Panel Vision - Legacy Heroes Guide

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So, the big comic book news sweeping the nation this week is that the mantel of Iron Man will now be held by a 15 year old black girl.  It’s a pretty major deal though not entirely out of left field given the current Marvel line-up features a woman as Thor, a black guy as Cap, a black latino bisexual dude as Spider-Man, and a Muslim Ms. Marvel.  Still, this is definitely good news and a pretty interesting advancement for the house of ideas as they continue to push for more on-panel diversity. 

Some folks have complained, because of course they have, saying that creators should just make new heroes instead of legacy ones but I really don’t get this argument.  A lot of the most prominent superheroes of color are following in the footsteps of a previous hero, so I figured I’d give a guide to 12 such heroes, a list including some big names and some personal favorites (in case you were wondering why your personal favorite might not make the cut.)

Comics Rainbow - Captain America

Where do you start with a character like Captain America?  Originally created by legends of the medium Joe Simon & Jack Kirby Captain America is one of the longest running comic characters ever conceived, standing proudly alongside Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman as one of the few heroes whose been part of the genre since its inception in the late ‘30s.  After a brief absence in the ‘50s followed by reintroduction into the burgeoning canon of Marvel comics Captain America has become one of the most dynamic and compelling heroes in the entire genre.  He’s been through innumerable changes in his epically long history and in recent years come to be almost the face of the superhero genre in a way that no one could’ve predicted. 

For decades the hero people thought of when they considered the iconic hero was Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, even Iron Man for a hot minute there in 2008 but now, at this moment in time, it’s hard to think of a superhero who better embodies the genre and the reason for its continued success and relevance.  And with his new film Civil War continuing that trend and having it’s trailer drop I’ve decided to look back over the full history of Captain America, in all it’s shades, shames, and successes.   

Panel Vision - Truth: Red, White & Black

Edited by Robert Beach

So this week saw the release of Captain America – White, a stunningly dull Captain America comic with the sole notable feature of a really awkward title. Aside from the unpleasantness of specifically subtitling a Captain America comic “White,” especially when the main universe Captain America is a black man, the title also seems to be a direct allusions to Truth: Red, White & Black.  

The interior artwork also came off like a purposeful reference back to this 2003 limited series. I’m not sure what Jeph Loeb and his Marvel handlers hoped to achieve with this shout out, or it was meant to convey any deeper meaning. Regardless, it gave me a chance to talk about Truth: Red, White & Black. I’m jumping on that opportunity.