Bahlactus wishes DC would try a “What if?” line like Marvel, and he has an idea for the first issue:
If Comics are a reflection of the time they are created, what would the mode be for a dark skinned Kryptonian crash-landed on the third rock from the sun? Would he still stand for truth, justice and the American Way? Would he fight for the rights of others while striving to integrate himself into the human race? Would the challenges faced by Blacks during that era force his strengths and will down another path? What would Superman do?
December 21st, 2006 at 8:57 am
they did have a what if line, it was called elseworlds.. and if memory serves, there was a black superman
December 21st, 2006 at 9:05 am
I don’t recall any Elseworlds story with a black Superman, but I believe this would make an excellent story in the hands of a good writer. But why stop there? Off the top of my head I can think of potential Batman, Wonder Woman, and Flash stories to tell with a black main character. DC would do well to pick up on this one. (Didio: Email if you’re interested in my ideas.)
December 21st, 2006 at 9:45 am
Icon. Steel. Tangent Superman.
December 21st, 2006 at 9:48 am
And somewhere, Milestone’s Icon is softly crying, forgotten…
Anyway, the story kind of depends on when a black Superman lands; and would go in different directions if he landed in 1938 or 1986. Maybe not as different as they should, since he’s still going to be treated differently than he would if he was white, but still.
I had thought a black Batman, or even just a Batman that wasn’t filthy rich, would be a good story. Would Bruce Wayne still be effective without the bankroll for Bat-toys? How would he have trained? Could a homemade Bat-costume be effective? Something to think about.
December 21st, 2006 at 9:51 am
DC sort of already tried that with the TANGENT Fifth Week line in ‘98: http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=14428
Written by Mark Millar, which I had forgotten, nor do I recall if the Superman was a Kryptonian or not…
December 21st, 2006 at 9:53 am
ah, thats it.. the tangent superman. my faux pas
and yeah, Icon was basically the black Superman as well. When Stan Lee had a line at DC I think Batman was black.
December 21st, 2006 at 10:05 am
Truthfully, I think him being an alien in the first place would freak a lot of people out. Especially since his culture prays to a different god then they do. When I read comments from writers that go on about how difficult it is to write Superman stories, I often wonder how they can ignore the simple fact that he’s an alien.
I’m inspired by Chuck T’s comment though. Imagine a series that shows a Black Superman landing at various different times. One story takes place in the 30’s, one during the 60’s, etc.
Too bad DC didn’t go through with their Captain Thunder plans in the eighties (introducing a Black Captain Marvel on Earth 1).
December 21st, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Curse you Chuck T.! My idea for a silver-age style “Rich Man, Poor Man, Bat-Man!” story where Bruce Wayne loses his empire and has to fight crime in a burlap sack — REVEALED!
December 21st, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Funny, I remember a column in one of the Icon issues complaining about the “Black Superman” description, actually, since the character’s personality was just so different from Clark’s, and he had about a hundred years on him. I kind of raised my eyebrow at it, though, since the origin story was so similar it’s at least an obvious homage.
Now Tangent’s Superman really has no argument room. The similarity was just a name thing, the guy wasn’t an alien. He was a man with heightened abilities.
December 21st, 2006 at 1:34 pm
There was also a black Superman in the Legends of the DCU Crisis issue.
December 21st, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Now Tangent’s Superman really has no argument room. The similarity was just a name thing, the guy wasn’t an alien. He was a man with heightened abilities.
Was it a good story? It was written by Millar, so it’s 50/50 in my book.
December 21st, 2006 at 3:10 pm
david — Actually, yeah, it was really good. Not as good as PAD’s take on Wonder Woman, but still really good.
December 21st, 2006 at 4:05 pm
And don’t anyone forget Sunshine Superman — backstory here.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
DC wont do it because it will be wrong in there eyes beside all the movies that came out with superheroes not one of them is black theres no comic out there for the black people. Expect for Spawn and Blade I trying to creat my own black superhero and try to get published. You can’t count catwomen she started out white. But theres one out there called Vixon form dc I would like to see her own comic book movie and another one for Native American called Bravestarr it should be a movie.