In the Comic book industry there are often complaints about the lack of diversity in between the panels of the funny books. And the result is publishers usually creating “Black” characters to fill the void in the seemingly all-White world of Comics. Unfortunately the result of creating these “Black” characters is usually an ancillary token character most readers of any race don’t relate to or identify with outside of the color of their skin. Walking, talking stereotypes or underdeveloped supporting characters that get next to no direction and really don’t grow past a certain point. Characters whose dialogue can be exchanged with another Black character and they could say the exact same thing.
However, when a
writer and creator like myself creates a character who is Black we see the
content of their character. That allows the reader to have a richer more
multi-dimensional reading experience as they develop and evolve in a story.
What’s the difference between creating a Black character and
a character who is Black? A big one in the creative process for writers like
myself. When a writer is creating a character who is Black there is more of a
focus on the content of their internal character traits than the color of their
skin. A writer focuses more on personality, “voice” and the internal components
of the character more than the race of the character.
And when these internal components of the character are
pushed to the forefront readers relate to and identify with a character on a
personal level. And instead of race, they start seeing people they can connect
with and experiences that are just like theirs. From my experience seeing
characters from this perspective has a direct impact on the story and how it’s
told.
I started writing using this technique with a screenplay I
wrote called All About Marilyn in 2007. And as I applied this technique I saw a
significant change in how I was telling the story. As I focused more on the internal
content of Marilyn Marie’s character her “voice” was a lot stronger than that
of previous Black characters I’d created and the character had a lot more depth
and dimension.
Because of the focus on the content of Marilyn’s character
readers were drawn in and became more immersed in the story than previous
stories I had written. Literary elements like irony, foreshadowing and
symbolism became a lot clearer for the reader to see and the story being told
was a lot clearer for the reader to see. The end result was a richer, more
multi-dimensional reading experience. When I published the All About Marilyn
paperback in 2009 readers of all races were able to relate to and identify with
her story and connect with her on a human level.
Over the years I refined this writing technique on fantasy
novels such as The Temptation of John Haynes, contemporary novels such as The Thetas and the books in the modern Isis series. In every book the result was a
richer reading experience for readers where readers saw Black characters as
people, not their skin colors.
Just recently when I used this technique on Isis :Wrath of the Cybergoddess I found myself so immersed in the story that the characters
came to life as I wrote them! “voices” of the characters were strong, and the
action scenes practically wrote itself. And instead of it being a story with
“Black” Characters it became a story about people.
When a writer writes a story seeing characters as Black they
aren’t watering down their creative process. Yes, a writer is still talking
about Black issues and Black culture in the characters’ adventures. But the
primary focus is telling a characters’ individual story not telling the story
of the entire Black race. So the pressure is OFF the writer or creator in
making a Black character that represents ALL Black people to the world. They
can just tell their stories without thinking it is going to be THE story of the
Black experience or THE character that represents all Black people, but one of
many stories about Black people and the many Black cultures in America.
The big problem with creating just “Black” characters is that
they are designed to represent one monolithic view of Black people and Black
culture. And oftentimes due to a nonblack creator having limited experiences
with Black people the result is a very underdeveloped character that comes from
a very general view of Black culture. That really limits diversity when it
comes to story. There are many unique and different experiences and stories
that never get any exposure in this model, and that prevents readers from
getting the diversity that will give them a broader perspective on the Black
culture and the Black experience.
But when a writer or creator like myself designs characters
that are Black they get that broader perspective on Black culture and the Black
experience. Readers get to see a diverse world of Black people who share
different views and different perspectives. That diversity gives them an
insight into how others see the world.
When I apply this process to my character creation and
character development the result usually are balanced humanized characters that
have a lot more depth and dimension than a traditional Black character. Characters
that are Black evolve into people the reader wants to be their best friend or
their girlfriend. Readers form relationships with people they like and care
about and they want to spend more time with them when they read my books. Some
even ponder if that character will be back for another story!
With African-American characters I find there’s a desperate
need for balance in their creation and design in the comic book and fantasy
industry. When a writer or creator like myself focuses more on the content of a
character’s internal character traits rather than the color of their skin it allows
readers to see them as people instead of stereotype caricatures. From the
different viewpoints the characters express the reader gets to experience true
diversity that flows organically into a universe and makes the stories in that
world all that more richer.
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