Capitalizing on the Blackploitation films of that period Marvel created a hip, inner city black character that fought injustice, racism and the lowlifes of the ghetto/inner city.
The only problem was that the title would up stereotyping the very people it so desperately tried to make relevant.
Looking back it was an honest attempt to appear contemporary and with the times. But if seen compared to today’s society it appears more as a parody and displays the very things that the black minority is fighting against-racial stereotyping.
In Luke Cage, Hero For Hire #5, when a black man is killed by a gang of thugs and has his body is taken away by fake ambulance drivers, Luke Cage investigates.
What he discovers is a criminal outfit run by the Black Mariah-a gigantic, obese black woman.
She runs a criminal organization that loots recently deceased people, robbing their families of heirlooms, important papers, personal property, etc.
Black Mariah is characterized as a surrogate mother to a bunch of crooks that know not to cross her.
She’s big, she’s bad and is almost a match for Luke Cage.
At the time the comic book was produced I’m sure most people had no problem with it. But, looking back the book was filled with racial stereotypes, laughable dialogue and the poverty and street life depictions were probably created by people who had never experienced or witnessed what life was life in the inner city.
If this issue were to come out today there would be an uproar especially from organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).
Times have certainly changed. Still it is an interesting issue and series to look back on to discover how much things have changed over the years.
No comments:
Post a Comment