It’s been well-documented that one of the biggest issues that comics is facing is that it’s not attracting new readers. It’s also been well-documented how comics, and for that matter fandom in general, isn’t particularly inclusive and welcoming of members of marginalized groups: POCs, LGBTQs, women, etc.
Not surprisingly I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive.
I’m watching a DVD of the defunct cable show, Deadwood. Part of the storyline involves an uber-racist White man (as if MOST White men weren’t like that in America in 1877), who is also poor, White trash and an alcoholic, just so we make sure that only THOSE types of WP are racist. Said White man had almost tarred and featured and lynched a Black man (played by Franklyn Ajaye) visiting a relation/friend of his in the camp, a Black man named Hostetler who owns the local livery stable.
So with the Scott Pilgrim movie out in theaters this weekend, there’s been a lot of discussion on the story, particularly the merits (or lack thereof) of Scott Pilgrim as a character. I’ve been sitting here shaking my head and LOL at all of these Pilgrim apologists who are defending every heinous thing Pilgrim has done and want to prop him up as a champion who is fighting for love.
In fact a lot of the same tired arguments defending Pilgrim are the ones that were used to defend Bella Swann and Edward Cullen.
It’s no secret that stories, particular those of the speculative variety are inundated with Mary Sues and author avatars. While I’m all for calling out mary sues and author avatars, one of the things that really grates me about fandom is that the terms are quickly and unabashedly misapplied to any remotely competent marginalized character, notably POCs. I.E. any POC characters who avoids the racist stereotypical trappings, is fleshed out as a leading compelling three-dimensional character, and isn’t relegated to the role of the magical sidekick, suddenly their unrealistic Mary Sues.
Dear Feminism, Womanism, LGBTQ Rights, and Other Forms of Social Justice,
I tried to keep it to myself, but I can’t do it any longer. This has been weighing on me since it happened, but I simply have to tell someone.
Before Lara Croft, before that chick in Resident Evil, there was Foxy Brown. Steve Ryfle interviews transgressive blaxploitation icon Pam Grier for Bright Lights Film Journal. Check out The Accidental Action Heroine, where Pam Grier “talks about Black Hollywood, Jack Hill, blaxploitation, and being an underemployed icon.”
Stuff I didn’t know about Pam Grier before hand:
So I finally got this thing up and (somewhat) running. It’ll be a while before it’s at a place where I can feel proud of it, but there will be content sooner rather than later. Keep checking back for more. In the meantime, get a feel for what we’re about by checking out “What the fuck is going on here?” and “Act like you got some home training.”
Ars Marginal 