(Not So) Funny Books: Native Americans in Comic Books

Synopsis Native American characters have been misrepresented in many genre and media forms How do we evaluate the level of stereotypes used? Universal standard to determine stereotype? Character eval is subjective, at best Broad categories to help make determinations about potential misrepresentation. Explore these criteria and examples that conform –fully or in part – or resist such stereotypes.

Native American characters have been misrepresented in many genre and media forms

How do we evaluate the level of stereotypes used?

Universal standard to determine stereotype?

Character eval is subjective, at best

Broad categories to help make determinations about potential misrepresentation.

Explore these criteria and examples that conform –fully or in part – or resist such stereotypes.

Overview Early love of Comics / pop culture Academic credentials Cultural Affinity Various Stereotypes Comic Utopia For more “411”… Q&A

Early love of Comics / pop culture

Academic credentials

Cultural Affinity

Various Stereotypes

Comic Utopia

For more “411”…

Q&A

Love of Comics Why comics? Farmboys need comics, too…

Why comics?

Farmboys need comics, too…

BA Native American Studies, OU BA Film Studies, OU MFA 3D Modeling, AAU (popular media) Academic credentials

BA Native American Studies, OU

BA Film Studies, OU

MFA 3D Modeling, AAU (popular media)

Cultural Affinity Indigenous - Caddo Participation / Appointments Business Goals

Indigenous - Caddo

Participation / Appointments

Business Goals

Why Use Criteria? Comics medium is far-ranging Has many similarities in other media Stereotypes various/numerous, specific need to break into categories Offers a way to form personal opinion, used as a foundation

Comics medium is far-ranging

Has many similarities in other media

Stereotypes various/numerous, specific need to break into categories

Offers a way to form personal opinion, used as a foundation

Stedman Source Text Shadows of the Indian: Stereotypes in American Outlines stereotypes in many media forms Provides specific questions to ask

Shadows of the Indian: Stereotypes in American

Outlines stereotypes in many media forms

Provides specific questions to ask

Stedman Criteria Is the vocabulary demeaning? Do the Indians Talk Like Tonto? Do the Indians Belong to the Feather-Bonnet Tribe? Are Comic Interludes Built Upon Firewater and Stupidity? Are the Indians Portrayed as an Extinct Species? Are the Indians either Noble or Savage? Is the Tone Patronizing? Is Indian Humanness Recognized?

Is the vocabulary demeaning?

Do the Indians Talk Like Tonto?

Do the Indians Belong to the Feather-Bonnet Tribe?

Are Comic Interludes Built Upon Firewater and Stupidity?

Are the Indians Portrayed as an Extinct Species?

Are the Indians either Noble or Savage?

Is the Tone Patronizing?

Is Indian Humanness Recognized?

Is the vocabulary demeaning? Are terms such as redskin , savage , squaw , brave used ? Many “normal” people find these terms acceptable. Negative associated with such terms Sometimes used to demo villainy Problem? Using such descriptions severely limit Indigenous portrayal. redskin savage squaw brave wagon burner Injun Papoose chief

Are terms such as redskin , savage , squaw , brave used ?

Many “normal” people find these terms acceptable.

Negative associated with such terms

Sometimes used to demo villainy

Problem? Using such descriptions severely limit Indigenous portrayal.

Specific supporting examples. White Indian Redskin Older comics Any comic with Tonto…

White Indian

Redskin

Older comics

Any comic with Tonto…

Opposing Examples X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force (new) Lone Ranger & Tonto Chickasaw Adventures Peace Party

X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force

(new) Lone Ranger & Tonto

Chickasaw Adventures

Peace Party

Do the Indians Talk Like Tonto? Tonto-talk limits Indigenous characters Makes them appear less intelligent than Anglo characters Stedman: “ The old-time Indian talk is wrong, dead wrong. Someday even writers for the popular media will realize that fact. Someday.”

Tonto-talk limits Indigenous characters

Makes them appear less intelligent than Anglo characters

Stedman:

“ The old-time Indian talk is wrong, dead wrong. Someday even writers for the popular media will realize that fact. Someday.”

Specific examples. Tonto Red Ryder’s Little Beaver Big Chief Wahoo

Tonto

Red Ryder’s Little Beaver

Big Chief Wahoo

Opposing Examples Scout Forge Dani Moonstar Portal

Scout

Forge

Dani Moonstar

Portal

Do the Indians Belong to the Feather-Bonnet Tribe? Indigenous = cultural diversity. Pop culture media adopted a Pan-Indian look. Mass media “fostered the idea that Indians have one ethnic, national, and linguistic identity…all Indians look, think, and talk alike.” Indigenous people are more diverse from than we are similar. May share some cultural similarities; no two tribal nations are exactly the same. Comic books readers may think we all dress alike. Popular media insists that we should look “Indian” enough.

Indigenous = cultural diversity.

Pop culture media adopted a Pan-Indian look.

Mass media “fostered the idea that Indians have one ethnic, national, and linguistic identity…all Indians look, think, and talk alike.”

Indigenous people are more diverse from than we are similar.

May share some cultural similarities; no two tribal nations are exactly the same.

Comic books readers may think we all dress alike.

Popular media insists that we should look “Indian” enough.

Specific examples. Turok American Eagle White Indian Red Ryder Chief Man-of-Bats On and on…

Turok

American Eagle

White Indian

Red Ryder

Chief Man-of-Bats

On and on…

Opposing Examples Street Wolf Forge Portal Dani Moonstar (recently) Warpath (recently)

Street Wolf

Forge

Portal

Dani Moonstar (recently)

Warpath (recently)

Are Comic Interludes Built Upon Firewater and Stupidity? Portrays Indigenous people as drunkards, stupid, or just stupid drunks. Stedman: “he is either the drunken fool or the sober dolt.” Similar to “jungle” comics - restless natives waiting for a white savior. Examples: Red Ryder’s Little Beaver and The Lone Ranger’s Tonto.

Portrays Indigenous people as drunkards, stupid, or just stupid drunks.

Stedman: “he is either the drunken fool or the sober dolt.”

Similar to “jungle” comics - restless natives waiting for a white savior.

Examples: Red Ryder’s Little Beaver and The Lone Ranger’s Tonto.

Specific examples. Chief Man-of-Bats Disney Comics

Chief Man-of-Bats

Disney Comics

Opposing Examples X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force Street Wolf Shaman’s Tears Shaman / Talisman

X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force

Street Wolf

Shaman’s Tears

Shaman / Talisman

Are the Indians Portrayed as an Extinct Species? One of the biggest problems in all media. Existing only in the past exclusively is a recurrent theme. Also found in many ‘info’ books, that focus on the traditional aspects, leaving out modern-day. Problem? Indigenous people exist in modern times / continuance is one of our most valuable commodities.

One of the biggest problems in all media.

Existing only in the past exclusively is a recurrent theme.

Also found in many ‘info’ books, that focus on the traditional aspects, leaving out modern-day.

Problem? Indigenous people exist in modern times / continuance is one of our most valuable commodities.

Specific examples. Turok Pow Wow Smith Tonto Red Wolf Browser and Sequoia … and on.

Turok

Pow Wow Smith

Tonto

Red Wolf

Browser and Sequoia

… and on.

Opposing Examples Kagi: The Raven Street Wolf X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force Dawnstar

Kagi: The Raven

Street Wolf

X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force

Dawnstar

Are the Indians either Noble or Savage? Dichotomy has pervaded for several years “ An Indian too good to be true or too bad to be believed? Suspect shallow research and narrow viewpoint -- especially if those feather bonnets are in view.” Comic books do this less frequently than in past Problem: Makes character seem ill-developed when they are either too noble or savage

Dichotomy has pervaded for several years

“ An Indian too good to be true or too bad to be believed? Suspect shallow research and narrow viewpoint -- especially if those feather bonnets are in view.”

Comic books do this less frequently than in past

Problem: Makes character seem ill-developed when they are either too noble or savage

Specific examples. Tonto Indian Warriors White Indian Straight Arrow Many early comic books

Tonto

Indian Warriors

White Indian

Straight Arrow

Many early comic books

Opposing Examples The Butcher Street Wolf Pow Wow Smith

The Butcher

Street Wolf

Pow Wow Smith

Is the Tone Patronizing? Similar to derogatory terms, yet more subtle Problem: patronizing tone can be just as harmful as overtly negative imagery.

Similar to derogatory terms, yet more subtle

Problem: patronizing tone can be just as harmful as overtly negative imagery.

Specific examples. Scalphunter Disney Comics Presents Johnny Cloud

Scalphunter

Disney Comics Presents

Johnny Cloud

Opposing Examples Street Wolf Scout Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Street Wolf

Scout

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Is Indian Humanness Recognized? “ In sum, are [Indigenous people] seen in something resembling full dimension?” a.k.a., “humanity” One of the most important elements of the criteria A recurring problem in comic books Main focus for this book Indigenous people are human and real. Problem: Indigenous must be seen as “real” people and not just caricatures

“ In sum, are [Indigenous people] seen in something resembling full dimension?”

a.k.a., “humanity”

One of the most important elements of the criteria

A recurring problem in comic books

Main focus for this book

Indigenous people are human and real.

Problem: Indigenous must be seen as “real” people and not just caricatures

Specific examples. Almost every comic book with Native American characters

Almost every comic book with Native American characters

Opposing Examples Shaman’s Tears Scout Muktuk Wolfsbreath Tomahawk (Vertigo) Darkness Calls Lone Ranger & Tonto (Topps) Echo X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force … and more

Shaman’s Tears

Scout

Muktuk Wolfsbreath

Tomahawk (Vertigo)

Darkness Calls

Lone Ranger & Tonto (Topps)

Echo

X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force

… and more

Various Stereotypes White Indians & Wannabes “ Half-breed” Sidekicks and Helper Monkeys Mystical Shaman Expert Tracker / Hunters / Sharpshooters / etc. Extinction Factor Perpetual Warriors Female characters as Sexpots

White Indians & Wannabes

“ Half-breed”

Sidekicks and Helper Monkeys

Mystical Shaman

Expert Tracker / Hunters / Sharpshooters / etc.

Extinction Factor

Perpetual Warriors

Female characters as Sexpots

Comic Utopia: What Can Be Done? Personal Goals Native driven media Future Needs More creative control (complete) Call to action Get involved

Personal Goals

Native driven media

Future Needs

More creative control (complete)

Call to action

Get involved

For more “411”… Comics themselves Cornell Pewewardy: American Indian Stereotypes in the World of Children Raymond William Stedman: Shadows of the Indian William Savage, Jr.: Commies, Cowboys, and Jungle Queens Bradford Wright: Comic Book Nation Jacqueline Kilpatrick: Celluloid Indian Overstreet The DC and Marvel Encyclopedias The Web Blue Corn Comics The Grand Comic Book Data Base Michigan State University Libraries – Comic Art Collection, Special Collections Division The Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe eBay Wikipedia Comic Book Resources (CBR) Marvel Universe: the Official Marvel Wiki

Comics themselves

Cornell Pewewardy: American Indian Stereotypes in the World of Children

Raymond William Stedman: Shadows of the Indian

William Savage, Jr.: Commies, Cowboys, and Jungle Queens

Bradford Wright: Comic Book Nation

Jacqueline Kilpatrick: Celluloid Indian

Overstreet

The DC and Marvel Encyclopedias

The Web

Blue Corn Comics

The Grand Comic Book Data Base

Michigan State University Libraries – Comic Art Collection, Special Collections Division

The Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe

eBay

Wikipedia

Comic Book Resources (CBR)

Marvel Universe: the Official Marvel Wiki

Q&A Go for it.

Go for it.