Why doesn't DC have any iconic original black heroes?

[Primetime]

I guess it depends on what we mean by "iconic", but I think it's clear Storm doesn't qualify. As much as I loved Priest's Panther, I never considered him iconic in the general sense. At that time Panther might have been iconic to a small segment of comic book readers.

Storm is definitely iconic. Despite her lack of everything, she was at one point behind Wonder Woman in terms of popularity and cultural relevance for female characters. She did that "without an album" and was holding down the women side for Marvel for years. She hire up the ladder than Sue, that's for sure. Hell, her marrying BP elevated his status, not the other way around. But if you're a comic reader, you really don't see her as being as iconic, since she's not really the face of anything.

But still, DC doesn't even have that, and had a headstart with WB backing them when Marvel was selling characters for pennies on the dollar.

If Cyclops is iconic, then Storm is too

I don't consider Hawkeye iconic but he'll be in every Alex Ross Avengers cover and major story shooting his stupid arrows, despite having solo albums that go double wood. So regardless of how I view him, you can argue he's iconic.

That's why I say it's tricky. You can't assess "iconic" too deeply without recognizing the steep racial bias in marketing and usage rate.

Most of the notable "iconic" x-men became so from a 1992 cartoon. Spiderman, Batman, Superman had decades of cartoons and live action.

 

[Peter Popoff]

Yea.... then Arrow came and they made him something else


https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Arrow-10-Best-Curtis-****-Mister-Terrific-Moments-In-The-Series-featured-image.jpg

Geoff John's doing but thank God that's Curtis **** and not Michael **** from the comics. This fakkit is the reason, I stopped watching arrow.

 

[Peter Popoff]

Honest question, how iconic/popular was Black Panther before his movie? I'd say not very.

And I don't think Storm is iconic even now.

Still, Marvel's black characters>>DC's. Eventhough I know people who love Static Shock.

Very iconic if fans were pushing Fiege to incorporate him into the MCU and have his own movie or if Wesley was pushing to make a BP movie in the 90's before blade. Very iconic if he was Marvel's first black superhero during the black panther era. Also very iconic if his comics dealt with black empowerment and social issues while cyborg was just a token sidekick that never had a conscious or connection that resonated with black people besides screaming "BOOYAH" and working on computers in the background for batman.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Geoff John's doing but thank God that's Curtis **** and not Michael **** from the comics. This fakkit is the reason, I stopped watching arrow.

Don’t be like that breh.

DC are game changers.

They introduced LGBTQ into the live action comic book world and they opened doors for other companies to start bringing gay characters and gay storylines into shoes and movies.

This probably is DCs greatest achievement in their legacy and something they should be extremely proud of with taking those chances.

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

who doesn't know black green lantern john stewart? He was out in the early 70s

 

[Peter Popoff]

Don’t be like that breh.

DC are game changers.

They introduced LGBTQ into the live action comic book world and they opened doors for other companies to start bringing gay characters and gay storylines into shoes and movies.

This probably is DCs greatest achievement in their legacy and something they should be extremely proud of with taking those chances.

You're right. There's nothing wrong with incorporating gay characters. It was just how they did it and who they chose. They should've chosen a character that was gay in the comics. I mean, there would be as much backlash if they added a gay dikk Grayson in Arrow as a sidekick that was always straight in the comics while skipping over the lesbian Batgirl.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

You're right. There's nothing wrong with incorporating gay characters. It was just how they did it and who they chose. They should've chosen a character that was gay in the comics. I mean, there would be as much backlash if they added a gay dikk Grayson in Arrow as a sidekick that was always straight in the comics while skipping over the lesbian Batgirl.

Supergirl I heard had a Tranny Super Hero.

I not sure which character as I never finished the first season. Always planed on it but it and Legends (which I’m like 3 seasons back from) for away from me.

But is that like a true DC character or them just being legendary for the cause?

 

[Peter Popoff]

Supergirl I heard had a Tranny Super Hero.

I not sure which character as I never finished the first season. Always planed on it but it and Legends (which I’m like 3 seasons back from) for away from me.

But is that like a true DC character or them just being legendary for the cause?

Oh shyt, I haven't been catching up with supergirl but I liked it. I think JSA had a few gay characters, I'm not sure though.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Oh shyt, I haven't been catching up with supergirl but I liked it. I think JSA had a few gay characters, I'm not sure though.

I may catch up one day but atleast now I know.

I only watched the first ep of BW and BL, Legends gotta catch up on. The main show I watched was Flash and Arrow.

But all the shows pushed and introduced the LGBTQ.

Not my thing but I don’t knock them.... well done DC

 

[parallax]

Do dc have any young black heroes

they have duke thomas(signal)

but being a black member of the bat family, dont be suprised if they have him going out sad like they did my dude orpheus

and anita fite(empress)

but for some dumbass reason, theyve pretty much given up on her. she hasnt even appeared in young justic that im aware of, and she was on the team in the comics

 

[Dwayne_Taylor]

Cyborg is one the best black characters in comics outside of Spawn and Black Panther hands down. nikkas just hating on DC just to hate.

Cyborg didn't have a penis until recently. everything about his original character design was meant to be non-threatening, he's always been wack.



DC could have pushed Static Vixen or Jon Stewart over the last couple of years but Geoff John is a racist who would rather not be bothered with black characters.

 

[prophecypro]

they got a good roster of them, just need more of a spotlight on them.

Arrowverse has given some atention on some like Black Lightning

 

[nieman]

Don’t be like that breh.

DC are game changers.

They introduced LGBTQ into the live action comic book world and they opened doors for other companies to start bringing gay characters and gay storylines into shoes and movies.

This probably is DCs greatest achievement in their legacy and something they should be extremely proud of with taking those chances.

Game changer is a stretch. They've pretty much let all of other companies take all of the risks for the past 20+ years, and then see what works and try to duplicate it. It only seems they have the lead because they have Warner backing them for the insta-push.

 

[Neuromancer]

who doesn't know black green lantern john stewart? He was out in the early 70s

You can't read or something. I said non legacies. He's been a stand in until the 2000's.

 

[reigun]

It’s Static.....the sad part is that Static should be on Ms Marvel (Kahn) level. But I believe that DC may not have full rights to Static, which is why he’s not in mass media.
But IMO, DC has a problem with promoting all there characters that are not Batman

And this is ultimately what it comes down to. DC's over reliance on Batman that has only gotten worse over the years since the 80s and I feel like they have only just started to course correct in the last 5 years has led to much of their universe being criminally under utilized.

Look at how long it took to get major projects starring Wonder Woman and Aquaman - classic Justice League characters with years of stories and that are iconic to mainstream audiences - off the ground? When even Superman struggles to get any shine, what chances do characters like Vixen have?

Because let's be clear, characters don't become iconic off the backs of comics alone anymore. Not enough people read them. Storm, Static, John Stewart, and Cyborg reached the status they have off the back of cartoons and movies. Black Panther is an exception, but that's largely because he's been around so long and was pushed as Marvel's premiere Black superhero. And even then, he would never be enjoying his current status were not for the film.

DC is run by people who have no faith in their characters or universe. Not even their white superheroes outside of those who live in Gotham. From the late 90s to the 2000s, they did a lot of work creating new characters and trying to update their universe. However, it doesn't mean shyt when the people in charge either A. only want the universe to look like it did when they were kids or B. have no faith in the DC universe as a concept outside of Batman.

they have duke thomas(signal)

but being a black member of the bat family, dont be suprised if they have him going out sad like they did my dude orpheus

and anita fite(empress)

but for some dumbass reason, theyve pretty much given up on her. she hasnt even appeared in young justic that im aware of, and she was on the team in the comics

There's also the second Power Girl, but idk what's going on with her atm.