Kyle Rayner Latino?

Is Kyle Rayner still changed to half latino by Winnick or has that been re-reconned?

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I don't think we have an answer. I don't remember it being addressed. Maybe Winnick has a formspring or twitter so you can ask him.

@savage_hawkman: it would pretty racist if it was retconed so im pretty sure he stiil is

How would that be racist?

@jaken7: "Well, he was latino, but now he's white. Because we say so." Whitewashing is pretty racist in general.

Because, don't you know, promoting diversity in any form is racist because it involves the topic of race. Don't you know. [/snark]

Yes but it wasn't a selling point for his character. It had nothing to with his personality or the way he's presented. It's not like they're making John Stewart, Power Man, Falcon, Jaime Reyes or Vibe white. Kyle Rayner's always been...well...Kyle Rayner. Who cares about his vague ethnicity? If it was rarely ever mentioned, and the only way you'd know he wasn't white is if it was mentioned, why make a big deal about it? Besides, I haven't read anything in the New 52 to suggest that he is or isn't in the first place. The OP was asking a question that doesn't necessarily have a definitive answer.

@jaken7: Vague or not it still matters even if it doesn't effect there personality I mean the only reason wonder woman is white is because she's greek does that affect her personality no no it doesn't

@lifeofvibe said:

Are you kidding? Diana's whole personality is based around the fact that she's princess of the Amazons and grew up on the all-female island of Themyscira where Greek deities are still worshiped.

When heroes like Power Man, Black Panther, and Falcon were created, it was a big deal. They were Black in a world of White superheroes. That's what separated them from all the other characters with similar power sets. It DID affect their personality, and the way they were written was based on their ethnicity. Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc. characters have their respective cultures and aesthetic traits that let us know they are a specific ethnicity. Hell, even white characters have that as well. The mannerisms of speech and slang words that Rogue uses indicate she's from the South. Or that Gambit (Remy LeBeau) is from New Orleans and has French ancestry. Or that The Hood, Knight and Squire, Constantine, etc. are British. Look at Simon Baz! His whole back story is based around the fear and persecution he experienced as an Islamic, Lebanese-American post 9/11. He has "courage" tattooed on his arm in Arabic and has spoken it on different occasions. He was even CHOSEN because he had the willpower and bravery to overcome the fear of prejudice due to his ethnicity, all while running from the authorities because he was a SUSPECTED TERRORIST.

Whether you like it or not, ethnicity DOES affect a character's personality, culture, background, etc.

When it comes to Kyle Rayner though, I've never read a comic where he spoke Spanish, had Hispanic features, or was affected at all by his heritage. When it's not a defining characteristic or selling point for that character, then it really shouldn't matter. Whether his estranged father is still a Mexican-American ex-CIA agent named Gabriel Vasquez using the cover alias Aaron Rayner, again, shouldn't matter because it's not a part of who Kyle is.

@jaken7: the way your saying things is as if you want all diferent race characters in comics to all be sterotypico about there idevidual race and baz being muslim or indian does not affect his personality like kyle the only thing it affects is his skin

@lifeofvibe: So, making Nick Fury black was racist?

@awesam: that is a good arguement so I don't know. But like joygirl said maybe its only white washing that's racist. But then again they didn't technaly turm him black that's only in an alternate universe so I really don't know unless it was some sort of retconed version then that would mean that it is racist unless me saying that its racist makes me racist I really don't know what I should say there

@awesam: but I really don't know anything about marvel universe

@lifeofvibe: Saying that only "white-washing" things is racist, is actually racist.

@awesam: then yes it is racist that he turned him white

@jaken7:

1.he doesn't speak spanish because he didn't grow up with his actual father

2. He has had story where he has latino features you just probably never read them as for any other story the artist is either ignorant or racist

3.I'm going to say this again for a different reason again

Even if it is vague let's face it he probably the most powerful green lantern secondly he's also the second most popular lantern that would also mean, assuming he's still latino he's also the most popular latino in comics which is rare considering that there not that many latinos in comics and there's not a most popular african american in comics unless john stewart is or luke cage or blade is. which is still up to debate for another time

But back to the topic all of the most powerful most popular characters just so happen to be caucasion which is racist and there just so happens to be a most powerful and popular lantern which is latino and if they changed him white then well that just adds to the list of most powerful and popular character just so happen to be caucasion its as racist as it sounds and that's how comics are

There you go I'm pretty sure he's still latino

I have absolutely no idea what the argument is about,and honestly I don't care...I think Kyle is latino....at least that's what I see him as...

I know I'm a bit late in this thread, but the question regarding Kyle being Latino is questionable. There's a few parts of his development haven't really been touched upon recently, since his solo run. Kyle having a Mexican born father in current continuity is one of them.

Justin Jordan briefly mentioned Kyle's family is going to make an appearance in a annual issue. Hopefully this would be clarified in that issue.

So Winick made him Latino? It wasn't Ron Marz?

Yes. During Winick's run, it was revealed that Kyle's real father goes by the name of Gabriel Vasquez, instead of Aaron Rayner, which he was born in Mexico.

Kyle's mother was defined as an Irish descent in Marz's run, but his father never made an appearance. His father went by the name of Aaron Rayner. So most readers assumed Kyle was white, not mixed. It was until Judd Winick updated the status quo of his father to make a reveal that wasn't his real name, just a cover up. I would admit that it seems Judd's personal life influences are somehow connected in Kyle's book, since he took over.

In the New 52, his father's history doesn't have any background history references from Judd's run at all from both writers in the New 52. Kyle's ethnicity as a mixed person hasn't been touched upon, since Judd's run. So it's questionable whether writers still defined him the way Judd has. So it's questionable.

I believe there should be some clarification coming soon, regarding his personal background history in the upcoming annual book this year. So we'll see what happens there.

Thanks. I feel like it should have been Ron Marz making an important decision like that on the character he created but oh well lol

@daredevil21134: No problem.

I agree. It's one of the reasons why many readers during that era became frustrated about the reveal of his mixed race after the character has already been developed and established by Ron Marz.

Well I think if Marz wanted him to be Latino he would have said something about it.

True.

@mysoulz: I really hope Jenny Lyn Hayden and Donna Troy come back some how

@daredevil21134: Me too! They became good friends down the line. Jenny is one of my favorite female characters.

Mine too but with Alan Scot mess I don't know if that can happen.Man I hate the new 52

Couldn't agree with you more lol.

yup

I'm going to go with rectonned out, even though it wasn't explicitly said, it's a lot similar to what happened with Dick Grayson and his Romani roots in the new 52. If the writers were to keep the mixed origins of these two, we would have known about it by now because they would have told us, while typically writers don't spell out that characters are 100% white.

I believe it was Justin Jordan's intentions to retcon it, since other writers didn't capitalize on him as a PoC character, but it looks like Tom King pretty much wants him to be hispanic on the way Judd Winick updated his status quo:

Not to mention that he is sexy as hell, and he is a character of color -- probably the most prominent Hispanic character in the DCU. We're going to elevate him and treat him with the respect that a character of that gravitas deserves.

But what doesn't make any sense is the fact that Kyle never spoken fluent Spanish, because he didn't have any awareness of being someone of Mexican decent. I guess Tom King has to retcon and update some of his history to fix all of this it seems.

I kind of hope Kyle Rayner is half Hispanic, half Caucasian as Winick and King have tried to implement into the character's description. By doing this, they will be able to have a character who has a perfect backstory (the last green lantern? perfect for a solo movie or trilogy) and brings more diversity to whatever team he is on. This idea really reflects John Stewart who is being pegged for the JLA movies/GLC series as someone who will be able to bring more diversity and be one of the first African American Superheroes in cinema, but what about Hispanic superheroes? I don't think this means that Kyle has to suddenly be able to speak Spanish and suddenly have a cross around his neck, but I like the idea of just adding this small detail to make society happy with his diversity.

He's Latino. After years of being a minor retcon, Kyle's ethnicity has been hinted in Omega Men and also to some extent in Convergence where Kyle recites his prayers in Spanish and also uses quite a few Spanish words. He also mentioned that the cross locket he wore had been given to him by his grandmother who is mentioned to have got it during her confirmation in Mexico.

Hes half-latino.

People still thinks Latino is a race or ethnic background. or even Hispanic. FOR GOD'S SAKE. HOW MUCH DUMBASSERY