Indian Comics Irregular #119

Across the barren landscape of TV minorities, the best Native
character isn't hard to identify. That's because there aren't many
choices. As Indianz.com reported (12/15/04):

Only one Native American appears on network television and it's a
cartoon character, according to a study released on Tuesday.

The Chicano Studies Research Center at the University of
California, Los Angeles, studied the fall TV lineup and found only
one representation of a Native American: Johnny Redcorn on the
animated Fox show "King of the Hill." Comanche actor Jonathan Joss
provides Redcorn's voice.

A website describes this character:

John Redcorn is Nancy Gribble's Native American masseur; he is
also her ex-lover and the biological father of Joseph Gribble.
Nancy's husband Dale and Joseph are both completely unaware of
this, although this fact is obvious to everyone else in the series.
John Redcorn is a Native American rights activist (though his tribe
remains unspecified save that it is native to Texas), and "licensed
new age healer." He tries to reach out to Joseph and instill a
sense of pride in him, even though Joseph often rejects him.

Let's give credit where credit is due. Although Redcorn has a
touchy-feely job, he's unstereotypical in most ways. Other than
wearing a bone choker, he doesn't flaunt his Native looks. His dialog
is appropriate for massage work but is free of Native clichés.

The romantic tangle is what really sets Redcorn apart. He fathered a
child with a married woman but remains a friend of the family,
including the cuckolded husband. How often do characters of any race
get involved in a situation like that?

The Native-based humor is pretty good too. Some examples:

JOHN REDCORN: I barely see my son as it is.
NANCY: Shug, he's Dale's son, remember?
JOHN REDCORN: You say that now, but when it comes time to get him
into college, let's see what box you check.

*****

DALE: Hey, John Redcorn. Do your people celebrate Thanksgiving?
JOHN REDCORN: We did. ONCE.

Best and Worst Strips of 2004

Last year brought us another mixed bag of Native-themed comic strips
and cartoons.

On the bright side, "La Cucaracha" offered its trenchant commentary in
at least three strips. Also speaking out was newcomer "Candorville"
in two strips. (Significantly, both are by Latino artists.) In "For
Better or Worse," Elizabeth continued teaching aboriginal children.

On the dim side, "Bizarro" again led the pack with five stereotypical
cartoons. Joining it in the loser's circle were "Herman," "Non
Sequitur," and the right-wing "Mallard Fillmore" with a single strip
each. Bizarrely, two "Bizarros" in a row featured the same fault: a
Plains Indian chief in the Southwest desert.

Curiously, though, a couple "Bizarros" and "Non Sequiturs" and a
"Rhymes with Orange" managed to depict Indians without stereotyping
them. Yes, it can be done, believe it or not. Is this a coincidence,
or are these perennially thoughtless strips finally getting the
message?

Dances with Opinions

Last year someone asked me what I thought of "Dances with Wolves." My
views are pretty much the standard ones. The portrayals of Indians
were deeper than those of earlier movies, although "Little Big Man"
(1970) did surprisingly well. But the Lakotas were too good and the
Pawnees too evil. The portraits were maybe two-dimensional--better
than one-dimensional, but not as good as three-dimensional.

Rob Schmidt
Blue Corn Comics