This week has yielded two thoughtful, if utterly different, essays on the subject of racism and comics. The first, by Jeet Heer, advocates new strategies for discussing racist caricature. In an effort to promote more nuanced discussion — to avoid what he calls the twin poles of “moralism and historical relativism” — Heer explores a variety of difficult but important subjects, from the influence of minstrelsy on comic-book stereotypes to the role of various ethnic groups in challenging unflattering portrayals. Though the essay is more impressionistic than proscriptive, he’s assembled some terrific primary source materials in support of his arguments.
The second, by David Brothers, is a powerful reminder that racism — even the unconscious, unintended variety — is alive and well in American superhero comics. His short but incisive critique of Flashpoint: Grodd of War takes DC Comics to task for rehearsing one of the oldest and hoariest Western ideas about Africa:
How come Africa is always the one continent that someone gets to rule ALL of? No one rules an entire continent in the real world, and Africa has dozens, if not hundreds, of distinct peoples and cultures. I get that treating it as something other than a homogeneous Dark Continent would require, I dunno, opening Wikipedia or something, and that it’s just easier to make up a country with an African sounding name.
Elsewhere on the comics web, Noah Berlatsky posts a spirited rebuttal to Ken Parille’s analysis of “Bianca,” the first story in the Moto Hagio anthology A Drunken Dream and Other Stories. [The Hooded Utilitarian]
If you can overlook the needlessly provocative title, Tom Gill’s essay contextualizing the gritty realism of Yoshihiro Tatsumi and Yoshiharu Tsuge’s short stories is worth a read, especially for students of mid-century manga. [The Hooded Utilitarian]
David Welsh continues his exploration of The Josei Alphabet with a look at Glass no Isu, Gokusen, Gold, and other titles beginning with the letter “G.” [The Manga Curmudgeon]
Is the wait over? Kevin Melrose reports that Dark Horse will unveil its new digital comics app at C2E2 this weekend. [Robot 6]
Naomi Fry reviews the latest installment of The Complete Peanuts, which collects newspaper strips from 1979 and 1980. [The Comics Journal]
Wondering how you can help Japanese earthquake survivors? Charity Navigator, which rates charities’ fiscal responsibility, has posted a list of relief organizations doing work in Japan, as well as a list of tips for ensuring your contribution actually benefits quake and tsunami victims. [Charity Navigator]
As far as racism in comics go, I think a lot of us were unfortunate enough to grow up when casual racism wasn’t as big an issue as it rightfully is now. I know for a fact that there are multiple cultures in Africa, but when thinking about it I usually just lump it into one, rather than considering all the cultures that make up the continent. And I’m not even malicious towards anyone different than me (unless you happen to be taller than me, in which case I hate your putrid guts. Interesting fact, a lot of black men are taller than me. The day I made that connection I had to do some serious soul searching, before coming to the conclusion that yes, it is only the height that bugs me. So now I’m free to hate tall people of all races. Including hispanics, whites, eastern europeans, muslims, and asians (not so much asians, except for a former room mate, and that chinese basketball player from the olympics). Also, for the record, if I ever make any insensitive comments about race, or height, probably only ever be about height, I blame it on growing up in Germany. Them folks know them some good old fashioned racism. As long as it’s against Turks that is. And the Romani (that’s what Gypsies want us to call them right?)
In an unrelated note, my campus library makes it reeeeaaally hard to find manga outside of the tiny sampler section (it has Naruto and Rurouni Kenshin…and that’s about it). But I actually found a copy of Osamu Tezuka’s Ayako and skimmed it a bit. Definitely an interesting read, from what I’ve gathered, that had the unfortunate fate of clashing with my oh-so judeo-christian sensibilities. (Incest is icky, oh so very icky. And from what I’ve seen it’s got more than it’s fair share (two)) I’ve been toying with the idea of checking it out and reviewing it, but I’m not used to reviewing manga that is actually literature, and not of the pulp variety that all my favorite shonen series are. Any thoughts?
I had my eyes opened in college when I was assigned to read Stephen Jay Gould’s Mismeasure of Man, which looks at the way science has been misused to prove theories of racial difference. It’s a powerful book, and one that I re-read every ten years or so; it’s a reminder that today’s widely accepted theory or belief is tomorrow’s embarrassing proof of our ignorance. Reading some of the comments at David’s site — especially some of the more foolish debate over Grodd himself — made me want to order copies and distribute them liberally through the comics community.
As for reviewing Ayako, you might find it helpful to look at some of the literature on Tezuka before diving in. Natsu Onoda Power’s God of Comics is an excellent book; so is Helen McCarthy’s Art of Osamu Tezuka. You might also want to do a little research on the American occupation of Japan after World War II; knowing that history will make the characters’ behavior more understandable (though not any more palatable). And last but not least, honor your own instincts. If the characters’ behavior is repugnant to you, it’s perfectly ok to say so.
That would be the most work I’d ever have to do to read a manga. XD Which is only fitting considering that Tezuka’s work is easily (and unfortunately) some of the only manga that can be really considered literature.
Usually, my experience with tabletop RPGs and some of the worst of that crowd makes any casual racism in comics today seem pretty vanilla, but that Grodd comic is a little out-of-control. Even if the comic eventually pulls some kind of Millaresque witty bait n’ switch commentary, they’re still trying to play off backwards perceptions of what they see as their backwards fanbase.