Indian Comics Irregular #33

TEAM TEJAS, a 1997 comic book by Azteca Productions, introduces a
team of four Texan superheroes. Three of them are Latinos, while the
fourth, Plainsman, is a Cherokee. Since our, uh, chief purpose is to
review Indians in comics, let's see how TEAM TEJAS fares.

The good: Plainsman's punk-Indian haircut and costume are
appealing. As Daniel Brightwing, Plainsman is supposedly an
astronomer. In his civilian identity, his wraparound shades, stud
earrings, and skintight Azteca t-shirt look cool.

The bad: Plainsman says things like "The earth screams in pain, such
as I have never felt before." He does nothing to prove he's a
scientist. His reservation is located "near Monument Valley,
Arizona," which would make him Navajo, not Cherokee.

The ugly: The comic sets up a battle between Plainsman and his evil
brother for control of their father's tribe. Please. If the day
ever existed when tribal rule was hereditary, it's long gone. Today
Indian nations have constitutions, governments, and bureaucracies.
They elect or appoint their officials. They don't hand down a tribe
from father to son.

Azteca Productions also publishes EL GATO NEGRO, a Latino
Batman/Daredevil type who seems better realized than Team Tejas so
far. To learn more about Azteca's ethnic heroes, head to
http://www.azteca.net/~aztecaprod/azteca.

Meanwhile, in Paradise

In the back of TEAM TEJAS, an ad points to another indigenous comic:
PINEAPPLE MAN. Yes, you read that correctly. On the verge of death
at an ancient Hawaiian temple, Sam Pahoa is granted "the warrior's
gift." He turns into a human pineapple. (Some gift!)

This has to be the least likely superhero idea since SAGUARRIOR, the
Cactoid Crusader (described in ICI #20). And yet...if you can get
past Pineapple Man's mottled face, his costume (spiky leaves and all)
looks pretty neat. Check out the Tropical Troubleshooter at
http://www.sologfx.com.

Battle Gods: Warriors of the Chaak

Now on the shelves is BATTLE GODS, a book from Dark Horse Comics.
Written and drawn by Francisco Ruiz Velasco, the nine-issue series
ranges from yesterday to tomorrow. A blurb describes it thus:

700 A.D.: A legendary Mayan warrior obtained the power of the
ancient gods and incurred their wrath. Jump ahead to the year
2065, and the key to that power is about to be rediscovered,
awakening the slumbering gods and initiating The Chaak--a
tournament to determine the world's champion fighter...and the
fate of all mankind!

If video gaming-meets-Maya culture sounds like your cup of chocoatl,
give BATTLE GODS a try. For the real thing--pix of Chac Mool and
Chichén Itzá--go to http://members.xoom.com/
peaceparty/gallery.htm.

Debates Rage On

Since I often post my pop-culture comments on the Net, people often
respond. Oddly, they don't always agree with me. Disputes have
sprouted on several recent subjects.

I've posted some of the most interesting responses. To read them,
visit these pages on the PP website: stype043.htm (Howard Stern's
"Son of the Beach"), eldorado.htm ("The Road to El Dorado"), and
shanghai.htm ("Shanghai Noon").

I've also added new trivia questions to my Online Contests page,
contest1.htm. Answer a question right and win a prize!

Rob Schmidt
Blue Corn Comics

P.S. Next issue: "Saturday Night Live" and Indians.