tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post4947297086640362535..comments2024-02-10T18:19:36.406-08:00Comments on Newspaper Rock: Captain Planet's Native sidekickRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-82430362401560537212008-08-21T12:30:00.000-07:002008-08-21T12:30:00.000-07:00TBS's penetration was in the 50-70% range for Capt...TBS's penetration was in the 50-70% range for <I>Captain Planet's</I> run. That compares with a penetration near 100% for the major networks. So any TBS show is at a disadvantage compared to any network show.<BR/><BR/>A few Native superheroes have powers that aren't based on their ethnicity. For example, Forge (machine-making), Apache Chief (growing), Echo (fighting-skills emulation), and Super-Chief (meteor-based super-strength). But even within the Native superhero category, creators have overdone the "communicating with animals" thing.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-67892984571122969142008-08-19T03:28:00.000-07:002008-08-19T03:28:00.000-07:00"But if it was mainly on TBS, I don't know how pop..."But if it was mainly on TBS, I don't know how popular it would've been. A lot of people still don't have cable, and more didn't have it then. I'm guessing Tonto still would win the "Name a TV Indian" contest by a wide margin."<BR/><BR/>The percent of US households with cable is very high, with 70% having cable now. When Captain Planet was most heavily aired, it was probably not a lot lower. TBS is one of the most commonly included basic cable channels, so that means high exposure of "Captain Planet" to kids of that era.<BR/><BR/>Tonto may be more well known than Ma-Ti even to kids of this era, but I think that is more to the blandness and poor execution of the cartoon rather than lack of exposure to it.<BR/><BR/>"I'm guilty of it too. My Snake Standing character isn't that much different from Eagle Free or Ma-ti."<BR/><BR/>Very rare is the Native cartoon/comic book "hero" who has powers that have nothing to do with their Native heritage. A Native Iron Man, for example. I can't think of one. Or a Native whose powers come from an alien artifact that has nothing to do with his Native heritage.<BR/><BR/>It follows that white comic book heroes only occasionally have powers that are related to their white ethnicity or white mythological background. Thor is an example of one that does. It is more common for "ethnic" comic book characters to have ethnic-type powers.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.com