4. Political Correctness
Since the 1970s, there has been a growing influx of ethnically diverse superheroes. I concede that the demographic inside a comic book prior was as lily white as a Michael Bolton concert. Thankfully, things have changed and there all types of heroes now. You want an African American hero? Great! Let's do a story on the Black Panther, Power Man, Cyborg, or Bishop. There's more, a lot more than that to chose from and more titles are coming out everyday with non-traditional heroes of all varieties. Why then are movies retconning black actors into parts that make no sense? Such as a Norse god being played by Stringer Bell? Yes, Idris Elba is a freaking awesome, but as a
Nordic god sporting a pimp Barry White beard? Here's the one that bothers me the most: Nick Fury. He's played by Samuel L. Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson, as we all know, has been the coolest motherf**ker on the planet since
Pulp Fiction (1994). Unfortunately, that does not qualify him for Nick Fury. Why? It's all about the back story (see Canon above). How many black platoon leaders were there in the 1940s in non-segregated units (The Howling Commandos?) How many black CIA agents were placed in command of a multi-national, secret, military force with near unlimited defense and R&D budget (SHIELD)? Absolutely no way that Sam Jackson gets an appointment on par with J. Edgar Hoover in the midst of the Civil War Movement. Let's not gloss over the past by pretending that everything was hunky dory for all Americans when, it fact, it was quite the opposite. Rather than crudely shoving an actor into the script in a feeble attempt at
pandering to a new demographic, why not make more movies that develop culturally diverse characters with actual genuineness. Or at least change the character's freaking name ...
