Anthony Stokes on why Marvel’s diversity problem isn’t as bad as we pretend it is…
Marvel has received a lot of criticism lately for its lack of diversity. I don’t know why Marvel is particularly under fire when it’s a problem with virtually every other tentpole franchise too. Just two weeks ago, Marvel released a movie with a female lead who wasn’t just a love interest, and one before that in April. And that very same movie also had a black supporting character, who was proactive and actually a good character? But I digress…
Fans have been clamoring for more diverse leads as opposed to your typical handsome white male. And while I agree it is an issue, I don’t think it’s as big of a problem as people make it seem.
First off, the problem with adapting anything is that in some way, shape or form you’re a slave to the source material. Unfortunately most of the major staples in Marvel’s roster were created in a time where mainstream comic book characters were all white males. Marvel can’t really make up new characters for the starring role in one of its movies, which is one of the downsides of being based on a comic book universe.
God forbid they take a character who was originally white and make them black. Even if it’s a side character whose race is of no real significance, such as Johnny Storm in Fox’s The Fantastic Four, some people will lose their minds. So Marvel is kind of stuck in a damned if they do ,damned if they don’t situation. Look at how people reacted when it was announced that Marvel Comics was changing Captain America to a black guy and Thor to a woman. Captain America has already been a black guy and Thor has been a frog, but it still raised flags. But of course the more obvious choice is for them to adapt every single diverse character they have.
Wrong. I do not want a character to get a solo movie just because they’re black or a woman. I do not want a Black Panther movie because he’s a black character. I want it because I think he’s a great character and him being black is the icing on the cake. People are complaining that Black Panther is taking too long and I honestly don’t get it. There’s only a handful of black superheroes, so I’d prefer Marvel gets the formula just right and finds the perfect filmmaker rather than dumping it out because fans are upset.
Black Panther is a diverse character, but he’s also interesting. Unlike Ms. Marvel, who I believe people only want to see because she’s a woman. Ms. Marvel’s origin nor powers seem interesting enough to lead an entire movie. I’m not saying I don’t want her in the MCU – I just don’t think she’s a character that deserves a solo movie right off the bat just for being a woman. Some characters work better in an ensemble. Two mediocre Hulk movies and a standout turn in The Avengers prove that. Not one character in Guardians of the Galaxy is interesting enough for a solo movie. But as part of a bigger story they work great.
If you’re going to blame the film industry for lack of diversity don’t just blame Marvel – blame the system. And don’t complain that they’re changing the race of a character and then complain that they haven’t made a female-led superhero movie yet. Pick a lane. You can be at either, but not both. I think Marvel is saving up Black Panther for something spectacular, and I do hope if they do a Ms. Marvel movie it’s not just for the sake of diversity and they make the character as special as her fans say she is.
Anthony Stokes is a blogger and independent filmmaker.
Originally published August 14, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
