Marvel VP of sales:


http://www.avclub.com/article/marvel-ex ... ity-253087

Now there is undoubtedly an ulterior motive to this kind of quote, which is a call to action for the people who demanded these characters for years on social media to now put their money where their mouth is. Whether they will or not is a separate issue, though my best guess is the people most vocal about Marvel's lack of diversity are particularly interested in actually reading comic books.

However I dont doubt his claim that sales are flagging and their internal research as to why points to exhaustion of forced diversity and guilt-politicking onto the fanbase. I dont think he's outright lying about a fall in sales to motivate the demographics who supposedly want this content (a related issue is whether groups, hispanics in particular, really want to be pandered to). There is a core truth here. After years of social media outrage and pretty large scale cultural battles between the cultural critics/activists and demographics that traditionally consume this type of content (overwhelmingly male, mostly white) it seems the side demanding forced diversity won and got their content created. This doesn't just apply to comic books, but video games, movies, board games, card games etc.

So what if that content doesn't sell? Because if this trend continues Marvel is forced to walk into one of two doors, either taking the heat on social media or swallowing the loss to maintain a better image.

I think that pandering is jumping the shark. I find it annoying when they "re-imagine" characters. Miss Moneypennny- now she's not even a secretary, she's a special ops agent who instead of flirting with Bond, she's shooting him with a sniper's rifle.

And Mary Jane Watson, the party-loving redhead, she's black now. And probably a science genius or something. It seems like a pretty weak attempt at diversity to just change the race and abilities of side characters.

If Marvel has new and interesting ideas as they claim, then let's see them. Todd McFarlane introduced a new superhero who happened to be black, and it didn't flop because it was not merely a pandering attempt to insert a diverse character into a story.

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Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

I have thought about this in regards to Bond. I don't think people would respond the way that is expected from those calling for diversity. Bond has been a white guy for, what, 70 years? Now he's a black dude? People form a mental representation of the character in their heads and have this internal relationship. That's not to say they wouldn't like a black/female/Latino superhero.

I think it would be much more powerful to create a NEW badass character, like McFarlane, and grow that brand. Have Idris Elba play him and become the next Bond. Not the next Bond actor.

Cosby tried that shit with The Brown Hornet already .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Diversity is good. It just needs to be done well just like any other movie.

Batman vs. Superman was garbage too and that was two white males fighting it out. That doesn't mean that white males in movies are bad either.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Diversity is good when you're casting the best available actor for a role. Diversity for the sake of diversity is bullshit.

I'll give a good example. Casting Morgan Freeman as the President in Deep Impact. He wasn't cast because he was black. He was cast because he was a damn fine actor and was someone who could believably play a President of the United States.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

from 1995-2005 I was pretty much the mayor of the Diversey and Sheffield intersection.

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We recently had the new "Chief Diversity Officer" (whatever that is) of our company fly out here to give a speech. He was trying to "sell" diversity as an end in itself, which I didn't think would win over a lot of people. In fact, I know it wouldn't because I used to have a role that included a requirement to present seminars on topics such as diversity and inclusion at a bare minimum (non-technical topics). The only way I could really get people to listen during those presentations (and the only way I could present a topic I truly believed in) was to give people the business case as to why diversity is important. There are lots of statistics (as there are for everything) that exhibit why diversity & inclusion is good for business and not just some sort of noble gesture.

Because of that, I asked him what I thought was a softball, no-brainer, slam dunk question that I thought would get him some buy-in. I just asked if he had any figures on how diversity (especially of thought) is truly a business advantage for those companies who practice it. He tensed up and babbled incoherently for 3 minutes or so and then went onto another question. You'd have thought I asked him to solve a physics equation. If there's not a provable business reason ($$) to make the case for diversity, then it won't inspire too many people.

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Is that liquor store still next to the L tracks?

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I hope sales keep slipping.

I'm so tired of Marvel shitting on established characters. You like Steve Rogers? Well now he's a Nazi. Thor? His old slam piece has his hammer and he's a schmuck now. Bruce Banner? Dead. But we have this Chinamen Hulk. Tony Stark? Dead. But we got a black girl named RiRi wearing his armor. (The retard jokes right themselves on that name).

Like it's been said multiple times. Introduce diverse characters with their own original identity. Don't just hand a mantle over, do a gender swap or some pandering bullshit. Cyborg in the DC was black from jump street and he is going to have his own film and is an established part of the Justice League's history. Same for John Stewart as a GL. Marvel has T'Challa, Sam WIlson and to a lesser extent Deathlok.

Marvel stop forcing shit on us that no one wants. The majority of readers don't want to read a book about some Muslim Ms. Marvel written by a Hijab wearing white lady musliim convert. So stop making her a centerpiece of the Avengers. Same goes for America Ferrara or whatever the fuck her name is. Great its an LGTBQ Latina lady written by a bull dyke latino woman. These are Julie DiCaro gimmicks.

Just let it happen organically. If the product is good the books will sell and the character will take off. Miles Morales as Spider Man is an example of this. He isn't a good read because he's black latino but because he's a well-written character.

The Spawn comparison is also a great example of how diverse characters can work.

Fuck now I'm all worked up into a nerd rage lather.

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It all started going to hell when they made The Kingpin balck in Affleck's turn as Daredevil.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

I'm sure this is in jest, but I actually like when film adaptations reimagine comic characters. Some of the big screen changes to Iron Man, the Winter Soldier, and even the black Human Torch were enjoyable and sometimes necessary. Films can try new approaches but don't fuck with my canon source material bro.

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wouldn't know, my reign ended in 2005 and haven't been back.

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I have two questions on this.

1) Did you ask him about diversity via 'reply all' emails?
2) Is your CDO Mike Mulligan?

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Just a guess, but I don't think "Diversity Officers" are usually Irishmen.

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We've placed way too much cultural importance on comic books.

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when you begin to cater to a fringe group at the cost of your majority base, you lose money. the fringe group here is so unrelenting that you almost have to do a 180 in the face of the majority.

i'm not sure the SJW agenda is completely to blame but its apparent people are still buying comics in mass quantities they just aren't buying the ones the were created to appease the fringe. But it could also be just poorer story writing too. most comic guys i know are very open to new characters as long as they are compelling.

its the problem the left is having. there are probably around 60 million (half of the estimated 120 white males in the US) would be left leaning white males in this country. the party has all but demonized them to the point where they either have to buy into this absurdity or move closer to the center.

Curious Hair is right.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Diverse comic book fans, by gender, race, and sexuality. Perfection.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

yep, that pretty much ends the debate right there.

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If your not into comics you could ignore the thread. Leave us nerds be.

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I don't know that the conversation needs to be limited to comic books - I'm not really a fan, though I appreciate what they are. I think we can expand it to movies, TV, comic books, etc...

It's not quite that. The Democratic Party has decided that its coalition will be led by minorities and the white professional-managerial class (and reaped its electoral rewards accordingly). This alienates a number of voting blocs, obviously, but those blocs aren't drifting rightward -- that's more what the party is doing -- so much as being left behind. Sure, the political climate has turned some angry young white men into anime Nazis who maintain that you should, in fact, be able to mail death threats to women who make bullshit video games no one cares about, but hardly in great enough number to agonize over. The real fear should never be that these alienated voting blocs will vote Republican, which is unlikely, but rather that they just won't vote at all when they easily could.

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i guess when i say moving closer to center, i guess i really meant they left left is moving farther away from them so by proximity they are closer to center.

<---------crazy liberals----white males----center-------->

but now its

<crazy liberals-------------white males----center-------->

if that makes sense. however, even the NYT said last week that many did vote trump (whether that is to be taken as republican or not is up to whatever interpretation you decide on. i take trump as a ross perot type independant who stole the repub nomination because it was easier than running as an indep)

The democratic party isn't even left of center.

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But the "crazy liberals" -- and let's call 'em what they are, the Hillary coalition -- are not moving left on economic issues. They don't want to improve material conditions for all women and minorities, they just want the opportunity for select women and minorities (i.e., themselves) to be as successful as white men. The chosen candidate of the don't-gaslight-my-safe-space crowd was a woman who said there would never be health care for all. And that's the far left? Give me a break.

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This argument is silly. The Republican and Democrat parties are one and the same. Both prosecute the war on drugs, want control of your life, expand surveillance, and bomb the shit out of countries that pose no real existential threat to us.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

i'm strictly talking about social issues. marvel comics isn't changing for politically economic reasons.

I seem to notice some forcing the issue in television shows in recent times. An example is it seems to me a bunch of shows now have some gay character central to the show. I understand that showing that diversity helps change hearts, minds and attitudes. It just struck my OCD tendencies as odd because in real life isn't that common.

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Elections have consequences.

What is it 5% of the population is homosexual or bisexual? Watching American media you would guess it would be closer to 30-40%. Gays everywhere.

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