Has anyone noticed different races prefer different traits in their fictional heroes?

[ShaneTheRogue]

I've slowly came to the realization over the years that the types of protagonists Black Americans and and non-Black Americans identify with typically have subtle differences. I began noticing this phenomenon in real life in the types of entertainment my family (myself included) and friends enjoyed. When I began posting and lurking online discussion boards as a teen: and had a chance to read people's opinions on fiction directly it only became more obvious.

Black people typically like strong, traditional characters with few flaws. The conflict and drama comes from a comparable opposing force. The protagonist usually uses their strength...whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual...to overcome the antagonist or situation.

Let's take media targeted directly to Black Americans for example. "Hood" entertainment, especially hood literature, focuses on characters who are often physically flawless. Men are tall but not too tall, chiseled but not to bulky and natural fighters. Women are hour glass shapes with ample T & A and natural hair that flows down their backs. They're mentally tough enough to handle any tragedy that comes their way and "street smart" enough get out of almost any bind. Basically perfect people in an imperfect situation.

I believe this is why Black people, particularly young Black males are so drawn to Shonen Jump styled anime and manga. These characters are powerful characters that can only be slowed down by even more powerful characters.(Physical strength) And the solution to achieve victory is to dig down deep and power/toughen up to over power the antagonist. (Mental strength)



White people seem to be drawn to flawed and less powerful characters. Nerds, misfits, slackers, mentally disturbed. Characters with moments of weakness or even just straight up being "weaklings."

Why is this? I think it's cultural. In real life away from keyboard Black people are likely to conform to more traditional definitions of strength and especially masculinity for better or worse. While white people appear to be much more accepting of new age ideas of vulnerability, androgyny, and like...for better or worse.

Anyway what do y'all think?

@Blank

 

[ShaneTheRogue]

I was going to make a more in depth thread but time (and attention) got away from me.

But some examples of characters Black people like/love. would be

• Huey Freeman
• T'Challa
• Madea
• Goku

All the above characters rarely take an L

 

[BLΔCK⁂W⊙LF]

I tend to like flawed characters and I am Black. It's just that they usually aren't done well, or are not as flawed as the director/writer wants them to be. I've always hated characters that weren't flawed and were perfect. That doesn't represent humanity. All people are flawed in more ways than one, so depicting them as these super-humans with virtually no flaw is boring to watch because I am unable to connect with them or draw some form of meaningfulness from 'said' character.

 

[Doomsday]

I'm black, and I don't like "perfect" characters.

I like characters who are righteous despite their flaws. Like L from Deathnote. I don't like Goku, I like Piccolo and Batman.

 

[NoGutsNoGLory]

I tend to like flawed characters and I am Black. It's just that they usually aren't done well, or are not as flawed as the director/writer wants them to be. I've always hated characters that weren't flawed and were perfect. That doesn't represent humanity. All people are flawed in more ways than one, so depicting them as these super-humans with virtually no flaw is boring to watch because I am unable to connect with them or draw some form of meaningfulness from 'said' character.

i.e superman

 

[IShotTheSheriff]

Thanks for the tag bro.

This might come down to what you personally have experienced though @ShaneTheRogue . Especially since people of the same racial background may have experienced completely different lives.

Goku has taken plenty L's but he just always either comes back or finds a way so I must disagree there. Many black dudes like Vegeta. Dude takes L's rather often. Lol

I mess with Sasuke heavy.. he's more the gifted don't take no L's type, but even still, nowhere near perfect.

 

[Devilinurear]

???
My favorite hero is Spiderman and he is full of flaws.

 

[Heretic]

I like Superman, I also like the Punisher, I also like Wolverine, Black Panther, Batman, Hulk, Joker, and Cable. I'm all over the place, so I don't care as long as the story is good.

 

[Bobby Lashleys eyebrows]

I like them underrated.

 

[Rev Leon Lonnie Love]

couldnt give a shyt as long as the storyline is good

 

[IShotTheSheriff]

I appreciate a thread that's thought provoking although I must disagree brother. (Rep when I can)

Wolverine one of my all time favorites. Most of us know he ain't no "class citizen" lol

 

[Hovsta]

Black people from all different back grounds like different things. We are not a hive minded race.

Example: A 52 crip from spice lane I knew liked Naruto to the point he actually flew to a anime con in Baltimore. This fool even had that shikamaru ponytail and some diamond earrings.

a zeta chick who was the mirror of Hillary banks was a super punisher Stan to even on her weak ass pt cruiser it had the punisher skull on it

Black people are diverse in what they gravitate towards friend

 

[Primetime]

White people are over-saturated with "powerful, traditional heroes with few flaws."

They have options upon options, I woudn't confuse that with being more accepting. It's just not as big a deal b/c, at the end of the day, they still got Batman, Iron Man, Captain America, Superman, Thor, Green Lantern, Wolverine, Cyclops, etc and will still throw a hissy fit if even the minor ones like Nick Fury get race-bent. No matter what "flaws" the aforementioned have, they still whoop everyone's ass, get all the female characters fiending for them and have some indomitable will or presence or whatever bullshyt.

Even Spider-Man, for all his "flaws", grows up to be a 5'10 good looking guy who pipes down model chicks and playboy bunny looking cat burglers, and can pretty much whoop the ass of anyone in his weight class, and has his own indomitable will and morals, etc.

Whereas black and brown people get very few characters like that. And those they do get are often buried, regulated to sidekicks, given some caveat to make them inferior to their white peers, or just treated like shyt. But now we're at a point where there's no more settling, and now there's a demand for equal treatment.

So if we were to generalize, I'd say black people just aren't as accepting of the bullshyt anymore.

 

[Kenny West]

Intresting thought that has no validity...but intresting nonetheless

Practically everything you said was way off base tho.

I was going to make a more in depth thread but time (and attention) got away from me.

But some examples of characters Black people like/love. would be

• Huey Freeman
• T'Challa
• Madea
• Goku

All the above characters rarely take an L

Huey lost just about every fight he was depicted in and he's a brooding cynic who cant relate to 99% of the ppl he interacts with, far from the ideal you're describing. nikkas like Riley way more

Vegeta is way more popular than goku with black folks by both irl observation and online. Thematically his character resonates more too.

Black folks in general aren't familair with tchalla and the movie will be their introduction to his character for most folks myself included.

 

[feelosofer]

White people are over-saturated with "powerful, traditional heroes with few flaws."

They have options upon options, I woudn't confuse that with being more accepting. It's just not as big a deal b/c, at the end of the day, they still got Batman, Iron Man, Captain America, Superman, Thor, Green Lantern, Wolverine, Cyclops, etc and will still throw a hissy fit if even the minor ones like Nick Fury get race-bent. No matter what "flaws" the aforementioned have, they still whoop everyone's ass, get all the female characters fiending for them and have some indomitable will or presence or whatever bullshyt.

Even Spider-Man, for all his "flaws", grows up to be a 5'10 good looking guy who pipes down model chicks and playboy bunny looking cat burglers, and can pretty much whoop the ass of anyone in his weight class, and has his own indomitable will and morals, etc.

Whereas black and brown people get very few characters like that. And those they do get are often buried, regulated to sidekicks, given some caveat to make them inferior to their white peers, or just treated like shyt. But now we're at a point where there's no more settling, and now there's a demand for equal treatment.

So if we were to generalize, I'd say black people just aren't as accepting of the bullshyt anymore.

This.

Also, I like near perfect characters and flawed characters, what I really care about more than anything is, 'are they telling a good story?'