Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always been obsessed with comic books. DC, Marvel, you name it. Thanks to my dad, who’s a fellow comic fanatic, my childhood reading list consisted of everything from Superman vs. Doomsday, to Batman's origin, to the X-men story arc. Later in life, as I moved on to middle and high school, I found myself as the only female amongst a crowd of my male peers who could carry a substantial conversation on anything remotely relating to a superhero or heroine. I’ve drawn at least 20-plus of my favorite characters to hang around my college dorm and have even considered bringing some of my comic books to school with me like a true fan would. Needless to say, I’m truly in love with the world of imaginary mutant, genetic and alien powers.
Now that I’ve bored you with my opening spiel, let me tell you the real reason I’m writing this article. Though I’m still heavily involved in the world of comics, there’s a part of me that’s always been disappointed with the lack of representation of underrepresented groups within story lines and the general comic book franchise. Sure, there’s a Black version of Green Lantern and a few female superheroes like Wonder Woman or Hawk girl that exist, but there’s never really been an outward effort made by the higher powers that be within the comic book industry to put multi-cultural, gay, lesbian, transgender, female or disabled heroes in the forefront. Until now.
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To my (and many others') surprise, Marvel (one of the two more well-known comic book companies) has began to pave the way for representation within the original superhero stories we all know and love. As a first step in the right direction, Marvel recently announced the revamping of the Thor storyline, replacing the shredded, flowing blonde-haired Norse god with a female character who is just as badass. Though the plot is slightly altered (I believe) from the original, the new Thor’s character is extremely similar to her male counterpart, solidifying her legitimization as her own character paying homage to the first. In addition, Marvel has introduced a Puerto Rican Spiderman, Black Captain America and even a pair of gay X-men (who’s marriage is actually depicted in a published comic book) in their efforts to make the Marvel world more inclusive.
So, with all of that said, as an African American, female comic lover, this is huge. To now see myself in male, female and other various characters within the world of superheroes is a testament to how far this industry has come since the original Superman and Black Panther stories. In 2016, I’m proud to witness representation within physical comic books, films (such as the upcoming "Black Panther" film, "Avengers", etc.), and the conscious decision to change old story lines to include more of the world as it looks today. To say that I still love comics is now an understatement, as these new factors truly make the stories more personal and available to new audiences especially in a time of need for heroes given recent police brutality and international attacks of our generation. As a 21-years-old, this is a monumental movement I wish to see more of in the future. Kudos and a million thanks to Marvel Comics for making me feel included in a world I love so much. Now it’s time for DC to catch up.
