I know I should be focusing on the substance of this article in the Montgomery, Ala., Advertiser about the special issue of Marvel’s New Avengers produced exclusively for the military, but I’m having trouble getting past the reporter’s description of the character Luke Cage as “black strongman.”
Nick Fury isn’t referred to as the “one-eyed white guy,” but Cage gets the “black strongman” tag.
Anyway, the article is about the 1 million copies of the special issue distributed free tomorrow to U.S. troops and their families through the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. About 214,000 copies will be sent to service members in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is the third time Marvel has teamed with the military for a special issue.
In the story, called “Time Trouble,” The Avengers and X-Men battle Kang the Conqueror, “but it isn’t until the U.S. military shows up that the battle turns in the favor of the Marvel characters.”
But what’s a special-edition comic without a rampant speculator market? Nothing, I tell you.
“Industry experts said the books often become collectibles,” the newspaper writes. “The previous issues of the special The New Avengers series sold on eBay for as much as $10.”
July 3rd, 2006 at 9:41 am
“African-American musclehead?” What?
July 3rd, 2006 at 11:17 am
It’s a failure on multiple levels. The person who originally wrote it, but more importantly the copy editor who failed to edit it. A quick email to the Advertiser’s ombudsman/public editor might be of equally multiple benefits (educate the author, editor and audience). Then again, a newspaper with a readership that includes this person (“Transgender story not fit for paper” http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/
apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060703/
OPINION02/606300389/1014/OPINION) may not flinch at what bothered us.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Jesus, and I thought Invincible calling Luke Cage “Black-Man” in Marvel Team-Up was embarassing.
July 3rd, 2006 at 3:31 pm
i like how no one mentions the creative team.
July 3rd, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Thats funny. I live on an Army base in Germany, and copies were available here weeks ago. Its actually not too bad of an issue. It is written by Robert Kirkman and the X-Men guest star. I have one previous issue where the New Avengers and the Fantastic Four take on some Kree soldiers that dont know the Kree-Skrull war is over. Their ship crashed a long time ago in what is now Louisiana.
July 3rd, 2006 at 4:13 pm
“Jesus, and I thought Invincible calling Luke Cage “Black-Man” in Marvel Team-Up was embarassing.”
I thought that was quite amusing myself.
July 3rd, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Jon: Who’s the artist? I looked around, but couldn’t find any creator credits for this year’s issue.
July 3rd, 2006 at 5:29 pm
Udon- Art
Scott Hepburn and Alex Chung- Pencils
M3th and Alan Tam- Inks
Rob Ruffolo- Colors
Erik Ko- Udon Chief
VC’s Joe Caramagna- Letters
July 3rd, 2006 at 6:05 pm
who’s writing it?
July 3rd, 2006 at 6:40 pm
“Dusky ruffian?”
July 3rd, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Just got a copy on eBay for $9 (including shipping).
July 4th, 2006 at 3:36 am
I said above that Robert Kirkman is the writer.
July 4th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Um, guys, before everyone gets too worked up over the “black strongman” deal, let me give you all a little background. I’m FROM Montgomery, and I happen to work with the news writer’s mother. Topher Sanders IS African-American himself (his mom is always proud to see her son’s name on the bylines and she doesn’t hesitate to show off his articles).
But, I’d also like to ask just how many other ways are there to DESCRIBE Luke Cage to a “general” audience? Huh? If you–as someone who didn’t know Cage’s long history–encountered Cage in a story, and had to describe him to someone else who was as equally unfamiliar with the character, how exactly would you describe him and his place in the team? It isn’t hard to imagine “black strongman” as an incredibly apt description. If Tim O’Shea has a BETTER way to describe Cage to a general, non-comics-reading audience with two or three words, I’d like to read it.
Sorry, folks, but there’s NO racist agenda involved except for those of you who want to put it there. And, Tim, I’m not always thrilled with the level of people who write letters to the editor–there are some real bigots and meatheads, especially with regards to GLBTQ issues (I can’t tell you how many letters to the editor I read condemning same-sex marriage in May and June prior to the primary which had the amendment to define marriage as “one man-one woman”; said amendment, by the way, passed by a 4-to-1 margin)–but I would suggest that you consider the fact that bigots exist EVERYWHERE, and they do have the right to vent their opinions without those opinions being taken as some “evidence” that a newspaper has some sort of racist or homophobic or anti-Semitic agenda when its reporters write their stories.
July 4th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
But, I’d also like to ask just how many other ways are there to DESCRIBE Luke Cage to a “general” audience? Huh?
How about just “strongman”?
Sorry, folks, but there’s NO racist agenda involved except for those of you who want to put it there.
I don’t think there is a “racist agenda” here; it just struck me as odd that Cage is described as black in an article that doesn’t otherwise use racial or ethnic qualifiers (versus, say, in an article about attempts by publishers to diversify their superhero universes, where race or ethnicity or sexual orientation would be a key component of the story).
July 4th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
On the matter of the issue itself, I’m appalled that such a story would even be published in the first place. The Avengers can’t beat Kang until the Army comes into play? Please. (Well, maybe the CURRENT Bendis-ized team can’t. I certainly know that the Army didn’t have much effect when Kang fought any of the REAL Avengers teams.)
I mean, yes, let’s rip that newspaper article over a choice of words, but ignore the moronic story content that Marvel feels is necessary to boost troop morale.
July 4th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
-The Avengers can’t beat Kang until the Army comes into play? Please.-
The Avengers and the X-Men hold their own fine, and are even assisted by Sgt. Fury and his Commandos. The heroes go out of their way to make sure that US soldiers dont get injured. That above statement isnt really true at all.
July 7th, 2006 at 1:13 am
I read The Avengers issue… and to say nicely – it sucked. The problem with the portayal of the military in comics is you can really tell that the writers or artists have no clue what it’s like. Back in the day Stan,Jack and the gang got it right, but hell, they served and that played out in the swinging 60′s. Even today I think it’s great that Hal Jordan is in the military but still you can see they haven’t a clue. It would be nice to see some realism about the military. Marvel has the greatest military superhero, and I’d love to see him just kickin back… talkin to the troops. Imagine havin’ a MRE and takling smack about basic training. NUFF SIAD!
August 1st, 2006 at 6:42 am
Where can i get this comic book in my city?
September 15th, 2006 at 11:05 am
i think the whole idea is that there is no need to single out Luke Cage as “black” in his description. “black” is not his power but rather his heritage (and culture). no writer describes Captain America as “white New Yorker with super strength and agility.” that’s because “white” is his background, but not his identifying trait. if “black” is Cage’s identifying trait, then, in my opinion, the writer is not doing enough to find his heroic qualities. instead, the writer is simply taking the character as a token inclusion and not for his powers and prowess (which Cage has plenty of).