You OK with the Human Torch being black?

You OK with the Human Torch being black?

Why not an orange HULK then? Well then make the jump and see if your at least consistent.

Editorial Opinion
By VIRILEMAN - Jan 27, 2015 07:01 AM EST
Filed Under: Comics

You ok with Fox casting a black actor to play a white comic book character? Why do some people care? Is it because they're racist? Well then let me ask you, should it matter if the HULK is green in the next Avengers movie? Does it matter if Martian ManHunter is blue in the JLA movie? Why can't they go with blue or orange? Is it because the HULK and J'onn aren't blue or orange and to change their color would create a disconnect between the movie and comic counter-part?

If you can really say you're ok with changing a characters' race from page to film then you have to be ok with casting the next Blade as a white male, or the next Batman as an asian.

Wait, why stop there? If my only argument is making the character look as much like the comic book counter-part as possible what about other contributing factors like body type and gender? 

Are you ok with casting a 300 pound man to play the next Spider-Man? Why? Because a 300 pound man in a Spidey suit would look nothing like the character from the comics? Do you hate fat people or something? Or how about casting a 98 pound skinny guy to play Wilson Fist the Kingpin in a new DareDevil movie? You have something against skinny people?

How about changing Tony Stark into a woman in the third Avengers? Why not? I know some women named Toni. If you're against that idea you must be sexist right?

Ok. I'm sure you get the idea. My point is comics are a very visual media. We see the character every time we read a comic. Unlike books, comics SHOW us EXACTLY what the character looks like month after month, year after year. For more than 50 years I've seen the Human Torch every time I pick up a Fantastic Four comic. I know what he looks like. So when I'm givin a fat Spider-Man, skinny Wilson Fisk, asian Bruce Wayne, or a female Tony (Toni?) Stark I don't feel like I'm seeing the same character I've been reading for decades. We get so excited for these films because we want to see the characters we all grew up with.

And you know what? Hollywood agrees with me 99.9 percent of the time. They cast a black actor to play Falcon. They cast a black actor to play Blade. They cast a black actor to play Warmachine. They cast a white actor to play Superman, Batman, Wolverine, and Spider-Man. I'm Native American and I'm glad they didn't cast a Native American to play my favorite superhero, Spider-Man. You know why? BECAUSE PETER PARKER ISN'T NATIVE AMERICAN.

The end.

Alright. I'm sure this is going to blow up in the comment section. Just remember, "if you're ok with a black Johnny Storm, making the HULK blue or Spidey fat isn't bad form."

And for the record, if someone is out there that is ok changing the color, race, and/or body type of a comic book character you have loved then more power to you. But I don't want to here a thing from someone that is ok changing one and not the other. At least be consistant. Either you want the character to look like the comic book character, or it doesn't matter to you.

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SoFresh
SoFresh - 1/27/2015, 12:12 PM
I'm black myself, mixed-race actually, I personally don't believe that a characters race should be changed.

I love it when people say what if there was no one else out there as good as that person that was cast(in this case MBJ).

Well I say to you Henry Cavill, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, RDJ(I know he's little shorter than comics Tony Stark) and even Ben Affleck(we still don't know if his performance will be any good but the dude looks just like Bruce in the comics all the way to the massive chiseled chin).

When I watch the movies I wanna see the characters pop out of the comics.

This trend is for all matters and purposes for "diversity" which is bullshit, gives actual diverse characters and stop changing old ones for the sake of "diversity".

I like what Marvel is doing with Black Panther and DC with Cyborg.
McGee
McGee - 1/27/2015, 12:20 PM
Minty
Minty - 1/27/2015, 12:22 PM
Stahp.

tonytony
tonytony - 1/27/2015, 12:38 PM
of all the things to moan about.anyway I dont mind as long as its good. But I see your point.
Wannabe
Wannabe - 1/27/2015, 12:52 PM
I'm not trolling again for a while. That shit is taxing. Not sure how Jollem and jcameron do it.
Pasto
Pasto - 1/27/2015, 1:03 PM
I see your point. But I won't verbally say I agree with you, because if this flammable thread catches people's attention, you'll be labeled a racist.
DannRamm113
DannRamm113 - 1/27/2015, 1:08 PM
Well, from white to black, to race, body type, and gender differences..

MarkyMarkRises
MarkyMarkRises - 1/27/2015, 1:12 PM
this sounds a lot like "if being gay is now legal, then does this mean pedophila is now protected by law?"

but whatever, I didn't take you seriously anyways
MarkyMarkRises
MarkyMarkRises - 1/27/2015, 1:15 PM
By the way, I was in no way suggesting that a race change in a fictional universe has the same gravity as the issue of pedophila real life; thought that was a given, but some people just want to fight over anything
MarkyMarkRises
MarkyMarkRises - 1/27/2015, 1:17 PM
I don't really know what I'm saying, I'm kind of drunk.
XMenMarvelFan
XMenMarvelFan - 1/27/2015, 1:18 PM
If Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Wolverine, etc were all black it would not make me upset. Hell I am black but the reason I LOVE those characters.

Has NOTHING to do with their skin color it's because, they are well written and developed characters with incredible supporting cast members.
tokens
tokens - 1/27/2015, 1:26 PM
*rubs temples so hard, fingers pierce into head and squish eyeballs*




....i dont care.


..i do not.. Care.

this is 20.. f*cking... 15.



there is alot more in this world to be concerned about than the pigment on someones skin and if it pleases you.


get a girlfriend.
do her.
go to work.
do it well.
go home, enjoy the a/c.
enjoy the 5 inch computer in your pocket
BECAUSE IT IS LIKE A F*CKING MAGICAL THING!



.....i swear ... some of you.

i just... *sigh*






sometimes i dont want to live on this planet anymore.
MercwithMouth
MercwithMouth - 1/27/2015, 1:40 PM
Race only matters if it changes the history of a character, making it unrealistic.

Magneto - Jewish concentration camp victim (Must remain intact)
Black Panther - African Prince then King (must remain intact)
Captain America - WWII Hero, but can be a grey area (maybe can be changed)
Heimdall - Norse mythology's "Whitest of All Gods" (must remain intact...whoops...)

There have been a ridiculous amount of race-swapping in CBMs over the years. None of them make any real difference.

Ra's al Ghul
Bane
Wonder Woman
Aquaman
Catwoman
Heimdall
Johnny Storm

You know the funny part? NONE OF IT MATTERS!!! They have not changed a character's race where their race plays an integral role in who they are. It's just a [frick]ing colour.

Welcome to 2015 dickhead.
AreTudaEDub
AreTudaEDub - 1/27/2015, 1:48 PM
@Dandy. In agree 100%. In the flash show it works a little the same way. I just hate pandering.
SauronsBANE
SauronsBANE - 1/27/2015, 1:58 PM
Actually, more than two: how about you try and do some research, educate yourself, gain some perspective, and stop being willfully ignorant. That's my advice to you. It's not hard, it just takes a little legwork. You can at least try to be a decent human being, or you can wallow in ignorance. Based on this, though...well, you're a little behind the eight ball already.
LEVITIKUZ
LEVITIKUZ - 1/27/2015, 2:01 PM
I'm ok with Torch being black the same reason I'm ok with MCD's Kingpin, Bale playing Moses, and some race changes in Hollywood.

If a good actor is playing the part and captures the spirit of the character, I'm ok with race change.

Michael B Jordan can nail it. Samuel L Jackson was good as Perry White. Lawrence Fishburne has done a great job as Nick Fury. Bale did a good job as Moses. So on and so forth.

Race doesn't matter to me. If they were forcing the entire FF to be black, I would start to wonder why go that direction but the fact it's Johnny makes me ok with it because Michael B Jordan can play Johnny Storm.
alamborn19
alamborn19 - 1/27/2015, 2:26 PM
I'm okay with black Johnny Storm I just don't see why they have a white actress playing his sister it's kinda wierd.
Odin
Odin - 1/27/2015, 2:29 PM
There is no universal rule in this matter, every case is individual. In case of of Human Torch, the race has no affect the character or his ark at all, his normal look isn't iconic at all (it's when he is flaming that's the iconic) or did anyone complain when Chris Evans had wrong hair color when potraing the character (with some characters, like Superman, even that matters but not with Johnny Storm) the character's story ark doesn't have anything that would make his race matter (unlike Black Panther for example, who happens to be African King). The Only problem is that they didn't change Sue, which seems weird at this point, but with good story telling they can make it work. Also, didn't you already do like two articles about this matter.

@LEVITIKUZ You did that on purpose, didn't you.
Jaffi
Jaffi - 1/27/2015, 2:32 PM
I have mixed feelings about MBJ's Torch, but not for any of these reasons. This article doesn't say anything except "I'm a fanboy and Human Torch isn't black in the comics so he can never be black". Completely useless.
BeyondtheFuture
BeyondtheFuture - 1/27/2015, 2:38 PM
@VIRILEMAN I actually kind of agree you. Kind of. In all honesty I'm willing to accept this one, maybe because I'm not as invested in the character. But if they change the race of batman, superman or captain america I think i'd care more. Does that make me racist? I don't think so but I guess it means I fail your test haha.
I think the problem is when people accept changes like this but complain about tiger lilly, moses, and so called "white-washing" movies.
Imagine the uproar if Black Panther had been cast as a white guy. Then the argument is well there are more roles for white actors than black. To that I say doesn't that
show a problem with diversity in the comic book industry or are studios not willing to make movies about black superheroes without changing the race of already commercialized characters. Obviously Marvel and DC are now planning to but it's taken them a damn long time to take that step forward hasn't it?
Anyway I'm with you.
RextheKing
RextheKing - 1/27/2015, 2:44 PM
Okay get what you are getting at but the Hulk being blue or orange analogy doesn't work. While it is true changes in race also mean change in color, making the hulk blue is not a race change just a color change. I get you about seeing a character you've grown up with always looking a particular way, then seeing a live action version shit(for a lack of a better phrase at the moment) on that image, making you upset but what come first is the character's personality, not his/her race. Unless keeping a character the correct race is essential to the characters backstory, origin, personality, etc. then race should not matter that much.

Now even with this said I'm not to keen with their decision to make Johnny black. Before I continue, I am a black man, before you accuss me of being racist; If during the casting process Michael b. Jordan was the absolute best choice to play Johnny in their opinion then there is absolutely nothing wrong with his casting, but is this the case? If I remember right there were some white actors up for the part so it may be true, but I just have a feeling he was cast in attempt to please the black community, but in reality all they did was take all the work and effort put into creating a character and slapping a different race on it... That is only if I'm right about my suspicions.
BeyondtheFuture
BeyondtheFuture - 1/27/2015, 2:49 PM
@rextheking I'm guessing Michael b. Jordan was cast because Josh Trank worked with him in Chronicle and in chronicle he had a lot of Johnny Storms' attributes didn't he? Michael b. Jordan, ignoring race, is perfect casting for Johnny Storm, when you watch him in Chronicle. I suspect he was always Tranks first choice for Johnny.
Saga
Saga - 1/27/2015, 2:50 PM
Two words: FICTIONAL characters.
LehnsienZad
LehnsienZad - 1/27/2015, 2:51 PM
Cuba Gooding Jr is the Human Torch?? when>?
kong
kong - 1/27/2015, 4:17 PM
Have you ever posted an article not about race changes? And stop using the Orange Hulk thing. They already have 1,000,000 different Hulks with different colors. Who gives two shit.
kong
kong - 1/27/2015, 4:20 PM
@BeyondtheFuture

You're right on the money. That's what Trank's said in the Collider interview. And his character in Chronicle is basically Johnny Storm. At least what he probably was like in high school.
Ocelot
Ocelot - 1/27/2015, 4:21 PM
Any fictional character can be changed. Regardless of whether or not their race matters or not. You simply alter the story and character to suit the new way you want to tell it and palm it off as a reimagining. Doesn't mean it should happen, doesn't mean it's right but it can happen if a writer or someone wanted it to as these characters are fictional. They can all be changed.
SnapperCarr
SnapperCarr - 1/27/2015, 4:27 PM
If they went black Johnny Storm, they should have gone all the way. Make Sue black too. Otherwise you're complicating the story just because you can.
DrKinsolving
DrKinsolving - 1/27/2015, 5:43 PM
The Thing is still the right color, and the Human Torch still looks like the Human Torch when he's on fire....

A better argument would be to make Bruce Banner african american or asian. And this is Fox, they have always messed with the interpretations of their characters in their CBM's....

I'm fine with it, this isn't the Fantastic 4 but hopefully it's a good movie

TheOverlord
TheOverlord - 1/27/2015, 6:03 PM
Yes, I'm ok with it. They made Nick Fury black, and that turned out just fine. It honestly isn't key to this character, and I think MBJ is a great actor.

However, this movie still looks like shit.
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