EDITORIAL: Is the World Ready for Laurence Fishburne As Perry White?

EDITORIAL: Is the World Ready for Laurence Fishburne As Perry White?

There are many changes to our favorite comic book characters and stories once they hit the big screen but nothing brings out the hate better then changing the skin color of known characters. Spider-Man (although it's not Peter Parker) and Heimdall are prime examples. So is the world ready for a black Perry White?

Editorial Opinion
By Oxion - May 21, 2012 10:05 AM EST
Filed Under: Man of Steel
Source: Comic Book Movie

There's a storm coming. We all know it to be true. Once The Amazing Spider-Man passes and The Dark Knight Rises is done, the next big CBM will be Zack Snyder's Man of Steel. Like many CBM's, drastic changes are being made to the origin story (Kal-El supposed Prince of Krypton), suit, characters, etc. However, the biggest will probably be the casting of Laurence Fishburne as Perry White. Now we know how race can turn everyone into emotional wrecks and very few people present a logical argument in these cases. One example would be Thor's Heimdall can't be black because he is the "White God". That one made me laugh because no one has clarified what that meant but I highly doubt it was referring to his skin color seeing how all the gods are white. Then the ever famous "what if a black character was white". That one shouldn't require explanation but for those who need one, the goal isn't to create MORE white character's because they already dominate the comic book world. There are those who do have valid and non-hateful arguments who just have legit concerns. Staying "faithful" to the comics (whatever that means these days) is one that we can all get behind. Another would be trying to figure out the real purpose behind such changes. Even with this, we have seen that such change can work out very well. I never knew or cared who Heimdall was before Thor so changing his skin color didn't have much effect on me but many people actually prefer this version. A personal favorite is John Stewart as Green Lantern in the Justice League animated series, who I believe is much better than Hal Jordan who just seems to be "there". Diversity in comics, comic book movies and animated tv shows is a great thing but I for one can't stand black characters picking up the scraps of another when there are badass black characters out there already. The Perry White change leaves me with some concern since he is a very well known character. I hate token characters (Cyborg in Justice League, really?) I honestly can't think of an actor(white or not) who could portray Perry in the upcoming film but this is a bit much to swallow.

So the question I want to ask the fanboys/girls(before the white supremisists try to boycott this film too)is what's more important to you: Staying "faithful" to the comics, Casting an actor who can play the part, or does it not matter so long as the film is good? Until we get a trailer to see what the atmosphere of the film will be, we are left to our own thoughts and as a true comic book movie fan, I am curious is to what you all think. You know where to do ya work. And yes, I'm black.

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95
95 - 5/21/2012, 11:05 AM
... wow. Didn't ever think this could be an editorial topic. What @yossarian said.
95
95 - 5/21/2012, 11:10 AM
Heindall was better as a darker person. Perry White is a minor character that doesn't really matter. Laurence Fishburne is awesome. John Stewart was always my preference for a GL film.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 5/21/2012, 11:15 AM
Kingpin was played by Michael Clarke Duncan ten years ago, so I think people can handle a black Perry White.
TheMyth
TheMyth - 5/21/2012, 12:47 PM
Great, a black Perry White... next thing you know we'll have a black president...
ralfinader
ralfinader - 5/21/2012, 1:50 PM
If anyone is concerned about the race of a background charactor like Perry, then they either have entirely to much time and no lives, are racists, or hate Fishburne because he was in that disappointment called Matrix 3.

Of course, if they made Perry a ginger midget, then who would they get to play Jimmy?
BooYah
BooYah - 5/21/2012, 2:48 PM
Once Thor came out people didn't seem to mind Heimdall being black because Idris played him well. Same will go for Fishburne he's a good actor he'll nail this role and people will shut up.

The only downfall of this is if Fishburne didn't play the character well people will blame the race saying they shouldn't have gotten a black actor.
Gerrit
Gerrit - 5/21/2012, 3:13 PM
Who cares about Perry's race? He is a minor character and his background, as far as I know, doesn't specify his race. Heimdall, on the other hand, is a god from norse mythology so him being white is almost axiomatic, but in the end Idris kicked ass as Heimdall, and after all if asgardians were real I'm sure that their myths wouldn't be all that accurate.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 5/21/2012, 5:17 PM
People get bored, take a quick look at CBM, and find that there's not a whole lot to report about "Man of Steel"... so they try to strike up some conversation - for the purpose of creating some kind of debate. It's entertainment for some, irritating for most people.

I love Larry Fishburne in anything, so bring it on.
JM4Superman
JM4Superman - 5/21/2012, 7:16 PM
I'm cool with Fishbourne as Perry White
Ghostt
Ghostt - 5/21/2012, 8:05 PM
great, next you'll be telling me there is a black Nick Fury! Impossible!
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/22/2012, 3:34 AM
The president of the united states can be black, but not Perry White? I dont see the big deal.
StrangerX
StrangerX - 5/22/2012, 7:31 AM
It will be fine!!
MoonDoggyX
MoonDoggyX - 5/22/2012, 8:24 AM
Black Perry White = Who Cares. Its Lawrence frickin Fishburne. He can act. And Well. We should be just glad he's in the movie. Period.

I'm Black. And if an actor of another race were to play an originally Black character in a CBM, I really wouldn't care. In fact, I could see Jason Statham playing an awesome Blade! Or a young Sigorne Weaver playing Storm... Its comic book characters! Not a Martin Luther King biopic...

I really don't get the uproar with Heimdal. I could see it was a movie about Viking gods, but its not. In the Thor movie, and even in the comics, the Asgardians are interdimensional beings that the Viking worshiped as gods due to their advanced technology, etc. What part of that says that they HAVE to be white...? If a viking came across a black guy sling lightning, i'm pretty sure that they would've worshiped them all the same... lol
canadianturd
canadianturd - 5/22/2012, 11:22 AM
Angelina Jolie played a character who was originally black in the comic book, Wanted.
MoonDoggyX
MoonDoggyX - 5/22/2012, 11:53 AM
You know, in Transformers G1 Jazz was a WHITE Porche, but in the Bay movie he was a BLACK Pontiac! lol... I'm surprised that no one has said anything about that yet
Spock
Spock - 5/22/2012, 5:46 PM
Perry is a minor character. Thou we have had some characters change color it shouldn't be a real big problem. But I would have to say I don't just want a less then stellar performance when it comes to stuff like that. The general audience would throw a major shit storm about something like this. U do remember the Beyounce WW issue, man she has a great body. I dont' want her for WW in the slighest.
Spock
Spock - 5/22/2012, 5:59 PM
Besides this is the least of Fishbourne worries. Anyone hear of his Daughter becoming a porn star? That is a little crazy!
LP4
LP4 - 5/23/2012, 12:48 AM
Wow people must really be bored to make an editorial out of this
Caedus137
Caedus137 - 5/23/2012, 2:55 AM
"Is the world ready for a black Perry White?" - Yep.

Wow, that was surprisingly easy.
lastsun
lastsun - 5/24/2012, 12:32 PM
What's his middle name? "Ain't"
JorL5150
JorL5150 - 5/24/2012, 12:33 PM
@$$hole.

bringing up john stewart as green lantern is a PERFECT example of how DC USED to do this right, and now they don;t get it. they just pull stunts, position themselves as "hip/progressive" and then call any criticism "hate".


john stewart was, then, a NEW character, introduced to show diversity.
a good idea, executed well.


they DID NOT take "hal jordan" or ''alan scott" and re-introduce them as african american in order to posture, pander, make a statement or provoke.
they DID NOT take an existed, established character and change their race/gender/orientation to show off how amazing THEY were.

are we ready for a black perry white?

are you serious?

what a stupid ignorant arrogant jerk off d*ckhead question.
are we ready for DC/WB to do UNnecessary things to impress self-worshipping @$$holes?

how about we do this properly- and introduce NEW people of ALL ethnicity/gender/religion/orientation to enhance existing characters?

DC superman comics already introduced:

a lesbian:
captain maggie sawyer, of metropolis SCU.
an african american daily planet reporter:
ron troupe, married to lois lane's sister.
a latino superhero:
"gangbuster"- who dated lois lane (wow- interracial relationships- w/out the spectacle!)
a hero of middle-eastern descent:
sinbad

and so on.

ALL of those wonderful characters were brought in in a fashion that gave each character DIGNITY- NOT repeat NOT simply human props for someone's self-grandizing.

JorL5150
JorL5150 - 5/24/2012, 12:34 PM
oh, BTW-
"new52" erased ALL of the above examples.

thank you dan dildo.
JorL5150
JorL5150 - 5/24/2012, 12:36 PM
lawrence fisburne is a terrific actor, and i HOPE MOS is a good movie.

it's needless to do these arbitrary changes just to make hay, but i hope the movie is good.

SINema666
SINema666 - 5/24/2012, 5:27 PM
"Is the World Ready for Laurence Fishburne As Perry White?"

This has all the subtle bigotry of Anne Frank walking into a german officer's club
Mumbix
Mumbix - 5/25/2012, 9:45 AM
sigh*
Oxion
Oxion - 5/25/2012, 11:38 AM
Wow, I'm an idiot and asshole for askin a simple question? Don't know why I thought I could get only intelligent and respectful people to comment on my article.
JorL5150
JorL5150 - 5/25/2012, 7:50 PM
don't know why you think your question was intelligent or respectful.

don't know why you can't see the difference between introducing new characters to show diversity and taking an existing character and pulling a stunt to "impress" everyone.

don't know why you position yourself then IMAGINE you're in a position to judge the rest of us as to whether we are "ready".

don't know if you even HAD a point.

don't know if you always talk out of your brown eye or not.



don't know how folks who embraced wonder woman, john stewart GL, captain maggie sawyer, gangbuster and so on could somehow be cast as bigoted or sexist for being given pause at ethnic/orientaation changes done for publicity stunts.

don't know why you don't see the vapidness of the article.

PeterParker1991
PeterParker1991 - 5/27/2012, 8:21 AM
"It don't matter if you're Black or White..." Michael Jackson
thedude2936
thedude2936 - 5/29/2012, 9:01 AM
as long as its a good movie i dont really care.
boyofsteel
boyofsteel - 5/29/2012, 9:54 AM
Man Laurence Fishburne is whiter than if Al Roker and Wayne Brady had a baby
SINema666
SINema666 - 5/30/2012, 3:27 PM
@NextHero08
"Wow, I'm an idiot and asshole for askin a simple question? Don't know why I thought I could get only intelligent and respectful people to comment on my article."

Its not that what youre asking makes you look like an idiot and asshole, its the IDEA of what youre asking that makes you look like a idiot and an asshole...

Maybe this question would have less bigotry and hatred behind it if this was say, 1964...


If we live in a country that can have a black president for 4 years without some redneck blowing his head off "for the good of the nation", Im pretty damn certain we can handle a black character who was previously white in a movie about a man in unitard.

I know it must this all must seem like science fiction to you, but remember, this is a movie about an ALIEN who can FLY and SHOOT LASERS from his EYES! So yes it is in fact fiction ( or did I miss the part about laser eye shooting in my creationism class?)

But heres a few tidbits that might blow your mind that are actually REAL:

1) The jews still, and always will, run Hollywood.
2) Despite all you might think, Mexicans do not in fact enjoy picking fruit to simply blow their entire paycheck on a package of twinkies.
3) The reason why there are so many latinos in Texas, Cali, NM, and Arizona is because we keep telling them to go back to Mexico (pick up a historical map if you dont get this one)
&
4) Most Irish men do not punch their wives. They just shake them around and slap them a lil bit.

That being said, you still look like and idiot and asshole.
mbomb22
mbomb22 - 6/1/2012, 8:13 PM
as long as he gets the part down, who cares?
mbomb22
mbomb22 - 6/1/2012, 8:17 PM
@themanofsteel1013-i gotta be honest though...id probably go see a new George W. Bush movie staring Morgan Freeman as W lol
CeltiC527
CeltiC527 - 6/5/2012, 11:46 PM
Hal just seems to be "there"? That makes no sense and Stewart is probably the most boring GL in comics. I guess your just one of those people who likes him from the show but knows nothing about him in comics. I agree he was cool in the show bu isn't really like that at all.
SteveRogers
SteveRogers - 6/27/2012, 9:49 AM
The movies are so far removed from the comics, all I can think to say is, "Who cares?"
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