Diversity is something many in the conservative side of the entertainment industry approach with caution. With all of the gatekeeping campaigns, it’s easy to get fan demands for it the label of a lost cause. From my perspective however there seems to be a way for truly diverse characters. Disclaimer: diversity doesn’t just mean ethnic groups, the numerous queer spectrums, body shapes, disability spectrums, etc. Diversity in its entirety includes personalities, habits, and lifestyles. It’s something mainstream entertainment companies can only get through partnerships with passionate creators and communities.
Why Are You All Shouting?!
Full disclosure, the reason I’m doing this post is because of all the factionalism surrounding these topics. In my example, I will be focusing on the character of Barbara Gordon. The fan community surrounding this character is extremely divisive about her identity. On the right hand you have fans of her as Batgirl, specifically the story of a cosplayer who discovers herself through her admiration/inspiration of Batman. But on the left hand are devout followers of Oracle. Oracle is the story of a survivor of a traumatic experience and despite her disability manages to empower herself in her computer science abilities. So imagine a scenario that can seem miraculous can also be regressive.
Barbara’s recovery and reclamation of the Batgirl mantle was extremely divisive, especially with people favoring Oracle for disabled’s representation’s sake. Personally however I find Barbara more on the physically handicapped than disabled. Unlike people with muscle atrophy or cerebral palsy, paraplegia is more physical than physiological. There are therapies and treatments for these conditions that don’t transition between other wheelchair bound people; Barbara just happens to have had more than one of those. My point is one character cannot represent an entire spectrum of wheelchair riders. In my opinion, people need to check the Overton Window on the subject. Besides after seeing the Future State Batgirls, I don’t see how Barbara can’t combine her identities into Batgirl-Oracle; I’d even advocate for an exosuit that allows her to walk but still come with its own challenges.
Stop Preaching To The Exploiters!
My point is, fans of all factions can get possessive towards what they love. It’s that very possessiveness that leads to a number of powers exploiting these fans. Mainstream comic companies and the conglomerates backing them up might have the resources but they often lack insight. Often what are supposed to be honest attempts at reaching people are strangleholds of creativity. Because Marvel and DC have brands to uphold, they rely more on outlines without any consideration why things work. For more nuanced analyses check out these videos on The Boys by Wisecrack and The Take.
The Limits of Diversity
On the other hand are creators, characters, and settings that get better creative control. For example Tony Isabella created the character of Black Lightning after friends inspired him. For him comics were a way of meeting different people and finding where they intersect. It’s a feeling that was shared with Jack Kirby years earlier who created Black Panther. But compare these two sets to several of Brian Michael Bendis‘ characters.
Bendis’s creations of Miles Morales and Riri Williams are both notable and were advertised enough to stay around. One can even say Bendis shows a superhero version of a trans girl with Ultimate Spider Woman. After fans buy the initial products however, some notice an underlying problem with some of Bendis’ characters. Despite the different backgrounds, many of their personalities are extremely similar; for Bendis that often means sarcastic, witty, and more often sharing traits with characters they mean to fill in. Riri/Ironheart for example could very well be Tony Stark, but her background is more like an obstacle than a part of her; or at least that’s what I got from Bendis’ comic. Frankly what’s the point of diversity if that means characters are practically imitators?
Diversity Does Not Exist In A Vacuum
Now let’s look at some of the more successful depictions of non-white/straight/cisgender peoples. The late Dwayne McDuffie was determined to give African Americans and a few other non-majority groups a presence. But time in the business taught him that just one point-of-view is never enough. McDuffie worked with several friends of his, especially African Americans like Denys Cowen, to show entire spectrums of personalities. Instead of model minorities/representatives, McDuffie and the rest of Milestone take from their own communities’ experiences for inspiration. Icon and Rocket for example look like two friends of different lives and political spectrums. McDuffie as a public Democratic Liberal certainly identifies with Rocket while Icon more than likely comes from conversations towards that faction’s shortcomings. It’s for that reason Milestone Media becomes a successful if niche company.
Following McDuffie
A few comic publishers try to do similar approaches, for me only a few seem to get close to the “McDuffie Model”. Unlikely Heroes Studios was founded by the late Zachary Dolan with his premiere title Super! taking front point. I once asked the company a question about the fate of the series and received an answer. The main characters of Super! are all based on people Dolan knew with their quirks and personalities bringing a diverse and lively cast. It’s why I remember Fire-Ant as something other than a gadgeteering African-American. He is not only skilled but also incredibly cocky; yet his friendship with the more heroic Blitz add layers to him down the line. Which unfortunately means this development and Super! dies with Dolan at 7 issues.
…With Pride!
Then there is Wales comic creator Joe Glass, an open homosexual creator advocating for representation; I mean he calls his publisher/imprint Queer Comix. Much like McDuffie and Dolan, diversity to Glass isn’t just about filling a checklist but displaying uniqueness. Glass’s activities in the sexual and gender spectrum communities give him several experiences. It’s those experiences that lead to the creation of The Pride.
In that series Glass brings these encounters, lifestyles, struggles, and cultures to the cast. Some of them like Wolf and Fab Man have plenty of life experiences that not only make them stand out but also affect their relationships. While Fab Man is a Gay Pride personification, Wolf has reservations about opening up. Being homosexual served as an obstacle to being a superhero for Wolf after the Justice League expy rejected him. Even after joining the team and starting a relationship, he still has trouble in the social department. In his attempts to keep his identity secret, Wolf tries to keep his love interest Twink away from that part of him. Unlike Twink who refuses to hide his identities after some shaming experiences of his own; truly a spectrum in work.
The Non-Superhero Examples
When it comes to sequential art and diverse representations, it might appear to be a little easier in smaller spaces. I hear and see many people complain about a lack of mainstream representatives of certain peoples. Yet while the mainstream flip-flops through this, creators with more freedoms and control did better. Autobiographies like Maus and Persepolis showcase people’s experiences in ways that feel authentic but aren’t definitive representation pieces. It’s why creators of these incredibly diverse backgrounds try to bring their own experiences and beliefs out into the open. It’s why anthologies and networks like Kugali and Native Realities are collaborative in nature.
By growing in niches of slice-of-life, science-fiction, and fantasy these creators hone themselves to become more notable. Imagine getting work so trend worthy, bigger companies beg these people to work for them. It seems to work too with Kugali having a partnership with Disney and NAMA partnering with Netflix. These are actually rather similar to how Milestone Media got a publishing deal out of DC. Moral of the story, don’t let the big boys control your message.
Diversity Means Freedom
So what’s to take away from all of this? Diversity doesn’t just mean rolling dice and seeing what ethnicity or orientation a character has, it means taking inspirations from people in real life. Not just with a character’s physical traits but their personalities, hopes, and desires. Ever wonder how real some characters get despite being fictional? That’s because they’re the products of dozens of people distilling their experiences in ways that fit. Which I’ve gotta be honest, as someone with the social disability of autism that’s a challenge for me. It’s why I’ve come to admire Kirby, Isabella, McDuffie, Dolan, Glass, and other creators like Roye Okupe of YouNeek Studios. These people found strength in the people they admire and the communities who share their passions.
So when you want people like you in spirit and unlike you in other ways, don’t harp at the big companies. These consumerist parasites will only take the money that you throw at them with no understanding of what you want. It’s the people who actually take the time to converse and listen that really make a difference, no matter how small. Because its packaging the little things together in ways that bring layers to truly feel represented. In comics that’s creative control and freedom of expression.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.