Indian Comics Irregular #32

Someone recently asked me what I thought of Wyatt Wingfoot. Since
Wyatt is the first Native American character of the Silver Age,
perhaps the first in any superhero comic, and arguably the most
prominent Native character after Tonto and Turok, he deserves a
review.

I've written before about the problems inherent in depicting
fictional countries and tribes such as Wyatt's Keewazis. Their
recent appearance in FANTASTIC FOUR #29 demonstrates these problems.
Like one of those children's games, let's see how many things we can
find wrong with this picture:

Taos Pueblo is the only Indian community that still has multistoried
adobe homes like the ones shown in FF #29.

Wickiups were temporary shelters the nomadic Apache built. They
aren't used anymore. The so-called wickiup in FF #29 looks more like
the frame for an eight-sided Navajo hogan.

"The crushing poverty speaks for itself," says a caption. "Here is a
people stripped of pride, a land bereft of hope." Actually, several
Pueblo and Apache reservations (there are many) aren't mired in
"crushing" poverty, though others are. Besides, many Indian
people--many people, period--feel pride and hope despite their
impoverished conditions.

The Keewazi supposedly discovered oil on their reservation, making
them "as wealthy as the Oklahoma Cherokee." Actually, neither of
Oklahoma's two Cherokee nations is wealthy and neither has large oil
deposits (though one has coal and natural gas deposits).

"My ancestors fought the U.S. Army to a standstill," says Wyatt's
sister Wynona. That sounds like something the Apache or one of the
Plains tribes would say. A Pueblo Indian wouldn't say it.

"You'll be the first Native American in outer space," says the evil
Wizard to Wynona as he sends her flying. If we ignore all the Marvel
super-Indians who have been in space, the Wizard still seems behind
the times. John B. Herrington (Chickasaw) became an astronaut in
1996.

So the Keewazi are a mishmash of Apache, Pueblo, and other
Southwestern Indian cultures. What's wrong with this fictional
portrayal, if anything? It's just a comic book, right?

What's wrong is the message this portrayal sends in the year 2000.
Namely, that Indians have no depth because their cultures are simple
and derivative. That Indians (except the Keewazi) are mired in
poverty and despair. That Indians must hide their talents from the
"outside world" or fear retribution.

Not exactly a positive message, eh? For the full analysis, head to
http://members.xoom.com/peaceparty/wingfoot.htm.

New Reviews 'n' Features

PEACE PARTY garnered three new reviews this month. A major one in
Indian Country Today, the nation's leading Indian newspaper. A
charming one in Turtle Tracks, Native news for youngsters. And a
bogus one on the Suspended Animation website. You can find links to
them at http://members.xoom.com/peaceparty/reviews.htm.

We've also added two new features to our website. One, marking a
deal with up-and-coming Native artist Carlos Reynosa, is a one-page
illustrated "story" starring Billy and Drew. The other is an
animated slide show presenting PEACE PARTY's basics. Check 'em out
at http://members.xoom.com/peaceparty/contents.htm.

Rob Schmidt
Blue Corn Comics

P.S. For more fun, try one of our online contests at
http://members.xoom.com/peaceparty/contest1.htm.