DC Comics is the leader when it comes to featuring Black characters!

DISCLAIMERS:

If the comic doesn’t feature Black characters in significant roles, is not a Crossover Event or the Bat Family , chances are I am not reading it. I began reading comics when I was seven in 1964. I had zero Black superheroes in comics, television, and movies. In my beginning, there was only whiteness. I have no desire to go backwards.

2. All of the comic books that I talk about are from my collection. I used screen grabs for comic books that haven’t been published yet. I have the books already on my pull list. I walk the walk not just talk.

3. Finally, I am a Next Batman – Jace Fox fan. I am a John Ridley fan.

There is an old cliche – “Be Careful What You Ask For – You Just Might Get It”. I watch a great deal of YouTube to keep up with our fun world of superheroes. Some of the common grips I hear from Black comic book Youtubers from all sides of the opinion spectrum are:

DC has plenty of Black characters on the shelf that they aren’t using in stories.
We need new characters to be featured.
We need Black writers to give characters a different perspective.

The summer will bring a number of opportunities to get what we asked for.

Support your Local Comic Book shop.

16 – Black characters that are the title characters or are featured in a significant way in the book.

14 – different titles.

9 – Black writers

7 – decades of characters

3 – characters from another planet

2 – Pride representatives

2 – Ultra rich gadget guys

2 – Villains

1 – ex-military

Marvel – You need to step your game up with Black characters in comic books. Currently, DC comics has 15 characters whose creation spans from 13 different titles. DC is using Black characters from all of the decades.

Let’s Break this down:

From the 1960’s,

Coming in September, Aquaman’s oldest foe -The Black Manta will have a 6-issue min-series that will tie into the new Aquaman – Jackson Hyde. Interesting comic book fact about Black Manta. 1^st appearing in 1967, It was not revealed that Black Manta was a Black man until 10 years later in Aquaman #LLLL where he kills aquababy. Yeah, they went there.

From the 1970’s,

We have John Stewart in Geoff Thorne’s Green Lantern and Shio Norman in Brandon Easton’s Mister Miracle. Both of these books relate to events in DC’s Future State. 1^st appearing in 1971, John Stewart is the lone ex-military character from the group. Shio Norman 1^st appeared in 1973 becoming the protegee of then Mister Miracle Scott Free.

From the 1980’s

We have Amanda Waller continuing to run the show in the current Robbie Thompson’s Suicide Squad. The character was brought to life with Viola Davis in the 2016 Suicide Squad movie.

From the 1990’s

Milestone returns. Vita Ayla will be handling Static’s return, while Brandon Thomas will be giving us Hardware and the Icon and Rocket comic will be brought to us by Reginald Hudlin and Leon Chills. Mr. Terrific is featured in Strange Adventure.

From the 2000’s

President Superman of Earth 23 plays a significant role in Josh Williamson’s Infinite Frontier. He is the character that Coates and Abrams should be doing for the Black Superman movie. We can get Justice League Incarnate. He 1^st appeared in 2007 Final Crisis. 1^st appearing in 2003 as Thunder, Anissa Pierce will be featured in the September issue of John Ridley’s The Other History of the DC Universe.

From the 2010’s

We have new characters, Jackson Hyde & Naomi. Currently, Naomi is one of the new members of Brian Michael Bendis’s Justice League. Bendis wrote the Naomi origin series in 2019. Coming in September Jackson Hyde will be featured in Brandon Thomas’s Aquaman:The Becoming #1. Duke Thomas returns in a Batman Secret Files one-shot written by Tony Patrick.

From the 2020’s

Currently Jo Mullien is featured in Throne’s Green Lantern series. She just completed her 2020 Far Sector run written by NK Jemisin. I feel that Thorne’s has really built on Jemisin’s foundation. The most recent, in my opinion the most exciting, new character is the Next Batman, Jace “Don’t call me Tim” Fox. Coming out of DC comics’ Future State event, John Ridley has brought Lucius Fox’s second son to life. Currently, the digital first series Second Son is in comic bookstores now. This is a prequel to the Future State event. The character is also a major part of the Gotham comic book series with Jason Todd aka Red Hood. He was also featured in a Batman B&W story with his Robin not Robin sidekick who is foreshadowed in the Second Son series. Luke Fox aka Batwing has also been featured in the series.

WRITERS

Artists

Marvel has Miles Morales, T’Challa, Ironheart (Champions) and Storm (X-Men). Marvel is surpassed by Image comics’ Spawn, KIlladephia, Excellence and Bitter Root. Come on man!

Marvel Comics

Miles Morales
RiRi Williams — Miles Morales RiRi Williams

Image Comics

I am glad to see Vita Ayala is bringing her talents to DC Comics with Static. She is pulling double duty with also writing Children of the ATOM and New Mutants for Marvel. I am extremely happy with John Ridley taking over the Black Panther series. I will be honest, after reading Geoff Thorne’s King in Black tie-in for Black Panther I wanted him to take over the series. But for me it is six one way, half-dozen another way. I am excited to see where he takes T’challa.

I am glad to see Daniel Cherry is leading DC comics to feature Diverse Characters.

That’s All I Have To Say About That!

The Original Black Nerd Collection