jamaican super hero and will be keeping an eye on this one. Oh and thanks to Ryonslaught for the update. Keep them coming.