Reflection of Race Ethnicity in Superhero Comics
Added on 2023-04-21
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Running Head: REFLECTION OF RACE, ETHNICITY IN SUPERHERO COMICS
Reflection of Race Ethnicity in Superhero Comics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note
Reflection of Race Ethnicity in Superhero Comics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note
1Running Head: REFLECTION OF RACE, ETHNICITY IN SUPERHERO COMICS
The birth of the concept of the ‘saviour’ or ‘superhero’ is attributable to domination of
the evil powers. The reflection of such a noble concept can be observed in different form of
arts. Superheroes arrived in comics when United states was struggling with socio-economic
turmoil and corruption and became successful to create a positive impact among the mass.
With an aim to make the background of such comic stories more realistic, the creators started
portraying the ideas, culture, beliefs as well as the social issues of the early 20th century
United States, in order to form a perfect. Naturally, the movies, television programs based on
such comics have also followed the trend of representing social and cultural factors. An in-
depth analysis of some popular super hero comics of 20th as well as 21st centuries will reveal
whether these comics have done justice with the sensitive issues related to race, ethnicity,
culture and society.
One of the popular superheroes who arrived a few years earlier than superman, was
Mandrake, a magician who was known for his superfast hypnotic tricks. He had the power of
creating illusionary effects and making people believe anything with the help of his hypnotic
gestures. He utilised his power to fight against gangsters, extra-terrestrials, selfish scientists.
This comic introduced the character of Lothar, probably one of the first characters of
African origin, who was projected as a crimefighter. He was the best friend of Mandrake
whom Mandrake met for the first time, during his visit to Africa. Lothar assisted Mandrake
in his noble work of abolishing the evils. Lothar was presented as a savage man man with
immeasurable strength, resistant to heat and cold. He spoke poor English. The creator’s aim
to project him as an uncivilized African man reflected in the initial pictures of Lothar, in
which he was wearing short pants and Leopard skin. He was sometimes referred to as “giant
black slave” of Mandrake. (King Features Syndicate, 1935) Naturally this raises questions
about the creator Lee Falk’s treatment of racism and ethnicity. Also, this comics portrayed
The birth of the concept of the ‘saviour’ or ‘superhero’ is attributable to domination of
the evil powers. The reflection of such a noble concept can be observed in different form of
arts. Superheroes arrived in comics when United states was struggling with socio-economic
turmoil and corruption and became successful to create a positive impact among the mass.
With an aim to make the background of such comic stories more realistic, the creators started
portraying the ideas, culture, beliefs as well as the social issues of the early 20th century
United States, in order to form a perfect. Naturally, the movies, television programs based on
such comics have also followed the trend of representing social and cultural factors. An in-
depth analysis of some popular super hero comics of 20th as well as 21st centuries will reveal
whether these comics have done justice with the sensitive issues related to race, ethnicity,
culture and society.
One of the popular superheroes who arrived a few years earlier than superman, was
Mandrake, a magician who was known for his superfast hypnotic tricks. He had the power of
creating illusionary effects and making people believe anything with the help of his hypnotic
gestures. He utilised his power to fight against gangsters, extra-terrestrials, selfish scientists.
This comic introduced the character of Lothar, probably one of the first characters of
African origin, who was projected as a crimefighter. He was the best friend of Mandrake
whom Mandrake met for the first time, during his visit to Africa. Lothar assisted Mandrake
in his noble work of abolishing the evils. Lothar was presented as a savage man man with
immeasurable strength, resistant to heat and cold. He spoke poor English. The creator’s aim
to project him as an uncivilized African man reflected in the initial pictures of Lothar, in
which he was wearing short pants and Leopard skin. He was sometimes referred to as “giant
black slave” of Mandrake. (King Features Syndicate, 1935) Naturally this raises questions
about the creator Lee Falk’s treatment of racism and ethnicity. Also, this comics portrayed
2Running Head: REFLECTION OF RACE, ETHNICITY IN SUPERHERO COMICS
women as villains incapable of applying any trick successfully to the Mandrake. Some of the
female characters were portrayed as assistants of Mandrake who are less powerful than him.
The next superhero who made his official debut in Action Comics#1, in the year
1938, was the Superman. The creators Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster projected him as a man
with incredible strength who originally belonged to a planet named Krypton, from where he
was sent to earth by his scientist father, just after his birth. He was adopted and brought up by
Jonathan and Martha Kent who inspired him to utilize his super power to fight against crime
and make world a better place.
. DC had introduced a hero of Dark skin in the Superman comics and associated the
term “Black” with his name by calling him “Black Lightening”. The strong believe of the
creator that the men of dark skins usually came from crime-ridden areas reflected, when it
was revealed that “Black lightening” had come from "Southside of Metropolis," popularly
known as "Suicide Slum". The creator did not want the white skinned super hero to go to the
Southside, so developed the character of a “not so popular” dark hero for the people living
there. Thus, the creator had unnecessarily divided Metropolis into two parts. Instead of giving
the message of unity the creator had showcased the existing discrimination between the dark
and white skin people of United states. Also no significant and powerful female characters
are found except the character of Superman’s girlfriend.
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby designed the character of captain America. Captain
America emerged as a patriotic super-soldier in Captain America Comics#1 during the
turbulent period of World War II, in the year 1941.
The way how Marvel treated black people, instigated the issues of racism again and
again. In the Captain America series of 1960 September Sam Wilson, also popular as Falcon,
was introduced as a person equally powerful as Captain America. There was the possibility
women as villains incapable of applying any trick successfully to the Mandrake. Some of the
female characters were portrayed as assistants of Mandrake who are less powerful than him.
The next superhero who made his official debut in Action Comics#1, in the year
1938, was the Superman. The creators Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster projected him as a man
with incredible strength who originally belonged to a planet named Krypton, from where he
was sent to earth by his scientist father, just after his birth. He was adopted and brought up by
Jonathan and Martha Kent who inspired him to utilize his super power to fight against crime
and make world a better place.
. DC had introduced a hero of Dark skin in the Superman comics and associated the
term “Black” with his name by calling him “Black Lightening”. The strong believe of the
creator that the men of dark skins usually came from crime-ridden areas reflected, when it
was revealed that “Black lightening” had come from "Southside of Metropolis," popularly
known as "Suicide Slum". The creator did not want the white skinned super hero to go to the
Southside, so developed the character of a “not so popular” dark hero for the people living
there. Thus, the creator had unnecessarily divided Metropolis into two parts. Instead of giving
the message of unity the creator had showcased the existing discrimination between the dark
and white skin people of United states. Also no significant and powerful female characters
are found except the character of Superman’s girlfriend.
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby designed the character of captain America. Captain
America emerged as a patriotic super-soldier in Captain America Comics#1 during the
turbulent period of World War II, in the year 1941.
The way how Marvel treated black people, instigated the issues of racism again and
again. In the Captain America series of 1960 September Sam Wilson, also popular as Falcon,
was introduced as a person equally powerful as Captain America. There was the possibility
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