Today was free comic book day, and I went dutifully to my local shop, Comic Relief, to pick up a few things. I actually only bought posters today, as yesterday I loaded up on comics. It’s a great local shop run by a Redhawks alum, so if you’re in Richmond, check it out, man!
But yesterday when I was in the shop, I noticed something that somehow slipped past me: The Prowler had his own series. I first encountered the Prowler in this Todd McFarlane Spider-Man comic, Amazing Spider-Man 305:
If you’ve known me/been reading this blog, you know that in addition to spilling my guts, ranting about social justice and talking about teaching I am obsessed with comic art and the concept of heroes. You also know that Todd McFarlane, in spite of what an odd human being he is, was my favorite artist as a kid, so much so that my print handwriting looks like his.
I have lost my copy to the sands of time, but this was one of my very favorite comics as a kid. I loved the look of the Prowler, and I loved the concept. He’s sort of like a male Catwoman, a thief with gadgets who lurks in the shadows and has an awesome look. He was also a character of color (calling him a hero at the point of this issue would be a stretch, but his character has evolved a great deal, including links to the Miles Morales Spider-Man from the ultimate universe).
I picked up issues 3,4,5, and 6 of Prowler, and I talked for a bit with a fellow collector (an African American man that was roughly my age, I think). He talked about how when he started reading comics the only black heroes he knew of were Spawn and the Black Panther. There were more then, of course (the store owner and I both said “What about Luke Cage?” almost in unison, for example. There was also Storm, Bishop from the X-Men, Black Vulcan, Falcon, etc.)
It was an interesting conversation. But it got me to thinking about something else that I wondered if anyone else had noticed. And sure enough they had. Reluctant African American hero with a Spider-Man like mask, flowing cape, claws… Prowler was the prototype for Spawn, one of the most successful non-Marvel or DC properties in comics history. In a way Spider-Man 305 is Spawn’s origin point.
I’m excited that Prowler is getting his due now. But the fact that he’s in a handful of African American heroes from comics I can think of is a scary prospect given how well I know comics. We need to think about these things when we create characters. We want the audiences to see themselves in the protagonists, but when every protagonist is a white guy, or the rare large breasted white woman in high heeled boots, it’s difficult for all of us to see ourselves in those characters.
Representation matters. The sooner we get that through our heads, the sooner we can tell richer, more involved stories.