5 comic book characters who changed race in the movies
As Fantastic Four gears up for release this week, some fans of the comics are still unhappy that Johnny Storm - a character originally written with blond hair and blue eyes - is being played by Michael B Jordan, a black man. (Fun Fact: Chris Evans was Johnny Storm before he turned into Captain America)
When asked about this last week, Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee brushed away talk of racism:
“I don’t think it had to do with racial prejudice as much as they don’t like things changed…I always figure change is good if it improves a thing.”
While the jury is still out on Michael B Jordan’s Human Torch, here’s five characters who proved that race doesn’t matter in casting.
1. Nick Fury in all the Marvel Movies
(Source: ComicBookMovie.com)
Nicky Fury might have started off as white in the comics, but in 2001, The Ultimates team of writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch changed that.
The duo re-imagined Fury in the likeness of Samuel L. Jackson, who was in their opinion “the coolest man alive”. Jackson contacted Marvel after seeing his likeness in the comic and asked for a part in any eventual movie.
Now, Samuel L Jackson is Nick Fury personified.
2. Kingpin in Daredevil (2003)
(Source: Screenrant)
In the comics, Wilson Fisk a.k.a. The Kingpin is an utterly ruthless crime lord built like a sumo wrestler who can literally crush men with his bare hands.
Step forward, Michael Clarke Duncan. With that incredible bass voice and a coiled air of menace, he was the one bright, shining spot in an otherwise rubbish movie.
Duncan has since passed on, and Kingpin’s now played by Vincent D’Onofrio, a white actor. But Duncan’s achievement still stands.
3. Ben Urich in Daredevil (2015)
Let’s face it, the colour of Urich’s skin has absolutely nothing to do with who he is as a character. Urich is an older, worn out, and yet still idealistic journalist, who’s also devoted to his wife.
Vondie Curtis-Hall’s portrayal in the Netflix series is spot on. He’s all of these things and more, taking on the powers that be with immense courage - just like in the comics.
4. Heimdall in the Thor movies
(Source: ComicBookMovie.com)
This was a particularly bold man, given that the mythos of Thor is directly based on Scandinavian (i.e. white) mythology. In the comics, Heimdall is the guardian of the rainbow bridge between Asgard (home of the gods) and Midgard (Earth).
But when you cast an actor as talented and charismatic as Idris Elba, he could play the guardian dog and still be outstanding.
5. Iris West in The Flash
(Source: Videshimagazine)
Iris West is the love of Barry Allen’s life, the proverbial good-woman-behind-every-wife. Unfortunately, the writers at The CW seem to have seen all that and thought: ‘Let’s make the TV version of Iris fulfill every female stereotype’.
Indecisive? Check. Whiney? Check. Damsel in distress? Check. Candice Patton tries her best, but any actress, regardless of ethnicity, would struggle with such a burden.
Gillian Ang is the co-founder of Geek Crusade, a pop-culture news website dedicated to tracking all your favorite TV Shows and movies from rumour to screen.#Jointhecrusade for up to date fandom news for Sherlock, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Marvel and DC movies and many, many more. Tweets go out at@geekcrusade. The views expressed are her own.
