Black Kryptonians...

So I'm working on this idea...and I'm wondering if I create a character who is a black Kryptonian albeit with a completely different powerset than Kal-el due to his different racial make up....would this be racist to imply the Black Kryptonians develop differently under a Yellow sun?

Eh, maybe, depends on the person, I guess. I don't see why they'd have different powers though just because their race is different.

Given that we've seen black Kryptonians in various forms of media (I know Smallville for example had some) and they didn't have any special powers I think the reasoning would be a little weak.

Raciest however? Depends on how you write it. But as long as you aren't insulting anyone's race something like "I'm a black kryptonian and I have better powers than you cause I'm black" or vice versa, or whatever...I don't think so.

Just my thoughts.

I don't want it to be labeled racist or anything

Go for it.

Where were black Kryptonians shown in comics other than Superman from Earth 23? That's the bigger question.

Have more melanin in your skin so absorbing the energy from the sun in a different way is not racist.

Why would you create a black kryptonian? We already have Mr. T.

Ha!

@ironshinobi88: Touchy but I think you can do it in a classy way that doesn't imply anything racist. As long as you don't imply that black Kryptonians are inferior in any way, then I'm sure it will come off the way you want it to.

I could be wrong, but wasn't Nam-Ek black?

No you'll be fine, it would be like Vathlo islands on krypton. At the end of the day someone will be offended you can't please everyone.

Make them faster and stronger but rhey always run from the GL's lol

@wavemotioncannon: There was literally one shown in I don't eemember the issue but Superman during H'el on earth. It shouwed thousands of white kryptonians and just one random black one.

@ironshinobi88: Dude racism is hatred and you wanting to write a black kyrptonian is anything but racist so do not worry about it. If someone is offended they are looking to be offended

I remember at the beginning of the New 52 there was talk of all Kryptonians reacting differently to a yellow sun. But aside from a few odd moments in Supergirl, we haven't really seen that pan out.

Saying it's specifically an all-Black thing though... The way you're phrasing it I'm almost positive it would come out uncomfortable. It'd be going out of your way to single this character out as different because of his race, instead of just making a character who's different for reasons including his race.

Ideally, when writing a character of a race, gender, sexuality or so on that isn't your own, you should treat that the same way you would treat their home town. It affects everyone on some level, but it's probably not something they talk or think about all that often unless the subject is raised. Even if it's extremely important to them, it's their entire culture, it's their main motivation throughout the story, it probably won't be the one single defining factor for all of their traits. The same way Superman gets his values from growing up in Smallville, but he doesn't go around acting like a country stereotype, and his interest in journalism is completely unrelated to it.

Exploring a Kryptonian with different abilities, a different cultural background, or both is fine, regardless of race. But putting all the emphasis on "he's black therefore he's different" is walking a pretty dangerous line.

@ironshinobi88: yep it's racist if you do that

Superman issue 0, Morgan Freeman on Krypton check it out:

There's a Black Kryptonian in the New 52

It sounds racist to me. He's having a different powerset due to his race. =/

Haha and according to your logic wouldn't black kryptonians be more powerful comparitively to white kryptonians because they absorb the yellow sun radiation more (though that could be dependable)?

Nonethless if you can the expansion of your imagination, you should not come accross these conflicts (as such as racism in this case).

@logy5000: idts

Am i the only one who thinks "Nam-ek" is a dbz reference...?

@dondave: where ?

@july16th said:

That....actually does seem kinda racist. And it makes it seem that everyone who throws around that phrase just uses it freely.

this.

His race really shouldn't make a difference. They're both Kryptonians,and the idea was that every Kryptonian has the same powers. Even Daxamites (kryptonians that migrated to another planet) have the same powerset.

Lol!