The ART of CHRISTOPHER DALE SWINSON
February 18th 2011
There's a lot to be said about an "African-American Hero with Superpowers".
The "Black Panther" first appeared in 1966 as Marvel Comics expanded their lineup to create ... diversity. Black Goliath (R.I.P), Black Manta, and Black Lightning/The Black Vulcan are among those "Black Superheroes" that incorporates the word "BLACK" in their names for no reason other than the color of their skin. Sadly, regarding 90% of prior African-American Super Heroes ... aside from the color of their skin or the "Black-Super-Hero "Rare-Level", there was very little interesting about them; none of the following were present --- Black Culture, Black Families of these "Super Heroes", or even the slightest thing like a Black Friend or Black Neighbor ... not even their costumes were interesting. Luke Cage/Power-Man began life as an "escaped prisoner" whose costume consisted of steel wrist shackles, a steel/metal head-band around his afro, a yellow butterfly-collared shirt ... and a "chain" around his waste.
Last but surely NOT the least ... a bit of BLACK MANTA'S ORIGIN I would like to share with you;
For most of his publishing history, Black Manta had no definitive origin story. The first was given in #6 of the 1993 Aquaman series. In this origin, the boy who would become Black Manta grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and loved to play by the sea. As a youth he was kidnapped and sexually abused on a ship for an unspecified amount of time. At one point he apparently saw Aquaman with his dolphin friends and tried to signal him for help but was not seen. Finally, he was forced to defend himself, killing one of his tormentors on the ship with a knife. Hating the emotionless sea (and Aquaman, whom he saw as its representative), the boy was determined to become its master.[3] A second origin was given in #8 of the 2003 Aquaman series. In this origin, the boy who would become Black Manta was an orphan who has autism and was placed in Gotham City's Arkham Asylum. He felt comfortable in freezing cold water, while "cotton" sheets were excruciatingly painful. Because the attendants at Arkham did not know how to deal with autism, they would end up restraining him to the bed as he struggled and screamed whenever they tried putting him there. The boy was also fascinated when he saw Aquaman on television. The boy would end up being subjected to experimental treatments. One treatment seemed to clear the boy's head, but left him violent as a result; he killed the scientist who had administered the treatment and escaped from Arkham.
MY FOCUS IS HERE;
characters have been and always will be adamantly FAR MORE than the "Black Token Hero" that never raised the bar to even the level of "Stereotype" ... NO DRUG ISSUES, ALCOHOL ISSUES, SEXUAL/PHYSICAL ABUSE ISSUES, and NO "abstinence" of God, Family Values, Origin, CULTURE, Direction, and Future. Additionally, one of my favorite characters I created is from England, and I also have characters from Korea, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the world. There's NO racism HERE ... just exercising my sole "right" to create, draw, and publish "Pro-Black" SUPER-POWERED-HEROES.
Get ready ... as "things" have ALREADY "CHANGED!" --- C. Swinson /2011
There's a lot to be said about an "African-American Hero with Superpowers".
The "Black Panther" first appeared in 1966 as Marvel Comics expanded their lineup to create ... diversity. Black Goliath (R.I.P), Black Manta, and Black Lightning/The Black Vulcan are among those "Black Superheroes" that incorporates the word "BLACK" in their names for no reason other than the color of their skin. Sadly, regarding 90% of prior African-American Super Heroes ... aside from the color of their skin or the "Black-Super-Hero "Rare-Level", there was very little interesting about them; none of the following were present --- Black Culture, Black Families of these "Super Heroes", or even the slightest thing like a Black Friend or Black Neighbor ... not even their costumes were interesting. Luke Cage/Power-Man began life as an "escaped prisoner" whose costume consisted of steel wrist shackles, a steel/metal head-band around his afro, a yellow butterfly-collared shirt ... and a "chain" around his waste.
Last but surely NOT the least ... a bit of BLACK MANTA'S ORIGIN I would like to share with you;
For most of his publishing history, Black Manta had no definitive origin story. The first was given in #6 of the 1993 Aquaman series. In this origin, the boy who would become Black Manta grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and loved to play by the sea. As a youth he was kidnapped and sexually abused on a ship for an unspecified amount of time. At one point he apparently saw Aquaman with his dolphin friends and tried to signal him for help but was not seen. Finally, he was forced to defend himself, killing one of his tormentors on the ship with a knife. Hating the emotionless sea (and Aquaman, whom he saw as its representative), the boy was determined to become its master.[3] A second origin was given in #8 of the 2003 Aquaman series. In this origin, the boy who would become Black Manta was an orphan who has autism and was placed in Gotham City's Arkham Asylum. He felt comfortable in freezing cold water, while "cotton" sheets were excruciatingly painful. Because the attendants at Arkham did not know how to deal with autism, they would end up restraining him to the bed as he struggled and screamed whenever they tried putting him there. The boy was also fascinated when he saw Aquaman on television. The boy would end up being subjected to experimental treatments. One treatment seemed to clear the boy's head, but left him violent as a result; he killed the scientist who had administered the treatment and escaped from Arkham.
MY FOCUS IS HERE;
characters have been and always will be adamantly FAR MORE than the "Black Token Hero" that never raised the bar to even the level of "Stereotype" ... NO DRUG ISSUES, ALCOHOL ISSUES, SEXUAL/PHYSICAL ABUSE ISSUES, and NO "abstinence" of God, Family Values, Origin, CULTURE, Direction, and Future. Additionally, one of my favorite characters I created is from England, and I also have characters from Korea, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the world. There's NO racism HERE ... just exercising my sole "right" to create, draw, and publish "Pro-Black" SUPER-POWERED-HEROES.Get ready ... as "things" have ALREADY "CHANGED!" --- C. Swinson /2011
(Added 7/16/10)
Above FORCE created and drawn by Christopher D. Swinson - 2010
Above FORCE created and drawn by Christopher D. Swinson - 2010
ANNOUNCING the 1st "public" debut of ALPHA-LEVEL Super-Characters this year 2012!
Show your support and share your opinions at; alphalevel.art@gmail.com
Show your support and share your opinions at; alphalevel.art@gmail.com
The SUPER-POWERED TEAM of Chris Swinson!
