Not seeing anything wrong there.
Michael B. Jordan as the Man Of Steel?
- Thread starter Mage
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Not one of the previous iterations of Superman on screen has been compelled to depict the existence of racism. Not one of the movies or TV shows has been compelled to explain why there is no depiction of racism in the story. I see no need for a Superman portrayed by a black actor be compelled focus any of it's story on racism.
In fact, I see no need for such a movie to have to deal with race at all. Being compelled to carry around the burden of "race" when the story doesn't require it, is another form of racism. Superman shows up played by Jordan or whoever, story unspools with no mention of race. If ignoring the race of the actor playing a particular role is an issue for you, then I would suggest you look within for the explanation.
Did you ever ask why Superman was being played by a white actor? Did you ask why Superman was originally drawn in the comics as a white man? If the answer to these two questions is no, then just keep that same energy if you ever see an other than white actor playing the Man of Steel on screen.
In fact, I see no need for such a movie to have to deal with race at all. Being compelled to carry around the burden of "race" when the story doesn't require it, is another form of racism. Superman shows up played by Jordan or whoever, story unspools with no mention of race. If ignoring the race of the actor playing a particular role is an issue for you, then I would suggest you look within for the explanation.
Did you ever ask why Superman was being played by a white actor? Did you ask why Superman was originally drawn in the comics as a white man? If the answer to these two questions is no, then just keep that same energy if you ever see an other than white actor playing the Man of Steel on screen.
So the movie is supose to pretend racism isn't real? I mean in comic book worlds you do have the option of sort of pretending their world is better and worst humans can be is bank robbers and purse snatchers but I am not sure people would accept that right now. Jason
I think this sounds like an awesome idea. Audiences have been exposed to enough versions of comics characters by now that people would understand that an alternate take on Superman is just that--an alternate take.
Because white people get to pretend most of the time that racism doesn't exist - or at least that it doesn't matter much.
Surely the fact that none of the previous versions of Superman have tackled racism is a reason TO tackle it, not the opposite?
Quoted because it bears repeating.
I see no reason whatsoever why MBJ should not play Superman.
The only things that have to stay constant are his name (Kal-El) and home planet (Krypton). There's nothing that ties Superman to any specific race or physical appearance.
It's like James Bond. All we know about him is that he's a British spy. He could be of any race. Same story here.
The only things that have to stay constant are his name (Kal-El) and home planet (Krypton). There's nothing that ties Superman to any specific race or physical appearance.
It's like James Bond. All we know about him is that he's a British spy. He could be of any race. Same story here.
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Did you think Man of Steel pretended racism didn't exist, Jayson? Did you come out of that movie wondering why it didn't depict the plight of African Americans and other minorities in America? Did you think the Man of Steel was not believable because it didn't cover the subject of racism? After all, MoS had white people, who were the original perpetrators of racism in America, in all of the major roles. If not, why not? This is the kind of thinking my previous post was railing against.
Just because a black actor plays Superman does not compel nor demand the movie deal with racism. The inability to see a Superman movie starring a black actor in the title role as legitimate unless it depicts racism, is some white liberal fever dream.
Everything in the lives of black people is not consumed with race. Every movie with a predominantly black cast, writer, and director even, is not about racism, so why does Superman have to suddenly have a take on race just because a black actor has been cast as Supes? This is a restrictive burden placed on black actors that white actors don't have to deal with.
I'm not against the depiction of racism in movies and TV shows, lord knows I'm loving Watchmen, but I don't like the idea of black actors having to drag around race like an anchor just because they're black.
The question to me is would the world realistically treat Superman the same if he was black. Granted maybe got a kind of good example in how to do it with the movie Hancock. Without the cussing and early bad behavior of course. In the end is I don't Superman to be edgy but I worry some fans will say they are avoiding race to make white people comfortable. Plus you will also have the usual racism but that like expecting water to be wet. Best to just ignore it at this point. They already get to much attention. Jason
They should go for it.
Let's look to a DCAU gods and monsters.. Super man, who was the son of Zod, raised by hispanic migrant workers..
He was still for truth and justice cand helping .. Even though he was raised by minority parents.
There are intimate earth's, so doing like joker, doing an "Else world" where superman is black is quite acceptable.
Having him growing up where he was subject to racism but still had his optimism and boy Scout mentality of believing in humanity knowing that only a minority are raycist .. That humanity on whole is good and deserves to be saved.
So just like last season if supergirl saying she was a refugee, an Imigrant.. And did show racism against aliens that couldn't blend in, even calling them roaches ..
But not make that the whole premise of the movie.. First part growing up, showing it saying how on krypton race didn't matter.. Be the that beacon showing that race doesn't matter, that he wouldn't stoop down to any form of racism..
He was still for truth and justice cand helping .. Even though he was raised by minority parents.
There are intimate earth's, so doing like joker, doing an "Else world" where superman is black is quite acceptable.
Having him growing up where he was subject to racism but still had his optimism and boy Scout mentality of believing in humanity knowing that only a minority are raycist .. That humanity on whole is good and deserves to be saved.
So just like last season if supergirl saying she was a refugee, an Imigrant.. And did show racism against aliens that couldn't blend in, even calling them roaches ..
But not make that the whole premise of the movie.. First part growing up, showing it saying how on krypton race didn't matter.. Be the that beacon showing that race doesn't matter, that he wouldn't stoop down to any form of racism..
Intimate?
Of course, Superman's creators were Jewish...
Are we forgetting the Radio Show's famous Superman vs the Klan story?
... Infinite... Auto correct and my bad spelling
Well its not like the Jews wernt persecuted...
Well its not like the Jews wernt persecuted...
The term "alternate universe" just took on a whole new meaning. 
Basically model MLK instead of Jesus? Jason
Yes, if it is written that way. As long as the writing is competent, it will all seem as "realistic" as comic movie premises ever do.
I'm glad you brought up Hancock. Now this was a movie that could have easily accommodated a racism storyline. I have no idea as to why they didn't but I can say that that not having that storyline didn't affect the quality of the moie. Most people's criticisms of that movie had nothing to do with missing a racism storyline.
One reason the Hancock writers probably didn't feel compelled to write a racism storyline was because Hancock wasn't black. The actor playing Hancock was black, but the character was not specifically any particular race.
The Hancock character was treated the same way all of the Superman characters have been treated, no particular race or religion. Likewise, Superman has never been "white". There is nothing about the character that demands he be "white", in-universe.
The only reason you and most others think the character is white is because Supes has always been played by a white actor. He was drawn as white in the comics solely because, how else would he have been drawn in the '30's?
Fans (including you) need to become a bit more sophisticated in their thinking about race.
Demanding that race be an aspect of Superman's story solely because Superman is played by a black actor is "ghettoizing" black actors. It perpetrates the idea that "white" is the default setting and anything that is not part of that setting is "other" and requires an "explanation".
If presenting Jordan/Superman with no racial aspect is viewed by some as running away from dealing with racism, then so be it. That should be thought of as the viewers' problem.
Not really. Not to me. I want Jordan to play Kryptonian, Kal-El, son of Jor-El, raised in Smallville after coming to earth and being adopted by the Kents. There does not "need" to be even a hint of racism in Clark's childhood (or adulthood). I don't think there should be any alternate universe. Make it the real universe.
If the movie isn't as successful as they want it to be (just like most of it's predecessors), then re-cast the role with whomever (how about Idris Elba?), same as they have done with Routh and (perhaps) Cavil.
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