|
Column:
Comics of Color
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Three Perspectives of Ethnic Characters
By John L. Daniels, Jr.
Published: 2007-08-16
|
|
Sometimes writing reviews of comic periodicals can be quite
perplexing. I have read and reviewed various books with story lines
from many different genres. This is a cumulative review of three
different books. All are from different publishers and all have
different perspectives relating to the portrayal of ethnic characters.
Two of the main characters are African-American males the other is a
girl from the Ivory Coast in Africa.
First up is the good.
Aya
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Writer: Marguerite Abouet
Artist: Clement Oubrerie
Foreword: Alisia Grace Chase, PhD
5 out of 5 stars
As a youth you bravely suffer what I call “the ups and down
of your peers.” It is the activity which you and your peers feel
at the age you are at that time. This could refer to adults, teens, or
elders. Whatever age you are, you still are among your peers and you
all experience the goals, challenges, and hurdles associated with that
age group.
Aya is vibrant, enduring, and highly motivated to go to an esteemed
institute and become a doctor. Aya is the embodiment of a
strong-natured girl from the Ivory Coast, circa 1978. She must
maintain her dignity and motivation to realize her dreams of going to
college. Although her father is working for Solibra, the nation’s top
beer brewery, he does not see her vision and in turn believes she is
chasing it all away. Amid all the trials her peers endure, Aya
perseveres and becomes the shoulder, the rock others rely on. Aya is a
teen who wants to excel, her peers are living for the moment. The
writer Marguerite Abouet is from the Ivory Coast, so a question arose
in my mind: is this an autobiography of her own exploits?
This is an incredible and entertaining book by Drawn &
Quarterly. The presentation of the publication is notable. The
artistry of Clement Oubrerie’s visualization has every board in
glorious hues and vibrant ethnic textiles. The amazing visuals of the
boards bring the reader into the Ivory Coast and the town of Yop City.
Although catered to the young teen genre, I feel this is great reading
for the community-enriching reader. This graphic novel will sweep you
away.
Reading the preface by Alisia Grace Chase, PhD, primed me for an
emotional story. Unbelievably, this title did not get any press. I
applaud Drawn & Quarterly for their unique expressiveness
to readers. The writer and artist should be proud of this book and
should receive many accolades and awards.
Next, the bad (“bad” meaning
“good”).
Firestorm #33
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Layouts: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Ken Lashley
Inker: Rob Still
Colorist: Brad Anderson/Michael Siglain
5 out of 5 stars
What happens if you team up a fiery nuclear hero and an escape
artist who is superior to all other escape artists?
The adequate answer is pure adrenaline action!
Life is hard enough for a college student: studying, term papers,
and tests. That is, if you are the normal student. But Jason Rusch is
no ordinary college student, he is Firestorm the Nuclear Man.
Jason’s day is going well as expected until Mr. Shilo Norman
visits him. Mr. Norman is not just visiting Jason for a social call.
Shilo is warning him of what’s to come.
Shilo is known all over the modern world as Mister Miracle the
world’s number one escape artist (Sorry, Mr. Blaine). Mister
Miracle received a warning from Mother Box (A PDA from another
dimension) about the coming of a group known as The New Gods. Jason
can become Firestorm when he fuses with Professor Martin Stein. Mister
Miracle alerts them That Dr. Stein is in danger, because The New Gods
want his theory on fusion.
Firestorm #33 is an action packed issue along with the
return of Orion from The New Gods. In addition, if this is not enough
a challenge for the team of Firestorm and Mister Miracle they must
contend with the female furies as the all-female team gets involved in
the action. This is a brand new story arc and a great jumping on point
for new readers.
The incredible layouts by Dan Jurgens are stunning. Ken
Lashely’s pencils are distinct and fluid, the inking is bold and
the coloring by Brad Anderson and Michael Siglain makes the characters
pop off the pages. The characterization of both heroes’ kicking
heinie and taking names was exciting, although I may not want the
phone number from one of the Female Furies. I am enthusiastic about
Firestorm #33. Reading about two of DC Comics’ most
distinctive African-American superheroes was pure enjoyment.
Firestorm #33 deserves a rating of five.
Last but not least: the ugly!
Barracuda #1
Publisher: Marvel/Max series
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Goran Parlov
1 out of 5 stars
I am dismayed, but not surprised, in this recent era and time in
the comic book industry that a writer the caliber of Garth Ennis could
go to writing and portraying an African-American as a gangster thug
and find this is a stereotypical male in the world of crime. I am
appalled and ashamed to read this material. It would seem after the
Imus mess creators could write interesting tales without the
digression of stereotyping ethnic characters of any nationality.
As an African-American critiquer of comics and one who writes
“Comics of Color” which reviews creators and comic periodicals of
different ethnicities, this book is very disheartening. I am a fan of
previous works of Ennis, however the content and characterization of
the characters destroys all the effort for positive portrayal of
people of color whether villain or hero. My view of this story is the
creative team can present this tale in a better fashion. The editor
has the opportunity to take the initiative to do so, if he wanted. The
editors and the creative team must really think the character
Barracuda is a hero to African-American teens and their peers. The
continuous demeaning of women of color must be the new policy for
inclusion in the stories. Another score for MAX editors to insult and
give justification to continue to MAX-out and gross out readers and to
use vulgarity to justify this characterization. The editors must
believe that without using such language it will take away the depth
of the character or story!
Hogwash!
This title deserves a rating of one. The only reason Barracuda
#1 receives this reasonable rating is that this issue can be used
as an example for “How to do everything against the comic book
code and get away with it.”
—CCdC— Read all of ComicCritique.Com’s columns, old and new,
at our columns archive!
|
