JRIOS
Into the Spider-Verse 2 Promises More Hidden Diversity
“Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse’s” hidden diversity lives both on- and offscreen. When a production has a diverse cast and crew, the content created is much more likely to represent diverse groups of people. Both in the cast and in production, […]
Black Power in Comic Books and the Importance of Nuance
Black Panther is not the first black character printed on paper, but he certainly has a lively journey, full of ruling Wakanda, saving the Marvel multiverse and early writer’s problematic beginnings. In this article, we analyze the history of black and African American people in comic books and address the importance of nuance in storytelling.
Shang-Chi: Multiracial Mixed Martial Artist Saves the World One Punch at a Time
Although it’s up to you to decide if superhero movies are “not cinema,” there is certainly something to be said about their rapid integration into popular culture. With up to 17 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) until the […]
Asian Erasure in Japanese Manga-to-Film Adaptations
Alright, it’s time to confess something I feel is a little embarrassing. If young adults today remember living near a library or bookstore, chances are you have come across a manga aisle. I was one of those white adolescent geeks […]
SERIES – PART 3 OF 3: Persepolis Boldly Illustrates the Middle Eastern Experience Before and After Iranian Revolution
Persepolis is a autobiographical graphic novel written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi, an Iranian-French cartoonist. It tells the tale of Marji, a young girl living in Tehran just before the 1979 Iranian Revolution. This accounts her life before, during, and after the Iranian Revolution, where she lives through threats to her wellbeing and xenophobia.
SERIES – PART 2 OF 3: Monstress is an Epic Fantasy Combining Race Relations and the Power of Friendship Between Women
Monstress is an epic fantasy graphic novel written by Marjorie Liu telling the tale of Maika Halfwolf, a teenage girl sharing a psychic link to a power monster who occasionally emerges from the stub of her severed left arm. Inspired by early 20th century Asia, Monstress is set in a matriarchal world split into factions, where war for power and greed set the stage for our heroine to avenge her fallen mother.
SERIES – PART 1 OF 3: Intersectionality in Comics: America Chavez Punching Through Reality, One Multiverse at a Time
With great power comes great responsibility, and America Chavez is no exception to that rule. Coming from the far reaches of the Marvel multiverse, this superheroine blasts through time and space to save the day, all the while keeping her special charm and wits in battle.
21st Century Superheroes: CCK and Multiracial Stories Come to Life
Comic books are fantastic. They have the ability to transcend language and audio by capturing readers’ imaginations to go on epic, unforgettable adventures with the turn of a page. With the recent push for more complex and diverse representation on […]