tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post2770444115557906710..comments2024-03-27T08:49:38.786-03:00Comments on Siskoid's Blog of Geekery: New 52: DC's Commitment to DiversitySiskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-62645903957738690522011-10-06T08:00:21.700-03:002011-10-06T08:00:21.700-03:00Anon: Well, I invite you to read my reviews in the...Anon: Well, I invite you to read my reviews in the four preceding weeks, but I'd say the DC Dark line is the way to go for literate (Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark, All-Star Western, Wonder Woman, Frankenstein, Stormwatch, Demon Knights, I,Vampire, Resurrection Man, and maybe DCU Presents).Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-69797579469073358332011-10-06T07:53:11.920-03:002011-10-06T07:53:11.920-03:00I honestly really liked OMAC. I love love love Jac...I honestly really liked OMAC. I love love love Jack Kirby kookiness, and even though that piece of crap DiDio's names attached to it, I think they really captured the feel of a Kirby book... obviously with big help from Giffen. And the fact that Kevin Kho's Asian is handled well, I think. He just happens to be Asian, it's not his whole identity, like Paco in Blue Beetle or some of the other characters. I just wish DC didn't say anything about the supposed "diversity" sell point and just plainly said they're doing the reboot to make money and no other reason. But I guess honesty doesn't sell comics.Buryaknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-63537038420187863282011-10-06T05:10:57.167-03:002011-10-06T05:10:57.167-03:00So what are the "literate" books amongst...So what are the "literate" books amongst the lot? The ones that are about more than just about bashing people? Or having kinky sex?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-6595065177462226792011-10-05T09:46:15.429-03:002011-10-05T09:46:15.429-03:00Sad then that his potential bunk mate Deadshot is ...Sad then that his potential bunk mate Deadshot is off-limits to Simone.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-42825212611001428982011-10-05T09:02:26.523-03:002011-10-05T09:02:26.523-03:00Apparently Gail Simone confirmed to David "Sh...Apparently Gail Simone confirmed to David "Shortpacked!" Willis that Catman is now bisexual. Which, if true, will make him one of a tiny, tiny number of bisexual man in mainstream (ish) media.LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-2656764927353562792011-10-04T18:36:53.620-03:002011-10-04T18:36:53.620-03:00Numbers are just that. Context is another thing co...Numbers are just that. Context is another thing completely. The Voodoo example is a good one. Mr. Terrific, Blue Beetle and Static Shock also upped the racial diversity count, while Wonder Woman and Batwoman did the same for female characters. Are they in danger of being ghettos? Or does it mean that only certain writers and artists got the message?<br /><br />I'd say that a good book for diversity across the board is Superman. The large cast features men and women, asians, hispanics and blacks. Justice League International also has a varied cast, more of them "protagonists".<br /><br />Of course, there's a big difference between a "minority character" and a "minority protagonist". While 137 women to 247 men may seem not that bad, one should consider than only 47 of those women have protagonist status, and only 6 of them have their own book (2 of which have been legitimately criticized as being the writer's sex fantasies).<br /><br />The real losers in the headcount are gays (especially gay men, currently stuck at 0), handicapped characters and female characters who don't have the typical superheroine body type (of the 16 counted, some where little girls, and most represent very thin women - say, Ellen Baker - and not overweight ones).<br /><br />Where I think the list is most interesting or relevant is in its study of content diversity. The sheer number of elements repeated through so many books speaks to a lack of editorial forethought and gives the line a sort of regrettable house style.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-29498091684098267112011-10-04T18:22:51.423-03:002011-10-04T18:22:51.423-03:00I do wish DC had reached out and hired some more c...I do wish DC had reached out and hired some more creative types from outside mainstream comics. I think part of the reason so many of these books feel the same is that DC just rearranged a lot of the same personnel that were on the pre-52 books.<br /><br />And who knows? Maybe they did, and got turned down. But I would have liked to have seen some more "out there" approaches. Jeff Lemire's books can't carry the load all by themselves!rob!https://www.blogger.com/profile/17556471244882205031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-7134003151116227332011-10-04T18:14:51.066-03:002011-10-04T18:14:51.066-03:00But the thing is a relaunch for new readers, so th...But the thing is a relaunch for new readers, so the decimal points for August really only apply for "old" readers. If DC wants their new 52 to be all about bringing in new readers--and let's say that a Cyborg or a Wildfire are exaggerations to begin with--DC wants its new readers to see NO fat women, NO crippled women, and pretty much the same problems with ethnicities. I see the reviewers at Comics Alliance get ragged repeatedly with many comments leaving out the most important part of the relaunch: New Readers. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it if DC wasn't trying to make the same big deal.Wayne Allen Salleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199261942617339556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-57141817533527571112011-10-04T18:05:17.728-03:002011-10-04T18:05:17.728-03:00Numbers are only half the story, of course. On pap...Numbers are only half the story, of course. On paper, Voodoo looks fantastic:<br /><br />- it's a non-superhero title (sci-fi/mystery?)<br />- it has a predominantly female cast<br />- including a woman of colour as the protagonist<br /><br />But yeah, the execution tells a somewhat different story.Jayunderscorezerohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16611897906121531154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-37695706219561291192011-10-04T17:52:56.872-03:002011-10-04T17:52:56.872-03:00The ideal thing, if possible, would be to compare ...The ideal thing, if possible, would be to compare those diversity ratios before & after (in decimal form).Deltahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00705402326320853684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-13573907613873950432011-10-04T16:28:59.145-03:002011-10-04T16:28:59.145-03:00It may interest the bigots and racists of the WW f...It may interest the bigots and racists of the WW forum on CBR that when one of its forum contributors was banned last year, he promptly logged back on as 'Lynda Carter', and is currently engaged in an hilarious 'friendship' wiht the guy who banned him, Aegisbearer!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-78634162947170015172011-10-04T14:45:10.481-03:002011-10-04T14:45:10.481-03:00And, as with the two breakouts at Arkham, the mult...And, as with the two breakouts at Arkham, the multiple secret organizations show a complete lack of editorial direction. Of all the tropes, I have to go with being tired of the boxed narratives that are blue letters on grey tones. Or bright red on yellow. There are few books this has ever worked well with, Robinson's Starman gave us a lot of Jack Knight's collectibles-thinking as he fought people, but I really can't think of another that comes close. Narrative should be used to help the reader learn more about the characters by the way the think, not by the same old ennui or vigilantism.Wayne Allen Salleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199261942617339556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-67923232603132148102011-10-04T14:37:17.781-03:002011-10-04T14:37:17.781-03:00Now that all 52 are out, I can't see why DC di...Now that all 52 are out, I can't see why DC didn't keep the majority of old DCU characters alone (I'd say "fixing" Hawkman and Aquaman help) as they did with GL (yeah, yeah, big seller, John title, I know).<br /><br />I think the biggest surprises out here by me were the dark books (I, Vampire--which I thought would suck--was not bad)and JLDark, an idea that should have been explored years ago.<br /><br />I understand why DC committed to an almost total relaunch, I just don't understand the armored costumes, the over-sexed women, and the idea that putting Cyborg in the JLA as a founding member is "unique."Wayne Allen Salleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199261942617339556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-25193368578478313002011-10-04T14:18:45.887-03:002011-10-04T14:18:45.887-03:00But again, only if covers count.But again, only if covers count.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-38044348831732204342011-10-04T13:21:10.960-03:002011-10-04T13:21:10.960-03:00I think we can draw a line between "guy who&#...I think we can draw a line between "guy who's 80% prosthetic" like Cyborg and "beings of pure energy" like Wildfire and Deadman...<br /><br />(If having super-related-stuff that overcomes your disability were a disqualifier, Daredevil wouldn't count, and that's clearly an absurd result.)Jeff R.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-34071364397564489002011-10-04T13:00:55.625-03:002011-10-04T13:00:55.625-03:00On that basis, so would Wildfire.On that basis, so would Wildfire.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-63485090911524638642011-10-04T12:50:56.784-03:002011-10-04T12:50:56.784-03:00If you're willing to count covers as well as t...If you're willing to count covers as well as the insides of the books, I think that Cyborg should qualify as differently-abled, no?Jeff R.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-26543621741079424392011-10-04T09:04:00.604-03:002011-10-04T09:04:00.604-03:00I think we've probably not been harsh enough. ...I think we've probably not been harsh enough. To paraphrase your review of Justice League #1, DC have delivered a bunch of mostly mediocre comics in this relaunch. With a few noble exceptions - Morrison's Action, Fialkov's I, Vampire and Simone's Firestorm spring to mind - hardly any of the writers seem to have regarded the relaunch as anything more than business as usual. Indeed, some of them seem to have thought that the marketing push associated with the relaunch was an excuse to slack off.Doc_Lokihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09235425789990008074noreply@blogger.com