Using years of fashion experience I can say this conclusively – large ornate jewelry usually looks a lot better on black women.   This isn’t always the case though.   For instance Halle Berry ’s porcelain doll like features don’t lend themselves very well to large earrings, whereas Beyonce’s features do: 

   

To say it looks better is not to say that such large earrings can’t look good on different on women with different skin tones:
 

In the past I have blogged about the impracticalities of wearing large hoop earrings as a superheroine.   In short they would fall out all the time after getting caught on stuff.   What struck me as strange this morning when I was looking at a picture of Jet (an obscure DC hero) is that she is sporting a pair as Vixen is prone to do as well.   For me its kind of strange out of all the superheroines in the DCU that two of the only black superheroines wear excessively large earrings, whereas none of the white characters do.   In fact only one other character comes to mind for wearing earrings at all, and that’s Wonder Woman.   I guess this comes down to the same thing – artists choosing something which might look cool over something which is more accurate.   Also has anyone ever noticed that most black female characters are usually drawn white?   By this I mean that they may have the darker skin tone but the rest of their features are more Caucasian.     
  

Also has anyone ever noticed that most black female characters are usually drawn white?

This has been a stock complaint about comic book art for decades.  Not just female characters.  I remember reading the letters pages from the early 90's, where fans were praising Bishop's appearance because they felt that he had African-American features. 
 
Does anyone look at Surge & think of her Japanese heritage?  Because all I see is a stereo-typical comic book girl with a silly costume & blue hair (which is unfeasibly blue all of the time... from someone who used to have blue hair, trust me it's impossible to have electric blue 100% of the time).

Only black heroines I've ever notice are Storm and that one girl created to be Green Lantern's squeeze in JLU

"@xerox-kitty: Wow!  You used to have blue hair?  More dirt for the "Former Starlets of Comic Vine" episode 2!   :P "

" @xerox-kitty: Note to self - If you see a blue pillow, Xerox Kitty might have been there :D "

As far as black female characters being drawn white..I think it's because it's hard to distinguish race with certain artists styles and still have the character look attractive.Look at Bianchi's storm.She definitely looks black...but she's also ugly.It's hard to fit race specific characters into certain styles.That's all.

" @Vance Astro: @FadeToBlackBolt: I think it speaks to society as whole actually.  A lot of the famous black women considered more "beautiful" like Beyonce and Halle have more Caucasian features overall.  Whereas someone like Jennifer Hudson is not considered very attractive by most yet her features are more common among black women.  I think it is more the case that artists draw them that way because they are more attractive for the reader.   "

 I think it is more the case that artists draw them that way because they are more attractive for the reader.   "

" @RazzaTazz said:

 I think it is more the case that artists draw them that way because they are more attractive for the reader.   "

 That's basically the case for any character in comics. "

" @Vance Astro: @Vitality:   In a sense, but for instance I can still see how Wonder Woman has Greek features, but most African American characters dont have African American features.  "

Well, when one studies figure drawing (like I have) one tends to draw facial features that look more caucasian because a lot of models are caucasian, they probably dont do it on purpose, thats just the style they learn, that being said, they probably try to avoid stereotypes.  Allow me,  RazzaTazz, to give you an example or two, or three.

"@Vance Astro: @Vitality:   In a sense, but for instance I can still see how Wonder Woman has Greek features, but most African American characters dont have African American features.  "

"@Vitality: I didnt use the term stereotype (except in reference to the earrings) and if there is a stereotype its not mine.  I understand that comics are based in a fantastical world with a lot exxageration in terms of shapes shapes and proportions, but in terms of drawing an accurate face it is not as difficult to portray it accurately I think.  "

"@Vitality: I see your point, though I don't necessarily agree with it.  If you look at the picture of Jet which I included and then say look at a picture of Rihanna, you can see that they look completley differently.  Rihanna is obviously a real life person and Jet is not.  It stands to reason then that she is not being portrayed accurately.          "

 Strange also how many African American male heroes are protrayed as bald.  I guess I could write another blog post on that, but its not as much a mix of fashion and comics as I usually write about.  "

That "accurate face" you have in mind would be your stereotype.     "

Okay, now Im confused, so what exactly do you want Black superheroes to look like, I have a wide nose and big lips, and so does my mom and my brother, but some of my other black friends and relatives dont, and some of my white, asian, and hispanic friends do. 

 
@Vitality said:

That "accurate face" you have in mind would be your stereotype.     "

In what way is that a stereotype? "

There's always Misty Knight... 
  

" @Vance Astro said:

 
@Vitality said:

That "accurate face" you have in mind would be your stereotype.     "

In what way is that a stereotype? "

Tell me how that is NOT a stereotype. "

" @Vitality said:

" @Vance Astro said:

 
@Vitality said:

That "accurate face" you have in mind would be your stereotype.     "

In what way is that a stereotype? "

Tell me how that is NOT a stereotype. "

Wanting a face to look accurate to how black people ACTUALLY look isn't asking for a stereotype.That would be like me saying I want Ryu or E.Honda to look more asian because their eyes aren't even accurate to how asian eyes look and you going...that's a stereotype.It's not.It's how asian people look. "

When there is proof that not all black people have a certain look...which is even prooved in this very thread...then it is indeed stereotyping.  Saying that characters don't look "accurate" compared to the vision of black person in your mind (when the characters in question were not based off real life people) is indeed stereotyping. "

" @Vitality said:

When there is proof that not all black people have a certain look...which is even prooved in this very thread...then it is indeed stereotyping.  Saying that characters don't look "accurate" compared to the vision of black person in your mind (when the characters in question were not based off real life people) is indeed stereotyping. "

All black people don't have a certain look but they aren't all white people colored brown either and that's sometimes how characters look in comics. "

 Again...expecting them all to be drawn the same way is stereotyping. "

"@Vitality: First of all didn't you start the replies asking why people would want to comment on this blog, then you are the main person commenting?  Anyway I appreciate the discussion. "

"@Vitality:  I am not expecting for black characters to all be drawn the same way, but I think that is characteristic in a mostly Caucasian society that we find black people who have what would be considered Caucasian features to be more attractive.  I for one don't see how people don't find Jennifer Hudson more attractive, but the answer probably lies in an us vs. them idea, where we trust the familiar and shun the different.  You follow my blogs, you wouldn't have found this one otherwise because I posted it in the Jet forum so you know that one of the things that I nitpick on is the the accurate portrayal of all characters, though there are often some which get the misrepresentation worse than others (women, non-Caucasian races).  I am not trying to say here that there is one "accurate portrayal of black people" neither is there one for white people.  I am just saying that when black female characters get drawn as mostly Caucasian looking it reminds me how a women like Halle Berry is considered gorgeous, wheras as woman like Jennifer Hudson is considered by many as not as attractive.  I am quite comfortable with my appearance as a woman, I know I am not as good lookign as either one of them, but for me to say that Halle Berry is better looking is inaccurate.  I think as a scoiety we accept her more because of how she looks - that is all, just like we accept these characters more.  "

"

 I was concerned with what I thought was going to turn into a racist discussion...which it has not.   Anyways, yeah, your topics are more thought provoking than anything else on this site. You should be doing the "Off My Mind" threads. "

Razzatazz, You have admirable balls of Adamantium. You make delicate controversal threads that really make me go "hmmm."  God bless you and in the words of Luca Basi from the Godfather "may your first child be a masculine child."
 
I don't pay much attention about the heroines in DCU but in Marvel, it was very common that most african americans characters to look like caucasions with a tan or just plain outright offensive looking. Joe "Robbie" Robertson, Bishop, Nighthrasher, Luke Cage, on occasion Rhodey(War machine). would look pretty decent but that was also around the time when flat-tops were in. it was real easy to drawing african american males with flat tops. Seriously anyone can do it even a caveman.   
 
Now the females......well that is a different story.  In the 80s and 90s they werent really any popular african-american female heroines Sillouette was sort of popular but nowhere compared to Storm and she was easy to draw cause she had a flat-top. Storm did have many caucasion features but artist got by on her toning her very dark. I don't what to tell you on that whole punk look.  
 
With today's artist and their artwork, its just on how talented of the artist artist. I honest believe that most minorities superheroes look like a cast member from the show Jersey Shore is due to majority of the artists are caucausion and only use to drawing caucasions so they have a very hard time drawing drawing minorties with out looking like animals. So most artist just stick to drawing the same people over and over no matter who the person is. 
 
Best example is Greg land(Xmen the End, Ultimate fantasic Four, Sojourn, Birds of Prey)...the guy is a great artist apart from his inability to draw female hips. He draws the same woman over and over unless someone else is involved in the penciling. No matter what woman he draws Storm, Jean Grey, Ms. Marvel....every woman is practically the same person. 
 

Now as you can see Storm, She-Ra, Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake all look the same just with different color hair and different outfits. 
 
 
Check this out, M8. Let's flip the coin around on a black artist drawing caucasions like Keron grant. Check this out 

 

AsA

 
As you can see these are suppose to be picture are suppose to be Batgirl(Barbara Gordon) and Steve Rogers Captain America and I 'm not sure about the Gren Lantern guy...I think that is suppose to be Hal Jordan by the way how the costume looks. I was thinking Ion but i don't remember him having a mask. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't collect green lantern. The only thing of the Gren Lantern I have is the tradeback of Sinestro Wars. They look very non-caucasion to me,  
 
 
 
Let's look at another example from whom every comic book fan should knows. The most honorable Alex Ross. He uses himself and friends to model for the stuff he draws. So if you look at Mr terific and the other dude I forgot his name. You are a Dc fan I'm sure you know who he is. You can see that they are minorities.  
 

I know this might not proves my point with DC due to there are two african american males and no african american females. I was making the point of the artist ability to go that extra step to get the minorty look.  So the end I don't think it is on purpose african american superheroes look caucasion. It just the style and how well the artist can draw.
 
@xerox-kitty said:

"

 

Also has anyone ever noticed that most black female characters are usually drawn white?

 

This has been a stock complaint about comic book art for decades.  Not just female characters.  I remember reading the letters pages from the early 90's, where fans were praising Bishop's appearance because they felt that he had African-American features. 
 
Does anyone look at Surge & think of her Japanese heritage?  Because all I see is a stereo-typical comic book girl with a silly costume & blue hair (which is unfeasibly blue all of the time... from someone who used to have blue hair, trust me it's impossible to have electric blue 100% of the time). 
 
Yeah me too. Despite she is an interesting character espeically when she was dating Prodigy but everytime I see her in X-men books I ask myself why the hell does she look an extra from Soul Eater? Just make her look normal like Jubilee. This is clearly a case of the creator just being silly and not cute.
 

" @Vance Astro: @FadeToBlackBolt: I think it speaks to society as whole actually.  A lot of the famous black women considered more "beautiful" like Beyonce and Halle have more Caucasian features overall.  Whereas someone like Jennifer Hudson is not considered very attractive by most yet her features are more common among black women.  I think it is more the case that artists draw them that way because they are more attractive for the reader.   "

" @RazzaTazz said:

" @Vance Astro: @FadeToBlackBolt: I think it speaks to society as whole actually.  A lot of the famous black women considered more "beautiful" like Beyonce and Halle have more Caucasian features overall.  Whereas someone like Jennifer Hudson is not considered very attractive by most yet her features are more common among black women.  I think it is more the case that artists draw them that way because they are more attractive for the reader.   "

Halle Berry is mullatto and Beyonce is Creole which is why Jennifer Hudson has the more African American features.I don't think Halle and B are more attractive than J Hud because they look less black.They are simply more attractive than she is.That's not to say she's NOT attractive she's just not comparable to them physically.I've seen Beyonce in person..she's stunning. "

I love reading your articles even when I don't have much to contribute. ;]

I find darker skinned women more attractive. Just my preference. I have never really been attracted Halle B or Beyonce', but I think Jennifer Hudsun is beautiful. I always found Kelly Roland sexier than Beyonce'-but that's just me. 
  
And  Simone Bianchi's Storm looks awesome to me. 
 
                                                                                                                                          

This picture is awesome. THIS is Storm.