I no longer read comics; but I used to buy a great deal of them and still have a lingering affection for the DC Comics characters I loved back when I had more disposable income. Which is why it frustrates me when DC does things like this:
DC Celebrates Black History Month by Whitewashing Black Characters
A li'l more context below the fold:
A couple years ago, DC Comics did one of it's continuity re-sets that it does every other decade or so, in order to preserve the illusion of change while still keeping Superman eternally 30 years old. Usually they used these re-sets as an excuse to change parts of the DC Universe. In Crisis on Infinite Earths, for example, they eliminated all alternate timelines, made Superman the sole survivor of Krypton, gave Wonder Woman a new origin story and made Lex Luthor a Respectable Businessman.
These changes are always controversial, but eventually settle down to become the status quo. And then get undone a couple years later.
The latest revision, giving us the "New 52" (Referring to the new status quo where there no longer an infinite number of earths in the Multiverse, just 52; and that DC now publishes exactly 52 titles at any given time), has given us it's share of aggravating alterations. They made Starfire of the Teen Titans a slut; they've had Superman dump Lois and start dating Wonder Woman; I've already griped about what they've done to the Creeper, Lobo, and Amanda Waller, (admittedly minor characters, but ones I liked).
This week we have two "New" characters appear. Well, the characters seem to be new, but the names aren't.
One of them is called Red Arrow. He'd appeared before in EARTH 2, one of the new titles set on an alternate Earth, and has been generally assumed to be an alternate version of Roy Harper, Green Arrow's old sidekick Speedy. (Who has an interesting backstory too, but that's irrelevant). Except in this week's issue, another character identifies him as "Connor Hawke."
Why is this significant? Well, maybe it isn't. But in the 1990s, Green Arrow was given an adult son named Connor Hawke, who went on to be the replacement Green Arrow when Ollie spent a few years dead for tax purposes, or something. Connor's mother was African-Asian, and Connor himself had blond hair and dark skin.
The new Connor Hawke, well, looks like Roy Harper. Very white and with red hair.
Of course, this is an Alternate Universe. You gotta cut it some slack. In one of the Alternate Earths they've depicted, Superman is black. This happens to be one where Connor Hawke is white. I didn't particularly like Connor in the first place.
But in another comic released this week -- an issue of GREEN ARROW wouldn't you know it -- another character is re-introduced. Her name is Onyx, and she was associated with a group called The Outsiders. I was totally unfamiliar with her, but apparently she was originally an assassin who comes to be on the side of the good guys and earns Batman's respect and stuff. She was also black, something which seems to have eluded the attention of the creative team and the editor working on the book.
In fairness, though, the blog DC Women Kicking Ass observes that this week also unveiled the Earth 2 Aquawoman, a black woman who looks quite impressive.
(sigh). One step forward, two steps back.