Black Panther #1

I bought this issue because it has the new female Black Panther on the cover. So I expected to see a new female Black Panther inside. I was misled. This is a Marvel comic, written for a 4- or 6-issue arc, I’m guessing, so of course, this issue, even though it’s labeled #1, is all prologue.

Writer Reginald Hudlin alternates between A) scenes of former Black Panther T’Challa’s wife and mother standing around watching him in a coma after his spaceship crashes and B) flashback scenes that apparently tie into this latest Dark Reign event, with Namor trying to recruit T’Challa into some cabal. They’re repetitive, and I don’t care. I just want what I thought I was promised by the cover: a kick-butt female action hero. I was disappointed. (Especially after Storm fails to stop the crash. I thought, after Superman’s rewritten debut, every superhero worth the name could save a plane from crashing.)

I’m also concerned about how well he can handle a lead female character. We’ve already got the exoticism of the techno-paradise of the African natives; I hope this new Panther, whoever she is, is someone who seems like someone I can relate to in some fashion.

X-Men: First Class: Finals #1

Disappointing. Knowing that this is a limited series, ending the stories I enjoyed about the original X-Men as a young school team, means it’s bittersweet to start with. But this issue seems more interested in dropping in villains and references from other stories than in focusing on what drew me to it in the first place: the character interplay.

The boys wind up in Jean’s dream, which they figure out soon enough, but with too much literalism and explaining things to the audience. The second half is too much fighting, not enough fun, and the surprise revelation is completely unknown to me.

Thankfully, there’s a one-page Jeff Parker/Colleen Coover backup strip in which Scott and Jean go on a date. It’s not enough to make up for the let-down of the main piece, but it’s a sweet after-dinner mint.

The Mighty Avengers #21

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this more. It’s a gathering-of-the-troops issue, where Young Avengers Vision and Stature start following the Scarlet Witch around, while Biblical-style disasters strike the earth.

One of the reasons it works for me is that it doesn’t assume I follow all of this stuff. I’m given everything I need to know, and I don’t feel like I’m losing a trivia game because I don’t recognize character X. Writer Dan Slott also has an advantage because the Avengers are pretty well-known.

The conversation is entertaining and funny and touching when it should be. I liked seeing Jarvis’ importance acknowledged, and Hercules and Amadeus Cho seemed in character. With so many big-deal heroes making appearances, not much actually happens, but plenty is hinted at.

I don’t think I agree with Hank Pym calling himself Wasp after his dead ex-wife, and I didn’t need so much space given to him, since he’s never seemed that interesting a character, but perhaps this is an attempt at redeeming him. I’d read more of the group that results … if they have adventures that make sense without having to read any other comics.

The Incredible Hercules #125

They’re still in the alternate world where women run the show, meaning all the major heroes are female. It’s a shame that we only see such setups in a context where they’re presented as WRONG and something to be reversed to get things back to normal. While we’re all of course rooting for the evil power-hungry Amazon queen to get what’s coming to her, I liked seeing the variety of other characters and the twists on the male-centric Marvel world we normally see.

The problem with magical beings is that, sooner or later, someone undoes the spell or makes the right wish and poof! it’s all back to normal. Makes for some predictable endings. In this case, the two male leads are just spinning time until a Gorgon (whom we unfortunately will probably never see again, since she was brave and daring) fixes it all back up.

With the United States about to inaugurate its first African-American President, what better time to check out a political satire from three leading African-American creators? Birth of a Nation is written by Aaron McGruder (The Boondocks) and Reginald Hudlin (Black Panther) with art by Kyle Baker (Why I Hate Saturn).

Birth of a Nation
Buy this book

When black voters in East St. Louis go to the polls, they discover that they’ve all been tagged felons and aren’t allowed to vote. The shenanigans result in an idiot Texas governor illegitimately becoming President. Although the Supreme Court says injustice was done, they refuse to correct it, leading the Mayor to secede his city from the union. The government has failed them, whether on the huge scale of disenfranchisement or with small things, like not picking up the garbage.

Starting a new nation comes with all kind of questions, big and tiny. There’s funding to be figured out, plus things like a country name, a flag, and an anthem. People love the idea of a scrappy underdog, but when it comes to day-to-day living, they still have to eat. Looking at how decisions get made shows the reader why we have the kind of bread-and-circus political system we do. Along the way, other targets of satire include consumerism, cultural appropriation, and ultimately, whether to do what’s right or what’s comfortable.

As events escalate — the baby nation risks actually becoming a threat to the US because of electronic money transfers, and a native East St. Louis Air Force officer, tired of military racism, steals a fighter jet and defects — battles are fought both in the media and literally, with a planned invasion. Unfortunately, the blockbuster special effects ending doesn’t really address all the questions raised by the premise, but it certainly ends things with a bang.

Hudlin’s introduction, about growing up in East St. Louis, provides important context. His list of events that are outrageous but true in the city’s history put this comic about political corruption in a new light. Baker’s caricature-like illustrations, heavy on character closeups in vibrant colors, are accompanied by dialogue underneath the rectangular panels. The storyboard-like presentation both speaks to the project’s original gestation as a movie script and makes for easy reading for those put off by word balloons. It’s not very good comics, but the thought-provoking comedy speaks to some of our biggest hopes and fears.

Ah, the topic of whether it’s a good idea for creators and fans to directly interact has once again been raised.

First, Loren at One Diverse Comic Book Nation sets an excellent example. He had some concerns about dialogue that could be interpreted as racist in a Batman comic written by John Ostrander. After spirited discussion on blogs, Loren asked Ostrander directly at his site, which led to greater understanding for all.

I suspect, aside from the direct interaction and Loren’s very polite approach, another important factor was the location. Many creators are more comfortable in venues they own or control, because they know there’s only so much they have to put up with. I don’t blame them — there’s a lot of overreaction in the unregulated net. It’s easier to discuss potentially touchy issues in a space where you feel comfortable. Of course, that depends on the creator and the kind of environment they’ve built, too. Some won’t tolerate alternate viewpoints on inflammatory issues, while others just want to have a place for fun, light-hearted goofing off.

In contrast, at Tangled up in Blue, the poster tackles Chuck Dixon’s hypocrisy. He thinks superhero comics should be suitable for children, and thus they shouldn’t include gay characters or other sexual subjects. This is hard to reconcile with his work, whether it involves unwed teen pregnancy or his odd views on how to prove Connor Hawke is not gay.

I present these rants because they’re funny, but also because they’re a very different kind of communication. They’re not intended to open discussion with the writer or change his mind — they instead want to show others why he’s wrong. They’re entertainment (sometimes along the lines of “I laugh because I dare not cry”), not convincing debate.

Last, there are those cases where everyone, fan or pro alike, would be better served if creators would shut their mouth and get off the net. This time around, it’s Reggie Hudlin (scroll down to comment #4 and following). I know, those of you who’ve been following his history aren’t surprised that he reacts so badly when his writing is criticized, especially his treatment of Storm.

Ragnell does a terrific job responding to his defensiveness.

I hadn’t realized that Reginald Hudlin’s run on Black Panther was so divisive. I knew that some people criticized him for not handling Storm as an equal character; others didn’t like the way Priest’s definitive run was ignored or contradicted; and some simply didn’t agree with his plot or character choices. And I knew that he could wind up responding to the commenter instead of the comment, sometimes calling those who questioned him either obsessive fanboys or racists for disagreeing. But that it had gotten as bad as this!

Comic Book Resources has banned all Black Panther discussion from their Marvel Universe boards:

We’ve reached the point where every thread even remotely related to Black Panther turns into a fight about Reggie Hudlin. It’s less about the comic and more about everyone’s personal reaction to the writer’s persona and writing style.

So, to steal an idea from the fellows over on the Rumbles board, we’re taking a break. No BP threads, no BP-related thread drift, no nothin’.

No Black Panther discussion for, oh, let’s say a month. Then we’ll see what happens.

Wow. That seems a bit of an overreaction.

Update: So does this message from a poster at Dwayne McDuffie’s board, who blames it all on “the overwhelming number of nasty threads that’s been posted by White fanboys” who have “issues” with “representations of Black Love and T’Challa’s marital bliss with Ororo.” He continues

it seems to really speak volumes in regards to the fearful mindset that some folks have when it comes to having to deal with positive expressions of the beauty and strength of our culture.

That would be the beautiful warriors-with-spears throwback originally envisioned by that noted Black philosopher Stan Lee?

Update 2: They changed their mind at CBR. I appreciate someone who’s willing to reconsider and change their mind if necessary.

In a followup to the controversy over the San Diego Black Panel, Pam Noles elaborates on the sexism demonstrated.

What clouds that panel is the ignominious treatment of a female audience member by certain of the panelists. For me, the secondary stunner was the message delivered by the level of gender-based creator cluelessness on display by another panelist’s wearying myopia. And the continued attacks against her and anyone else who has expressed doubts? Not helped the cause much.

She analyzes how the panel was created and how its panelists were chosen:

A panel with blurbage claiming to be “the definitive panel for what’s up in black content” but does not have powerhouses such as Kyle Baker or Keith Knight as participants for example, or dip into the alt world to snag David Walker, maybe, is not “the definitive panel for what’s up in black content.” Nicely played hype, though. There’s nothing wrong with hype.

This was a panel with a specific, corporate focus and mainstream (read: superhero) leanings. Compared to last year’s track of black programming, this was not a panel diverse in content; a majority of its participants have spent the bulk of their career in comics working on the capes for DC, Marvel and Milestone.

Noles actually talked to the woman who was belittled by the panel (one of whose representatives, Reginald Hudlin, has continued insulting and dismissing her in his online comments about the event):

One thing she told me was it’s not that she doesn’t want to read superhero books, it’s more those books routinely do not provide her with the type of content or storytelling she wants. She hung on for a while before finally giving up and turning to Vertigo….

Hudlin’s ignorance of the content of works in the realm beyond capes and his lack of perception is absolutely no excuse for his later calumniation of this woman. She was no more a “nutcase” than any other fan who stepped up to the mic during the panel. Just because Hudlin didn’t know what she was talking about and was unable to clue in to where she was coming from doesn’t mean her question lacked validity. Just because she asked her question without first letting the love gush does not mean she was out to bring everybody down.

She ends with advice that all male creators should take more note of.

It is a coward’s approach to say men can’t write women [as Hudlin did]. It is a lazy approach to say only women can write women. It is ridiculous to imply we have to wait a generation or nine before we get a woman in a position to write a woman. It is wrong when the white folks say can’t deal with the coloreds. It is wrong when a black comics ProBoy says to a black comics FanGirl he can’t do women and that’s just the way it is for now.

While looking back over some favorite minicomics for my new feature, I stumbled across some of Rich Watson’s work. I found myself wondering why he doesn’t seem to do comics much anymore (instead concentrating on journalism).

What an interesting coincidence that his recent column answers that question. The short answer is “obsession over a failed relationship”, but it’s more complicated than that. At first blush, my response to his explanation was “you need help moving on”, but at the same time, I admire his willingness to share the story. Any cartoonist who’s used autobiographical elements in his work knows how rewarding and yet painful it can be to make yourself part of the work — because then reactions to your art can feel like judgments on you.

If I only had one piece of advice to share, though, it would be “keep your work in print!” I loved Rich’s Rat, but I don’t recommend it because there’s nowhere for people to find it. I also enjoyed his The Path minicomic series, but I don’t know if it ever concluded.

Speaking of Rich’s journalism, I found his post on the San Diego Black Panel quite interesting. Reportedly, the men on the panel (there were no women) responded to an older woman’s questions by being dismissive towards her concerns, commenting on her appearance, and saying something that was taken by some as “let the guys get there first and then the women will get their turn.”

The fights against sexism and racism have many similarities, but they can also wind up working against each other. Sadly, the comments at that thread show that Reginald Hudlin, for one, doesn’t get it, insulting and blaming the woman who pointed out the issue. Given that he wrote the recent Black Panther comic that minimized Storm, I find his reaction sad but unsurprising.

Moving to more positive news, The Guardian Line has been announced as launching in September.

UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.), the largest independent African American media firm providing positive content for the urban market, announces one of the biggest launches in comics history for the young multicultural audience-The Guardian Line. This series is the superbly styled result of the combined resources of UMI and creator of The Guardian Line Michael Davis [one of the founders of Milestone].

“This series of comics will invite young readers to become part of a universe filled with memorable and inspiring characters who look just like them. Teenagers and kids in America face daily choices between good and evil. As The Guardian Line keeps them highly entertained and coming back for more, it will nudge them toward the good,” states president of UMI, Carl Jeffrey Wright.

…

For over 35 years UMI has been the trusted source for teaching materials and inspirational book titles in the African American church market They are poised to reach a network of 40,000 churches and 1,500 bookstores with The Guardian Line-a larger audience than that of even Michael’s own Milestone Media. The Guardian Line will be available to the general market through Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., the world’s largest distributor of English-language comics and related merchandise.

They’re scheduled to be the Chicago convention, so I’m hoping to stop by there and check them out. I admire those who want to create morally positive comics, but I hope that they’re more interesting than Serenity.

It is a great lesson that they’re not primarily focusing on the direct market, which has shown an unfriendliness in the past to more diverse projects. Instead, they’re going where their customers are — in this case, churches.

I’m a little concerned that there’s no information on creators beyond Davis. He clearly can’t do all four books, and I’d like to know who else will be writing and/or drawing.