The world is getting a Black Captain America.
Disney + Just Launchd Its second Marvel miniseries, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” separates the world’s two characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One aspect that will explore the six-episode series is the results of the African-American Falcon (Anthony Mackie) being handed over as Captain America’s shield of “Avengers: Endgame” in late 2019.
Falcon’s turn into the costume of famous stars and stripes is the latest in a wide range of black superheroes, and could be a major symbolic move.
“Captain America was deliberately conceptualized to represent the nation, and it’s self-conception of America has always presented itself as white – as well as male, straight, able-bodied and so on,” Jeffrey A. Brown, A professor told The Post, popular culture at Bowling Green State University.
Brown said, “It is important that we have defined America for the abstract ideas – heroism, religiosity, power, perseverance, morality, compassion, extravagance – particularly symbolized by white male characters. . ” “Reclaiming Captain America as a Black Man … is a big step toward … showing that a black person is capable of representing all the positive qualities that we associate with America. “
Such a move would have been unimaginable in 1966, when Black Panther – the first mainstream black superhero in the comic world – made its debut.
The Panther was created by Marvel editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and the two men later stated that they were inspired by the realization that there were almost no non-white characters in the comics.
The character first appeared in the 52nd issue of “Fantastic Four”, which marked a leap forward for the superhero variety and marked a daring move for Marvel.
Only, even making an important statement, did Marvel’s team take care to pull their punches.
Kirby initially wore a different costume, which we all now know: one that featured in the 2018 film. Instead of a full mask covering his face, Kirby attracted the panther with a half mask, which exposed the lower part of his face.
Legend has it that someone in Marvel got cold feet about keeping an apparently African superhero out of fear of backlash, and Kirby was ordered to resume the cover, this time with the mask covering the entire face of the panther Was covered.
Over the years, comic book companies and film studios have been forged to put non-white heroes front and center.
“They are selling a myth that female superheroes and black superheroes will not sell on screen,” said Sheena Howard, author of the new book “Why Wakanda Matters?” “Together [2017’s] ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Black Panther’, we see that this is a myth sold to us. If they treat black superheroes then they treat white superheroes and give them the quality, resources and support they can succeed. “
In 2018’s “Spider-Man: In the Spider-prone,” Jevicia Leslie, as the titanic heroine in the latest season of The CW’s “Batwoman,” several high-profile black superheroes have emerged during the past several years. More recently, Monica Rambue (Teyona Paris), an African-American military woman who received superpower in the Marvel series “Vandavision”.
Still, McKee – presumably propping up for a landmark role as the first black Captain America – says he is aware of the pressure involved in playing the role of a high-profile black superhero.
“I didn’t want to be the face of the first Marvel franchise to fail,” he said Recently Told Diversity. “Like, ‘See? We cast Black Dude, and now this S-T is terrible.’ It was my great fear, and also a big responsibility with playing the character of Marvel.
Rumor has it that the granddaughter of all superheroes is also in for a change. Producer JJ Abrams and writer Ta-Nehi Coats are reportedly planning a new Superman film starring a person of color. This move can open the character in new angles.
“We get tired of the same blond, male, heterosexual superheroes, good vs. bad stories, which honestly don’t have that nuance or complexity that a person of color or a black person can bring to a story, because there’s so much Something Howard said, “Historical specifics can play you.”
Brown said, “I think it’s an interesting idea, but being accused of the risks of not being a ‘real’ Superman.” “Panthers, Halxes and Ironhearts: Marvels, Variety, and 21st-Century Superheroes.” “They can be seen as knock-offs or just PC publicity stunts.”
For now, viewers can tune in next week to see the latest African-American hero get the spotlight in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”.
“Sam Wilson, as Mac Wilson, is different from a Thor or a Black Panther, because he is not from the king of another planet or any other country,” Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige told Variety.
“He’s an African-American man … McKay was excited to dig into this man, especially this black man in the Marvel version of the world outside our window.”
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