Title pretty much sums it up. Watched a video recently where someone was asked to name a black superhero that didn’t have lightning based powers and while I could name a few it made me realize just how prevalent the trope is.

But why?

Edit: Y’all I’m not asking for examples of black heroes that don’t have lightning powers. I’m asking why it’s a trope to begin with 😮‍💨

      • lordnikon@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        5 hours ago

        Iris West, hawkgirl, jimmy olsen, Starfire, batwoman, Jim Gordon, Mary Jane

        That is just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

        Note I don’t mind them at all changing the race of a character. But swapping gingers for another race just doesn’t seem like progress to me. Just shows they are only willing to make superficial changes. Instead of making awesome characters that just happen to be black or any other race or identity. Them writing a black sidekick or supporting character makes them just one dimensional.

        I would like characters of all color, shapes, sexual preferences where their trait they don’t have a choice in becomes their whole personality.

        That’s why old school star trek got it. Uhura was not on the bridge to tell black stories. She was there to be apart of the team that just happened to be black. It could have been better in terms of screen time but the core idea is still relevant today. A more modern example of them doing this really right was Brooklyn 99 with Captain Holt. That show showed him being a Captain and a father figure first. Him having a husband and being gay was shown as being what it is, Normal.