"Marvel executive says emphasis on diversity may have alienated readers"

Snowiceolated · 2017-04-03T22:48:34+00:00

The problem is they're trying to replace the original heroes. Female Thor? Latino Spiderman? Muslim Ms. Marvel?

It's the laziest shit ever. As a black guy I'd love to see more heroes who are black, but I want them to be NEW characters. I don't want black Captain America. Who the hell wants the same storyline as Steve Rogers rehashed just with Stephan Freeman instead? I want heroes like Black Panther - a hero who was created from the beginning with his African lineage in mind. It makes it a genuine and key part of the character, and you couldn't just swap in an Indian guy. Same thing with Dare Devil - his blindless is a genuine and key part of what makes him Dare Devil. You couldn't just swap in some other handicap. Instead of pissing off dedicated fans of the original Spiderman, Ironman, and Thor how about they come up with a completely new superhero that happens to be a woman instead?

jb_trp · 2017-04-03T23:39:21+00:00

People are tired of have a social justice agenda crammed down their throats. I don't care if the lead of Star Wars is a woman, or a black dude, or whatever, I just want it to be good. I watch movies to be entertained, and not for politics.

The reason Ghostbusters failed was because it wasn't funny, it was a reboot of a beloved franchise (people are tired of shitty reboots), and on top of that it was held up as this feminist statement that "Girls are funny and successful too!" People are mostly tired of it.

DubbleFUPAwitCheez · 2017-04-03T22:49:13+00:00

It's amazing the amount of money and personnel they have at their disposal and yet no one pointed out the blindly obvious. Who is arguably the most popular character in the Avengers movies? Tony Stark. He's also the least politically correct and most "misogynistic". The world loves alpha males.

F_Dingo · 2017-04-04T01:16:33+00:00

No shit. This Marvel "executive" (aka total dope) should be fired.

A few weeks ago I strolled into a comic book store and decided to pick up a Marvel comic book (forgot which). I flipped through the pages and then found a real gem in it. One of the female characters was complaining about how her gender identity was assumed or something fucking dumb. At the time, I wasn't aware that Marvel was catering to pink haired nut jobs and said to myself "What the fuck is this shit doing in a comic book?!" I was totally bewildered by what I just read.

Hope Marvel learned their lesson.

travtrigs · 2017-04-04T03:30:06+00:00

This same thing is what happened with Mass Effect Andromeda

flavornuts · 2017-04-04T08:05:46+00:00

The reason their sales suck is because they've abandoned diversity in story telling. When you pander to SJWs, all of your characters becoming exactly the same: quick-witted, edgy leftist prodigies who fight the patriarchy.

Fuck demographic diversity. The people want diversity of character.

Hillarysdilddo_2016 · 2017-04-03T23:06:47+00:00

I want to see numbers. How much have sales declined? Percent, gross?

One can only hope they all go bankrupt. Like the ghostbusters movie.

And here we see the real motive:

They do bring in a different demographic, and I’m happy to see that money in my store.

OneInAZillion · 2017-04-03T23:59:44+00:00

I get it, and I agree.

Hell, I went to see the new Power Rangers and got a dose of it. One kid is autistic, one of the girls is a lesbian; multiple races represented, etc.

The PR's are the following races:

White guy (leader)
Black guy (Autistic)
Mixed girl (Lesbian)
Latin chick
Asian guy

Not that I have a problem with diversity, but when it's diversity for the sole fact of not offending or trying to be inclusive (I'm looking at you, Plus Sized Barbie), then it gets a little irritating.

miharuhojo · 2017-04-04T07:18:07+00:00

Its not the female and minority characters that alienated the base, it was the feminist and other SJW propaganda that they started inserting awkwardly into their stories. Characters would literally fight the patriarchy

TaylorSwift_AMA · 2017-04-04T00:28:40+00:00

Going full left doesn't sell. Just ask ESPN.

SlaveToSelf-Made · 2017-04-04T05:05:32+00:00

Diversity should not be used for the sake of diversity. What's important is the story. Characters need to fit the story.

DesignerTom · 2017-04-04T07:34:15+00:00

Haha good. Shows what you get when you listen to the loud minority. SJWs don't want to buy comics, they just want control. Hopefully more people will stop listening to their power hungry demands.

LargePepperoniPizza · 2017-04-04T02:16:52+00:00

They thought their typical demographic would be mostly intact with an acceptable decline at worst, and that branching out would tap into minority markets.

greatslyfer · 2017-04-04T13:52:08+00:00

The market decides what it wants.

If you're in an Asian market, then your best bet is you guessed it, to star mainly Asian superheroes, but hey no SJW gets pissed when that happens, only when straight white males get put forward as protagonists that they go batshit crazy.

Point is, stop forcing racial diversity among characters cause it's a fucking comic book industry, why do they get so serious and rattled about this.

Returnofthemack3 · 2017-04-04T19:46:24+00:00

lol no shit. 'Hey, our main fanbase consists of men, so let's 'rectify' that problem by shitting on them in an unsubtle and artless way in order to appeal to women, a group that accounts for less than 2 percent of total sales. WHAT COULD GO WRONG' - Marvel exec, probably

I don't even read comic books or watch superhero movies much, but come on. I read they changed the character of Thor to a woman who constantly spouts one liners about toxic masculinity and the pay gap. That's a good way to completely alienate your main source of income right there, and for what?

RedditAdminsSuck_88 · 2017-04-03T22:55:30+00:00

The issue is that these producers, writers, etc. don't give a shit about sales or the box office. Even if it loses money or audiences, they don't care. It's worth it to them. It's about the message they are sending and the big picture.

This garbage will continued to be shoved down our throat. They will simply double down on it all.

mattizie · 2017-04-04T00:10:14+00:00

They're going to keep doing it until it stops making them money, at which point they will 180 flip and go to the opposite extreme.

kevin32 · 2017-04-04T13:41:38+00:00

For those who don't read Marvel, here are a few examples for reference: (1, 2, 3 (NSFW)).

source for the second and third one.

pootinesque · 2017-04-04T18:06:33+00:00

NPR was crowing about how AMAZING and GOOD it was that all this faggotry and Dyke-ishness was now on these comic books.

And now the business decisionmakers are realizing that they've been had. That the alternative lifestyle crowd do not possess sufficient purchasing power to offset the loss of the less alternative market demographic.

And, to be honest, Anime is superior, like most Asian things are. It is generally devoid of political ideology, and doesn't smack of naive 1950s Americana.

goldnhorde · 2017-04-04T14:10:46+00:00

The thing that pisses me off so much about the SJW hanging out at my local comic shop or even my local gamestop is they come in all high and mighty and want to start dictating what is right and wrong and start calling perfectly good people names in their usual ad hom bashing (the most bullying anti-bullies that intolerant tolerance demanders demand).

then when they get their way .... they walk right out the door without writing a check. they always leave a few behind to keep saying "that's just not enough ... that's just not enough ... that's just not enough" .... but they never leave a check.

and how diverse is diverse? it would seem that any straight white male characters is not diverse enough.

yomo86 · 2017-04-04T14:19:52+00:00

The biggest problem with the SJW crowd - as you described the lazy and entitled - are that they are the loudest kids in the yard but strangely the ones with the least amount of funds. Pandering to them will alienate your nerdy kid - male of female - who just wants to see their favorite heroes or heroines on the big screen.

[deleted] · 2017-04-04T15:07:31+00:00

I remember when that Sarkeesian SJW chick complained about video games. Mortal Kombat went from dominatrix looking scantily clad hourglass figures chicks to burka/fully clothed chicks with average bodies. It's the trend now, and I still don't see women playing video games as much as men.

scarletspider3 · 2017-04-04T15:31:33+00:00

I really hate how Marvel is taking away all the sexy female costumes. I also noticed that they are putting too many women in charge.

yummyluckycharms · 2017-04-04T18:52:51+00:00

It was a poor business decision and they deserve to fail.

Frankly, I dont know what was going through their marketing division's mind given that there already were plenty of diverse characters in way back before the early 90's crash. To me, in conjunction with the increasing amount of reboots, it signalled that they were out of ideas and did a hail mary in a desperate attempt to stay solvent. Instead, it only hastened their decline.

AFPJ · 2017-04-05T13:14:48+00:00

It's ironic how pandering to SJWs is identical to attempting to negotiate attraction, right down to the end result.

Entropy-7 · 2017-04-04T04:35:17+00:00

I have no problem with "diversity" IF IT FITS. I like female superheros and "people of colour", but it really gets me pissed when they shoe horn things.

I don't need to have characters with "lineage". I am from Toronto: black people are everywhere and 50% of those citizens are not born in Canada.

Back in the day I played paper and pencil RPGs. There was Dungeons and Dragons I played women and I played elves. But it was all about the story, the narrative, and how it hung together. I played a superhero game and one of my favorite characters was a woman.

But you can't force it. You have to let the story unfold naturally.

Making a character female, or black or gay or whatever, just because you have some agenda doesn't work. The story breaks down and fans hate that shit.

I am against a female Thor, but if any of you want to climb into the way back machine, Beta Ray Bill was a good change up.

summersss · 2017-04-04T00:37:53+00:00

If they didn't they would be hammered by media. The problem is not the diversity the problem is the pandering. Who wants to read volumes of author/artist screaming "hey look i'm Asian girl batman". Its obvious and insulting to all, including the demographic they are targeting. As a black man I rather see new superheroes.

CrazedHyperion · 2017-04-04T05:18:16+00:00

I think it was a severe business miscalculation - of course they wanted to keep their core base, AND they wanted to expand their demographics to black, latino, gays, etc. by creating some such characters. However, now they realize you can't have it both ways, so, yes, back to Square One.

InformalCriticism · 2017-04-04T10:24:22+00:00

All of the professionals in the industry knew what it was doing, but couldn't stop it. They knew the ideas didn't sell, but didn't see a choice.

It's like the nag you used to get in the house now has a megaphone and the collective voices of millions of shrills that will blot out the sun! We must fight in the shade, brothers.

TheRedStoic · 2017-04-04T12:18:25+00:00

It is hilarious, as someone who has enjoyed comics and their media most of my life, to see every superhero group have at least one gay couple nowadays.

You realize they're like, only 4% of the population right? What are the odds that any random group of 6 individuals will have a guaranteed gay couple? Really? Hmm?

I don't have a problem with gays, I have a problem with misrepresenting source material to fit agendas.

Edit, u/snowiceolated is on the ball with this one. Even though I find miles morales to be a much more interesting Spiderman, mostly because he's not Peter Parker. He's a different character entirely.

stonepimpletilists · 2017-04-04T14:46:34+00:00

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/04/marvel-comics-blaming-diversity-bad-sales

this is a scary line, I'm surprised no one saw it:

“Until there’s public funding of comics, they are going to be subject to the demands of capitalism.”

I'm not comfortable with the idea of not having the publics interests (speaking with wallet) being the sole metric used to create things.

Marvel is a business, but it’s a business that attempts to sell comics to a demographic that has demonstrated a categorical, historical (and ultimately violent) disinterest in anything that is not built explicitly for them

People like what they like, this is all business. Until you find a company that doesn't follow 'the customer is always right' become successful, that won't change. Of course, if 'angry young white males' are the ones who captain america appeals to, who in their right mind would think adding an afro would instantly appeal to black youth?

For all this interest in capitalism and business, let me make something perfectly clear: if you do not make attempts to build an audience or if you do not respect the fact that your history with an audience has been particularly poor or if you make it difficult for an audience to buy your products, this audience will not buy your products. If you do all three, it will not be inclusivity that tanked your sales, but instead your flat-out poor business decisions.

It's odd how OP fucks up so many ideas of creative businesses, but seems to get the same point others here do. Create something for your demographic, don't co opt something else and shove it in there.

2comment · 2017-04-04T14:48:46+00:00

Well... apparently these Marvel folks who are so interested in social justice & minority/female incorporation, misjudged the appreciation they would receive from the SJW crowd and the economy at large.

Eh, it's just Ghostbusters all over again, know your audience. They basically forgot that noncomic book readers don't turn into comic book readers just because they tweak the hero's identity.

For women, they'd basically have to change the storyline into endless personal dramas and rom-coms.... and in the process lose their entire existing audience and maybe gain a few women but not enough.

Marvel would have been much better off trying to do a female focused comic from the start as an experiment, just like Cathy was a (postwall) female focused comic strip from the start.

thetotalpackage7 · 2017-04-04T15:12:46+00:00

“They didn’t want female characters out there. That’s what we heard, whether we believe that or not.” ...still can't admit what the hard data and fans are telling him. What a pussy.

Conceited-Monkey · 2017-04-04T15:35:03+00:00

In light of the audience for comics and superhero films, it stands to reason that transgender, gay, and African-American superhero characters would likely not resonate much. Wonder woman or Batgirl likewise would probably not have as an avid a following if they were both flat chested, and 40 pounds over their ideal weight. Imagine if Scarlett Johansen's character was played by Melissa McCarthy? I doubt this would help much at the box office.

harsha_hs · 2017-04-05T01:49:11+00:00

I saw Indian/Pakistani actor born and raised in UK complaining how the UK television is full of whites and no scope for other races and no diversity etc etc.

Well, he should realize he can't play either the role of Winston Churchill or role of countryside English man.

He'd be better off playing young Mahatma Gandhi in south Africa but that won't give him much movies or shows.

enkae7317 · 2017-04-05T07:36:50+00:00

The whole "diversity" and "racial representation" reeks of SJW stink. I understand making a female character because she's unique and interesting but changing your way of doing things to pander to one crowd isn't going to help you.

Truedemocracy2 · 2017-04-05T23:39:50+00:00

ESPN is learning this the hard way too. Part of me feels bad for Star Wars and comic fans. They have been loyal for decades despite being shat on for society. You younguns might not remember but Star Wars fans were basically a ridiculed group of pasty, white, sexless, virgin losers (or at least that's how they were branded). Comic book fans are similar

And what's their reward? Being betrayed by their brands. Even worse - they are labeled as racists and sexists and pushed aside as society now has deemed these pieces of media as cool and trendy

edwardhwhite · 2017-04-04T03:05:09+00:00

They were trying to expand their market. They over did it.

0xdada · 2017-04-04T14:04:34+00:00

Clearly you are all to young to remember Handyman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEaTFKG4IHs

Handyman is not the hero Marvel wants, but he's the hero it needs.

88Will88 · 2017-04-05T11:35:49+00:00

Originally Marvel and DC simply used female versions of male characters, in the same way ancient cultures used female versions of male first names (Edward - Edwina, Justin - Justina, Donald - Donna, Shaun - Shauna, Henry - Henrietta) . The comics used Shehulk, supergirl, Spiderwoman. Now they are going the same route as the movies with Mary Sue characters. It will not workas they have already found out. Pathetic.

selfsufficientnigga · 2017-04-06T03:36:55+00:00

lol, there was one page of these SJW'd comics making rounds here some time ago, where the female superhero is mentioning TheRedPill by name as bad guys. Can someone link it?

SouloftheVoid · 2017-04-06T19:14:55+00:00

The problem wasn't that the super heroes were black or female. We've had black super heroes for a while now: Luke Cage, Blade, Black Panther, and Storm to name a few. The problem was that they took existing super heroes who already had a race and a gender (always white and usually male) and changed at least one of those things to promote "diversity" or whatever social justice warrior bullshit so they could pander to feminazi cunts who don't even like comic books anyway, not that it stops them from complaining about them. So they take Thor, who has been in the public domain for centuries as a Norse god, and make him female!? How does that make any sort of sense?

At least existing black super heroes made sense: Luke Cage tries to clean up the ghetto, Black Panther and Storm are from Africa. These changes they made to the white super heroes were cringe-worthy.

cuntycuntcunts · 2017-04-04T07:31:21+00:00

Lol that shit is everywhere nowadays, if you want to put faggots in your media at least make new characters, the moment I saw penguin was made a faggot on gotham tv show I alt-f4ed to never watch it again, couple of days ago, burnt man of Legion had a gay husband and a fat black kid adopted, they gave them around %20 screen time just hugging and doing family shit. Why the fuck you show me fag life just to show me fags do have lives? Fuck it, not gonna watch it either.

Sawagurumi · 2017-04-04T19:07:46+00:00

apparently these Marvel folks who are so interested in social justice & minority/female incorporation

I think maybe there was something about the word 'minority' that they did not understand.

this_guy2001 · 2017-04-05T23:40:12+00:00

So then I guess this should answer some people's question as to why there is a need for BET.

nixon007 · 2017-04-04T16:55:05+00:00

I got some diverse character ideas for marvel.

PEPITO : the mexican man who morphed into a spicy pepper after a visit to Tacobell, rendering him into toxic mutation in the toilet.

or

WASABINA: a korean chick who mutated after eating a radioactive living squid filled with wasabi. Her tits would swell and spray out wasabi. god damn it, What the fuck did I just write:?

how about...

SUPER MUHAMED:..... I feel the bad vibes already, so ill just leave it there and say that would be based in Armageddon times.

I_Need_More_Space_ · 2017-04-04T03:49:04+00:00

Honestly, comics are lame. Most people that read them aren't Alpha. Every person I know who follows comics is not RP at all. They are usually very BP, and/or very socially awkward, and/or have shitty lives they want to escape.

I don't mean to attack anyone here for their interests, but immersing yourself in a culture of fiction that takes your money isn't living life to it's fullest. Who has a great, functional, exciting, multi-faceted life, and still has time to follow the shit comics put out? Nobody. You simply don't have time for fictional BS if you're living, growing, and making moves.

Again, no offense to y'all. But comics are just like video games. Its a wast of time and energy. And it serves as an escape for a shitty/boring life.

It makes sense that SJW's would target the weak.

solarcon6 · 2017-04-04T14:38:42+00:00

Nothing to do with TRP. Comics is popular culture. These guys are mirroring the zeitgeist of society which is intrinsically unstable. One day female heroines are on the rise, another day on decline... One could paraphrase George Soros - yet another cultural bubble of political corectness is coming to collapse, but nevermind.

Meanwhile Chad is fucking your LTR while you waste your time and money on comic books.

Title	"Marvel executive says emphasis on diversity may have alienated readers"
Author	mojo_juju
Upvotes	580
Comments	295
Date	April 3, 2017 10:21 PM UTC (9 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/TheRedPill
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/TheRedPill/comments/63a4em/marvel_executive_says_emphasis_on_diversity_may/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/TheRedPill/marvel-executive-says-emphasis-on-diversity-may.42395 https://theredarchive.com/post/42395

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