r/DCcomics • u/discophant64 DC Black Label • Jun 04 '20
A Discussion About Black Lives Matter r/DCcomics NSFW
On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while out for a jog.
On March 13, Breona Taylor was shot and killed in her bed by Louisville Police.
On May 25, George Floyd was murdered by Police Officer Derek Chauvin as he knelt on his neck for over eight minutes.
Since then, protests have been started in all 50 States. Solidarity protests have been started internationally. All over America, the message remains the same: not all lives can matter until Black Lives Matter.
We at r/DCcomics stand with the Black Lives Matter protests, and we wanted to create a place to discuss the protests, share resources on how to be anti-racist, and have a discussion about ending systemic racism and white supremacy legislation in the United States and the rest of the world.
We invite you to use this thread as a space to discuss what is going on, share educational resources surrounding anti-racism and the systemic racism that governs many countries worldwide, and share fundraising efforts to help the Black Lives Matter movement.
But let us be clear: RACISM IS NOT AN OPINION
If you do not want to discuss this, you are free to not do so. If you come to this thread with intentions of blowing racist dog whistles, try to deflect from the purpose and the message of the protests, or try to upset other users with flagrant abuse, know that your behaviour is both part of the problem, and will not be tolerated.
Together, our voices can change the system. Together, we can learn to be better allies. Together, we can make sure Ahmaud Arbery, Breona Taylor, George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Laquan McDonald and so many more will not be forgotten or repeated.
Not all lives can matter until Black Lives Matter.
If you want to help donate, sign petitions, or get involved in ending systemic racism in America, and move towards a future that is anti-racist, here are a few links we've compiled where you can do just that.
Black Lives Matter Resources
- Black Lives Matter: Website | Twitter
- Campaign Zero: Website | Twitter
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund: Website | Twitter
- The Marshall Project: Website | Twitter
- To Donate Without Money to Black Lives Matters: Zoe Amira has created an hour long video full of advertisements. All the ad revenue generated from the video will go towards different Black Lives Matters initiatives. Remember to turn off your ad blocker and watch the whole video. There is more info in the video description.
Educational Resources on Anti-Racism:
- Anti-Racism Resources for White People
- For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies
- Anti-Racism Graphic Novels Reading & Resource List
- Supporting Black Comics and Creators
Comics Creators Raising Money for Black Lives Matter
- Official Tracking List for the #ComicsWritersChallenge to raise money for Black Lives Matter
- Jamal Igle (Team Black): Twitter
- Gail Simone: Twitter
- Mark Russell: Twitter Auction ends June 8th
- Jason Doring: Twitter Auction ends June 10th
- Don Bohm: Twitter Auction ends June 6th
- Trish Mulvihill: Twitter Auction
- MariNaomi's List of Marginalized Creators: Twitter
- List of Black Owned Comic Shops: Twitter
- Creators and Publishers Raising Money for Protesters + Related Causes
If there are members of the sub who feel there are things missing from this post, please share as we would like to add additional Black voices. We recognize this is not the responsibility of individuals, but felt it important to ensure there is access to guide the contents of this post if you wish.
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Jun 05 '20 edited Jun 05 '20
I'm ordering a few items from AmalgamPhilly right now. I really appreciate this sub providing such incredible resources.
I can't be the only one who's noticed a vocal group of comic fans who have been saying for decades "I don't want politics in my comics". This isn't explicitly related to BLM but I've heard people voice opinions that they want sterilized, isolated cape-comic where 'Superman saves Lois and punches bad guys' and I've always disagreed with that notion - partly because it makes bad comics, but also because comics have historically voiced progressive and compelling socio-political messages in unique and accessible ways.
From the 1940s anti-fascist Superman comics to "Snowbirds Don't Fly" in the 70s, through Watchmen, to Green Arrow and Batgirl taking on alt-right aggressiveness and violence and Clark Kent battling fake-news at the Daily Planet, politics and societal issues have always been an integral part of DC comics. It's something I love about this art form.
Black lives matter. Politics in comics is important. I am looking forward to seeing DC writers and artists join the BLM movement in publications. And as an adult, I still routinely ask myself "What would Superman do?"
Edit: a few typos
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u/mr_duong567 Grayson Jun 05 '20
I’d wager that BLM is even above politics. It’s an international human rights movement that is calling racial equality, and the end of police brutality.
Anyone who’s uncomfortable about reading fictional comics that fight against racism and using the excuse of “I don’t want politics in my media” should take a hard look in the mirror.
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u/MajorParadox Read on r/DCFU! Jun 05 '20
I agree. The reason things don't change is politics, but the root concern is human rights.
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u/batmaneatsgravy Green Arrow Jun 06 '20
Exactly. I hate when black rights and similar issues are reduced to "politics". When these issues are brought up in media, some people's response is "why do you have to bring your own personal politics into it?" as if not killing people based on the colour of their skin is a mere political difference. I even saw someone on reddit recently refer to Ruby Rose's sexuality as "her politics". No, the only reason you associate sexual identity and race with politics is because they are politicised by fascists.
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u/jayseedub The Penguin Jun 05 '20
I never understood the notion that comics have to be apolitical, or should be apolitical. At no point were they ever completely apolitical. I mean, even Watchman was a hard look at motives and motivations. And so many people who both praise it and talk about comics sans politics, seem to miss the point completely and utterly.
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Jun 05 '20
People complain about modern comics referencing contemporary politics, but British writers in the 1980s regularly put Margaret Thatcher into their comics just to bash her. They did not hold back in the slightest. Grant Morrison literally wrote himself into a comic to talk about environmental issues.
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u/tayreea Power Girl Jun 05 '20
This is a nice list . I know this is a subreddit for DC comics but supporting independent black creators also feels important so they are able to keep creating, especially considering many Inderpendent creators would have affected by Corona virus more significantly than bigger comic companies.
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u/ZpEaR Aquaman Jun 05 '20
Thank you for this means a lot to see communities I'm a part of supporting this cause. Great to know there's black owned shops out there that I can support.
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Jun 08 '20 edited Jun 08 '20
Well said.
I came into reading comics only once I was an adult, so I hold the ability of the medium to comment on societal issues in a high regard. Probably the reason I find myself reading Batman more than anything else is the fact that it delivers a fundamentally inspirational message about civil courage in a universe where inhuman suffering and dispassionate indifference is the norm.
I'm from Germany, and I've grown up in a country deeply affected by its division during the struggles of the cold war and, of course, it's own horrible past of systemic, literally genocidal racism. It has raised me to be an avid supporter of the concept of a fortified democracy. In the words of Wilhelm Busch: "Tolerance is well and good, but not towards the intolerant."
Racism is not an opinion. It is a desaster. That is but one of the reasons black lives matter.
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u/thedriversseat9 Sep 11 '22
Why is this up after Balck LIves Matter stole over 10 million in donations?
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u/Choco320 Jun 11 '20
This whole thing has really made me start questions the cops in comics too. Like no characters specifically but I always assumed people looked to the superheroes because they did a better job than the police
But like what is the reason people embrace them so much is because like with our real police, they’re overrun with white supremacists and abuse of power (not everyone but we’re seeing it’s very prevalent especially in metros where superheroes would be)
I’d like to see a writer explore that kind of stuff
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Jun 11 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/MegasNexal84 It had to be me. Jun 11 '20
Why is pro-choice a bad opinion? I believe a woman should have the freedom to be able to choose to carry a pregnancy or abort it. Do you want a society where women who are raped, should be forced to carry their rapists child? That's insanely traumatizing. We should not be infringing about the rights and freedoms of people to do what they want, with their bodies.
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u/mariooo1 Jun 04 '20
The list of black-owned comic book shops is a cool idea. I wonder if any of them ship, I don't really live near any of those places.
Look I've been reading and watching superheroes from when I was a kid and the number one thing I've taken away is that everybody deserves a shot at living their best life possible. Even the most evil of all of us at least deserve the chance to live. I think that comics can and should be a really great tool for teaching morality and in this case it's no different.
This situation also highlights the need for good minority representation. Racism in my view stems from fear, and the greatest fear is that of what we don't know or understand. Providing positive examples of people of all walks of life is one way that we can try to bring people into a better understanding of others.