Racial Tendencies : Black Superheroes Vs White Superheroes Essay

Directions: Choose an element from the list and create a superhero profile. On the next page, you will design a superhero and create a tagline that embodies the characteristics of your element, including the atomic number, symbol, and name. On the page following that, you will tell the origin story of your element. Be creative when telling your element’s story, which may be told in any format you wish, such as a myth or cartoon. A superhero sidekick or nemesis may also be included but you must choose an element that either combines well or has a violent reaction with your chosen element. A rubric for this activity is included at the end of this worksheet.

When it comes to superheroes, most of them have costumes, nickname, and certain powers that make them unique. The Google definitions of the term “superhero” is “fictional characters with superhuman powers.” In today’s world, there are superheroes who do not have superhuman abilities but use human materials to fight crime. Are those with natural abilities denied the title of a “superhero?”

Men of color are disproportionately depicted as being violent, poor, unemployed, and uneducated. They are seen as being likely to steal, and act as “welfare-leeches” (White like Me).

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a… black Superman? With the representation of all identities growing in different forms of media, superhero comic books have picked up this trend and have begun to introduce characters with diverse backgrounds. Due to the previously mentioned occurrence, readers of different creeds, sexual orientation, and ethnicities are being introduced to the world of superheroes. With this new trend, many questions arise concerning the impact and necessity of underrepresentation and fairness. How have superhero comic books widened their depiction of underrepresented communities, and what role does history play on the characters of comic books? More specifically, how have Marvel and DC Comics been affected by history, and

How are African American men portrayed? They have many stereotypes under their race and specifically the men of African Americans. There are numerous reasons why African Americans have dominant racial stereotypes. However, it does not make it right that African American men should be the scapegoat for every problem. Being a scapegoat is taking the sins of others. How can African Americans get equal rights and respect if all they get is racism, disrespect, and get blamed? They do not get equal rights in education, job force, etc. Some African Americans may be in a lower class than Caucasians but often time African Americans make it to the high-class hierarchy but they are still not appreciated or respected as much. This other stereotype that African American men may be boxed into is black masculinity. Conversely, if an African American man acts different from usual African Americans, their own people and Caucasians judge them for being different. African American men are getting blamed way too often for many things and even crimes they did not commit. The society needs to stop view African American men as the scapegoat because it is absolutely not fair to them. Even if those men are purely innocent, people think they are not masculine. African American men should not be blamed or deal with punishment that they did not commit.

The portrayal of superheroes in films has changed in terms of their character, appearance, style and strength. Superheroes has been a popular theme in hollywood films since its inception. They are what peoples imagination can only think of. A perfect human being who saves the world .The first time superhero appeared on T.V was “The Adventures of Captain Marvel” in 1941. Superheroes was on the rise within popular comic books in 1930′s to the 1940’s as well in which they were considered the ‘Golden Age of Comic Books’ . Comic books became widespread and popular which translated into making films about them.

In most films, African Americans are also shown in a stereotypical manner that promotes notions of moral inferiority. When it comes to the terms of movie characters shown by race African Americans use more vulgar profanity than whites. African Americans are also being physically violent and restrained than whites. The despite history of African Americans in television, there has been improvement in some of the television and movie roles and portrayals. Improvement in media roles still needs to accurately reflect our diverse roles in society.

Since the arrival of Africans in America the image in America for the African Americans both male and female have been portrayed in a negative light. Although African Americans today have risen up to some of the highest positions in America such as entrepreneurs, CEOs, and even as high up as the President of the United States of America being an African American man. Though there are many other top job positions being held by African Americans both male and female that prove that the African Americans have made their mark in America, the race of African Americans as a whole still has a long way to go. However, though both African American men and women are both viewed in a negative light the African American man is the one who is stereotyped most of all. A prime example of how the image of the African American man is still portrayed in a negative light is in the film world. The film world has only contributed to help produce the negative image of African American men and the roles they play inside of films. Films portray the African American men being the aggressors, delinquents, criminals and more, since some of the older films in America. Then with the African American male stereotypes still being relevant in contemporary films today. The film world has made these stereotypes come to life and be seen by the world on screen. In this paper I will discuss the birth of the black male stereotypes from early films to current films today and how the image of the black male and

“The sensitivity around stereotypes and distortions largely arises, then, form the powerlessness of historically marginalized groups to control their own representation.” Since Black people are the minority, they have no control over how they are represented in the media. As Shothat had mentioned in his article, “In the media there is a tendency to represent Black males as potential delinquents.” The misrepresentation of most Black males, affects them significantly; therefore, since they

To start with, seeing how society identifies with a black man society sees him as violent and vicious, even the music they listen to has violent lyrics, they are also labeled in the worse way, because society don’t understand black men and are too afraid to converse with them, even in the media, African Americans males get a bad report especially in a drug or violent stories, Now, looking at the Caucasians, some view black men as uneducated, ill-mannered drug dealers, beneath them, and a threat to their livelihood, they are even afraid that they may hurt them in some way. As like in other races Caucasians fear that Black men will rob, or even kill them. Surprisingly, blacks, especially the older blacks perceive some black men as violent, drug dealers, gang bangers, they listen to loud obscene rap music, the clothes they wear, and jealousy among other blacks.

As BLACK MEN we are often misunderstood and misrepresented in media. Common STEREOTYPES we see placed on black men are that we are criminals, aggressive, misogynistic.

A superhero to a seven year can be someone very different than one to an adult. A stereotypical superhero can only be someone that protects others or are city vigilantes. Children can see a superhero in anyone, even animals.

None of the early superhero films starred had black main heroes, with the noteworthy exception of the 1977 Blaxploitation film afar: The First Black Superman. Blaxploitation cinemas were films created for a black audience, and consequently carry with them profound obstacles. These films, though containing black actors, were regressive given their use of stereotypes about African Americans. This exact film described a black man who gains powers and uses them to fight crime usually caused by racist white people. Though the film itself performed stereotypes about black men and women, it is perhaps the first African American superhero on film. Interestingly, Afar: The First Black Superman is still the only superhero film centering on an African

When you think of a superhero one normally thinks of Spiderman, Batman, or Superman, but there were superheroes long before these characters were created. First one must understand that the basis of this name is hero. What is a hero? A hero is a person who does something special or out of the ordinary in order to help others. It could also be someone who is admired for a characteristic about them, be it physical or mental. They are individuals that normal everyday people can look up to. This being the case, a superhero is nothing more then someone who is a hero, but not just that once and for that one person, but someone who helps many people, or leads them. As time went by the number of people who were true heroes diminished and just

A superhero’s main characteristic is to be able to a unique individual which will separate them from being categorized with the typical other “heroes”. Coogan states that a “superhero” is an individual that exemplifies the three main characteristics mission, power and identity. A unique superhero must have a mission that involves the main motive to save civilians without there being any personal gain from this experience. Coogan states that without this personal mission that this “superhero” would just be a ordinary person that would be an extremely helpful in the event of a dilemma. A unique superhero must posses these extraordinary but mystical powers that reflect their human identity or personality. These powers have been greatly exaggerated