Indian Comics Irregular #54

Responding to my thoughts on "What Makes Great Literature" (ICI #47),
one correspondent wrote:

"So, to avoid being 'propaganda,' you have to develop generic human
characters void of any characteristics that would associate them with
any culture, society, or political preferences."

Yes, and most comic book characters ARE generic. They're devoid of
most values, interests, and cultural traits--except, of course, a
generic wish to "do good" and "battle evil." But since most heroes
are white and middle-class or wealthy, they define evil as robbing
banks, destroying property, or plotting to take over the world.
You'll rarely see evil defined as hunger, illness, poverty,
prejudice, or corporate malfeasance. The upshot is that the heroes
uphold the established order--the status quo.

Why don't people see through this pro-establishment propaganda?
Well, the white majority defines their lives as "normal," so they
don't object to depictions of themselves. It's only when something
is abnormal or "different"--i.e., non-white--that they begin
criticizing the material's agenda.

It's a circular argument: The established order is "good," so
anything questioning it is "propaganda." Why? Because it advocates
something different from the status quo, which is obviously good.

And why is it "obviously" good? Because it wouldn't be the status
quo if it weren't good, right? Or so people claim, in another
circular argument.

For more on this cultural mindset, visit
http://www.bluecorncomics.com/whiteboy.htm.

Comics Get Real

The thinking that applies to generic characters also applies to
generic settings and plots--generic anything, really. I've railed
against these generic elements because they make comics superficial,
fit only for children. Now I'm glad to report a few comics have
injected some depth and realism into their fictional worlds:

· In the BLACK PANTHER series, writer Christopher Priest is making
Wakanda a credible African country. The comic portrays a believable
black culture and issues ranging from multinational corporations to
sub-Saharan desertification. Advertisements have accurately called
it a "political thriller."

· Marvel's BIG TOWN mini-series shows what would happen if
superheroes like Reed Richards, Tony Stark, and Hank Pym used their
talents to solve the world's problems rather than fight crime. As
you might expect, the world would be much closer to a utopian state.

· In AVENGERS, earth's mightiest heroes have begun infiltrating
gangs, tracking criminals around the globe, and setting up
early-warning alarms in outer space and in other dimensions. This
proactive stance is more realistic than the typical scenario in which
crimefighters sit around their mansion or cave until trouble falls
into their lap.

Global Good Guys?

When I wrote that X-MEN was the first mainstream comic to feature a
group of international heroes, I meant superheroes, of course. As
astute readers pointed out, the Blackhawks, a WW II band of ace
pilots, had an international cast including the Chinese "Chop-Chop."
Other war comics starred US-European teams, though they rarely if
ever had people of color.

A Friend in Need...

Our thanks to advisor Victor Rocha again for lending
http://BlueCornComics.com space on his server and linking to it on
the front page of his excellent http://www.pechanga.net. Two thumbs
up, pal.

Rob Schmidt
Blue Corn Comics