I have a question. As a white male, why is it presumed that I can’t identify with non-white, non-male characters?
As a kid, I was supposed to be able to identify with Batman in the comics that were bought for me by my parents. I was supposed to be able to identify with an alien son of a deceased race who discovers later that he has a cousin as a fellow survivor?*
In order for me, the powerless non-superheroic reader of comics to identify with the character in the comic book, I have to use my imagination. Funnily enough, I also have to do that to identify with any character on a movie screen, tv set, comic book page or book. None of us are Harry “My Parents Impersonation of Batman’s Parents Went Too Far” Potter. Yet apparently, markets have no problem identifying with an scarred up orphan with a wand, but put a non-white, non-male character in his place, and you’ll hear the cry of “But the focus groups didn’t identify with the lead” or “How can we expect that audience to identify with a person of colour?”
I don’t know.
Maybe we could use the same techniques we use to self identify with a bloody great mechanical truck that talks?
Or a giant green ogre?
Or a cat with a hat and rapier?
See, I get the self identification with Bumblebee, Wheeljack and Prime and my hands aren’t even made of metal. How come I’m presumed to be capable of self-identifying with a shapeshifting VW with little yellow viking horns yet suffer total and irrepairable epic fail when trying to self-id with Martha or Mickey?
I’m not a yellow sports car, but I can mesh with the paper mirror reflection of Bumblebee’s characteristics, actions and role in the movies and TV series. Is there some magic barrier when they’re made of flesh, not steel? Or did I cut another class in Introduction to WhiteGuy and miss the training day on non-identification?
Clue me in here.
*Martian Manhunter. To be Superman, throw in a dog, a flying horse, flying cat, a cousin and/or cousin impersonators and slew of surviving Kryptons who were stuck in the Phantom Zone. (and yes, I will always bring up the dog whenever we get into these conversations). Just saying, the only things to survive Krypton were Clark and a dog…