2016 Is The Year Of The Black Superhero #2Strong2Black

2016 Is The Year Of The Black Superhero #2Strong2Black

We all wanted Luke Cage to be unapologetically black as fuck, in fact, we needed it. We needed to see the fruition of what Afrofuturism really means. I’ve talked about Afrofuturism and in Netflix’s Marvel Comic, “Luke Cage”, we saw it. Afrofuturism was at its height during the Harlem Renaissance where Black American exploded in contemporary thought, style, and art. Great writers and thinkers such as Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston emerged as black artistic and pivoted philosophers that created the stable of the ‘black voice’ of America. Approximately 50 years after the ban of physical slavery, Black Americans ignited some of the most vital visual, written and spoken expressions that are still being regurgitated and even prophesied today.

“I feel most colored when I am thrown against a sharp white background.” – Zora Neale Hurston

When I wrote about Luke Cage and having every title named after Gang Starr, I knew it was going to be for us. I also expected some white people to get in their feelings. There is an intentional and ignorant whitewashed view of America that does not include brown and black people. The idea that a comic, that is based on the blaxploitation era doesn’t have any main white characters bothers white people makes me laugh! White tears are bland and salty just like green bean casserole and I will find all the humor in it!

America is so used to whitewashing everything that when a program is not centered around whiteness it triggers petty racists who love to prove they no grasp of what diversity means. I want more Black TV, I want more strong and powerful women of color in prominent roles kicking ass. I want to see a black alpha man and woman as lead characters. I even want to see them as villains and antagonists.

Luke Cage was everything. Misty Knight was everything. Cottonmouth was scary as fuck. I fear Diamondback like I fear Candyman; I don’t want him to see me and I know if I see him I’m dead as fuck.

What I appreciate about Luke Cage the most are the relevant Black history lessons a lot of us end of missing. We don’t talk about Black art enough and even though, there are some of you knee-grows that don’t like to call your art black, your creative is influenced by a black experience that is unique to you – embrace that shit.

Black Art Matter, Black Writers Matter, Black Representation Matters.

I watched Luke Cage thinking to myself, ” Damn this is like watching New York Undercover with a mix of Foxy Brown, this shit is lit!” Don’t believe me? Black people broke Netflix over Luke Cage.

I saw a lot of comments on blogs and Facebook ( the home of rampant racism) where white people were expressing their disdain over how ‘black’ this show is. The irony is, the next Facebook video would be white kids doing the Nae-Nae and other prominent black dances that would allow white kids go viral and secure sponsorship deals for almost having rhythm.

#LukeCage
#2Black2Strong
#LukeCage2Black2Strong

It’s never a problem when shows create a world where little to no black people exist. It’s never a problem when movies can create a story in Africa and other indigenous locations with no indigenous people because to them we do not exist. But if we create a show or story where they are not the center, they cry and scream diversity. If you don’t like Luke Cage because it’s lack of white main characters, you can always watch Smallsville or The Brady Bunch.

Talk about black comic book shit with me here.