Red (Wolf) flags

A Twitter exchange on Marvel's new Red Wolf:

Lita Nadebah Beck ‏@LitaBeck Sep 8
Re: Marvel's #RedWolf, I think it's worth pointing out that character from made-up tribe is no win for diversity #RepresentationMatters

BlueCornComics ‏@bluecorncomics Sep 10
@LitaBeck I question the Veregge cover too. Looks like a stylized version of new costume with painted mask, bear paws on half-naked savage.

Lita Nadebah Beck ‏@LitaBeck Sep 10
@bluecorncomics Have you seen the alternate cover? This book is like stereotype Mad Libs: Red Wolf Can Keep His Shirt On



No, I hadn't seen it, I responded. Not much of a costume, but it's the kind of clothing Indians such as Geronimo wore in 1872. A Facebook commenter added some thoughts:The issues with Red Wolf so far: 1) Northwest artist advising on a character Marvel has strongly stated in press releases is ingrained in the Southwest (this is not a insult against Jeff Veregge because he's a great artist, its just he hasn't shown qualifications for the type of story Marvel has been advertising). 2) "Does he wear warpaint to bed?!?!" --Lee Francis, meaning the design is a little cliché and not updated very well (see Equinox from Justice League Unlimited for a good portrayal of a Native superhero costume). 3) Marvel's new "diversity" hires seem gimmicky so far and there is apprehension they will not stick to the promise of a more diverse future. 4) So far the character and story are just boring and not very exciting. Maybe when his own title comes out in Dec it will be better, but for now it's just "eh."It's good that Native artist Veregge is involved. But he's doing covers more than anything else, so I wonder how much input he'll have. If any.

Since they seem to be playing Red Wolf as a generic Indian, I wouldn't rule out Veregge's offering useful ideas. I also wouldn't rule out their ignoring him unless he makes his points forcefully. Backed by a willingness to go public or even quit if they do something worse than "wearing facepaint to bed."

Violent vigilante?

Then there's the issue of the writer. As I tweeted:

‏@bluecorncomics
.@LitaBeck Another Red (Wolf) flag: writer Edmondson is allegedly a right-winger who's anti-gay and harasses women. On Nathan Edmondson, Marvel, and the Cycle of Harassment (Updated)

I continued my commentary on Facebook:

Now it would surprise me even less if Red Wolf is a ruthless vigilante a la the Punisher while other Indians are downtrodden, faceless, or invisible.

This led to a discussion with comics critic Greg Burgas:I read about this a few days ago, and the key, as always, is allegedly. Being conservative isn't a crime, nor is disparaging anyone verbally. What's frustrating about this is not that Edmondson is a scumbag (I'm sure he is), but that the people accusing him of being a scumbag are saying, "Trust us, we're right!" But why should we? Is this a whisper campaign just because you don't like the guy or his politics? Why will absolutely no one go on the record? I know the reasoning for that--that companies will blacklist those who speak up--but that's problematic, because then we're just supposed to trust the word of people whose ulterior motive we don't know. This is very frustrating, and I hate thinking it's a smear campaign, but every article I've read about it offers absolutely no evidence except, "This is what we've heard but we can't verify."Being conservative isn't a crime, but a conservative is a poor choice to write the most mainstream comic book about an Indian since Scalped. Especially since the violent vigilante tone they're hinting at is similar to the approach we saw in Scalped.

That's my main concern here. Harassing women is serious but, as you say, there's no hard evidence. And it'll have less effect on the Red Wolf comics than a general right-wing philosophy.Oh, I agree. I haven't read a lot of Edmondson's work, but he seems like a poor choice for something like this, unless he's simply going to write him as a "ruthless vigilante," as you point out. He seems to write middle-of-the-road action stuff, with a pro-military bent, which makes him a good writer for 1980s action movies but perhaps not the guy you want writing this.And regardless of Edmondson's alleged right-wing philosophy, what are his qualifications for writing about Indians? His claim that Red Wolf is from another dimension and doesn't need a historical background?

That should be an immediate disqualifier, not a clever qualifier. Yet Edmondson will get to define Indians in mainstream comics for the next decade the way Jason Aaron did for the last decade.

If Marvel wants to experiment with a Native comic book, how about experimenting with a Native writer too? I could suggest dozens of Native writers who would bring a fresh approach to the comic a la Ms. Marvel.

Or perhaps Marvel is thinking, "We'll experiment with a Native comic book, but only with an established writer who'll give us an established take. Sort of a Clint Eastwood/Jason Bourne/Punisher thing that has nothing to do with real Indians but is sure to be popular."

In that case, we should be slamming Marvel as much as applauding it for its weak and ambivalent choices. Which is what I'm doing here. ;-)

For more on Red Wolf, see Marvel to Relaunch Red Wolf and Same-Old, Same-Old Red Wolf.

Marvel to relaunch Red Wolf

Red Wolf, Marvel's first Native American hero, is getting his own comic book

By Josh DickeyMarvel's first and primary Native American character is getting his own book starting in December, Mashable can exclusively reveal. Native Americans have a long history in the comic books, but Red Wolf—who's returned to the fray this year in its current alt-universe Western-themed "1872" run—hasn't had his own series since 1976.The details:The creative team includes writer Nathan Edmondson and artist Jeffrey Veregge, a member of the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe based out of Kingston, Washington, who's also of Suquamish and Duwamish decent. Veregge is doing covers, design and consulting; the artist on the book is Dalibor Talajić

"There's not a character like Red Wolf out there right now," Veregge told Mashable. "As a native, I’m really excited to see that he can do things, he can figure out things and stand with Captain America, and hold his own in this universe. That’s what’s awesome about it: You have all these characters of different nationalities and ethnicities, but it’s not all about their culture. It’s about them being a hero."

Though there have been various iterations of Red Wolf over the decades, this character will have his own origins, backstory and powers. For instance, the Red Wolf of old had the power to communicate with wolves; whether that's the case remains to be seen with this new run.

Though there will be supernatural elements, "we’ve made him a little bit of a regular Joe. We’re not too beholden to the Red Wolf of old—this is our take on that character," Edmondson said.

Though he'll be existing in the same primary Marvel universe as Spider-Man, Captain America and the other Avengers, Red Wolf will be from the same alternate universe as "1872," meaning he's not connected to any existing Native American tribe.

"Nobody should go to this looking as its historical," Edmondson said. "He comes from another dimension, after all. But it's very important for us to approach it in as authentic a way as possible. Jeffery offers this, and not just for consultation, but with his creative input—his covers jump out from 100 feet away."

"Above all, he’s resourceful," Edmondson said. "He’s kind of in a sense the Jason Bourne of the West, who can find a way out of any situation, or a way to use the resources of whatever room or position he may be in—he’s not a gunslinger, but he might use a gun if he has to. ... But beyond all that, he’s just a brawling, tough-as-nails fighter."Kitsap artist creating Marvel comic covers



Marvel Comics brings back Native American superhero

Red Wolf, first Native superhero with his own comic book series, uses grit and wits to battle crime

By Renee LewisNathan Edmondson, the Marvel writer working on the new book, said Red Wolf will not be linked to any existing Native American tribe—a scenario that some found troubling.

“I think it’s worth pointing out that character from made-up tribe is no win for diversity,” Navajo journalist Lita Nadabah Beck said on Twitter.

Although industry experts have noted that large publishers including Marvel and DC Comics have been including more Native American characters in recent years, the publishers have also drawn some accusations of presenting stereotypes.

To counter those, Native American writers have been producing their own comic books with Native heroes. Moonshot, published this year by Toronto-based Alternative History Comics, was a collection by 18 Native writers and artists from a variety of different cultures depicting traditional indigenous stories and legends—set in the future, and in space.

Jay Odjick's "Kagagi," published in 2011, included the usual villains and superhuman power themes, but its characters and storyline were deeply rooted in Algonquin culture. Jon Proudstar's 1996 series "Tribal Force" was a story of five young people given superpowers to protect their land from being destroyed by the government.Comment:  For more on Red Wolf, see Same-Old, Same-Old Red Wolf and All-New, All-Different Red Wolf?

Judging Red Wolf by his costume

Tom Brevoort Scolds Fans for Judging Marvel Character By Promotional Art Marvel Created to Promote Character

By Jude Terror"Hey Tom," asked Anonymous. "I think bringing Red Wolf into prominence is a great idea, and will fit Marvel's sense of diversity in the future. I do have a question about this though: was there ever a concern that the character might be viewed as a stereotype, or met with a similar controversy to say, the Washington Redskins? Well, thanks for your time and keep up the good work!"

It's a reasonable question. After all, Red Wolf does look a little bit... outdated:

Shirtless, wearing war paint, wearing buckskin pants, wearing, inexplicably, a loincloth over the buckskin pants, wearing a necklace made out of animal teeth, and holding a bow and arrow, Red Wolf looks a little bit stereotypical. Maybe there's a good reason for this. Maybe it totally makes sense in the story and Red Wolf will be the most inoffensive character ever created.

But looking at that image, which Marvel produced and released for the purpose of getting readers excited about All-New All-Different Marvel NOW!, it's a perfectly valid response to ask a question, right? It's something that's been discussed recently in the national media in response to sports teams using stereotypical images of Native Americans as mascots, so it's clearly relevant. We can all agree that asking questions is okay, especially when raised in the respectful and non-confrontational manner as Anonymous did?

Well, not according to Tom Brevoort:No concern, in that we thought that when people read the story, as opposed to judging wildly from a piece of promotional art, they would understand the character.Really, Tom? Did the person asking the question "judge wildly?" Is any kind of response other than blind devotion considered "wild judgement?"

This kind of attitude is indicative of the smarm that permeates the industry and parts of fandom. If the marketing pumped out daily by Marvel gets you excited and in the mood to buy their comics, that's a perfectly accepted response. But if you criticize it? Well, mister, you should wait until the book comes out before passing "wild" judgement! That promotional art is only for people to fawn over and place their preorders. Criticism isn't allowed around here. How dare people "wildly" judge Marvel by the promotional art Marvel itself creates and publishes?! Who do you think you are, comic book reader, to question the House of Ideas?Guess Which 'All New, All Different' Marvel Hero Looks Like a 19th-Century RelicBrevoort's response is so arrogant, it makes us wonder whether the folks at Marvel have already begun holding damage-control meetings that have made Brevoort extra-cranky. Putting a bare-chested, face-painted Native hero in buckskins next to Iron Man in the year 2015 is really unforgivable. That needs to be fixed. Time will tell whether the Red Wolf Marvel ultimately delivers really is All-New and All-Different, or whether he's the same-old same-old.Comment:  Except for calling the judgment "wild," I don't think Brevoort's answer is that bad. I wouldn't rant about it as these commentators have done.

But Brevoort is still wrong. You certainly can judge visual stereotypes by the visuals. That's all you can judge them by. No amount of nonvisual information can wipe a visual stereotype from your eyes.

Brevoort's answer about understanding the character is a dodge. Red Wolf may be an extremely well-developed character, worthy of our respect, but we're talking about his appearance. You could dress Hamlet or Willy Loman as Red Wolf and the costume would be stereotypical. Any of them in that costume, with those weapons, would be a half-naked savage by definition.

Let us know when you have a real answer, Tom. So far you haven't addressed the issue of Red Wolf's stereotypical appearance.

For more on the subject, see All-New, All-Different Red Wolf? and Same-Old, Same-Old Red Wolf.

Same-old, same-old Red Wolf

The "all-new, all-different" Red Wolf struck me as problematical since he was still a half-naked savage. Someone else noticed the problem and wrote a good commentary on it:

Not So New, Not So Different: On Red Wolf and Indigenous Representation in the New Marvel

By James LeaskIf the first thing I’d learned about this news was, “Marvel’s bringing back Red Wolf in an important way,” I’d have been thrilled. That’s exactly what I want. There’s a problem, though: that’s not how I first learned about it. I saw the promo image first. And in the promo image, Red Wolf is dressed like the most problematic stereotype you have ever seen of an aboriginal person. He’s holding a bow and arrow. He’s wearing buckskin breeches. He’s wearing a loincloth on top of the buckskin breeches. He has a bone necklace and a warpaint. He’s not wearing a shirt. The only thing missing from the Injun Stereotype Bingo Card is a feather in his hair. It’s hard to make this more suspect-looking.

If it isn't obvious why this is problematical, Leask explains it:The representation was iffy enough in the context of 1872. It’s easy to defend the antiquated dress by saying, hey, it’s the 19th century, so olde-tyme-y dress is appropriate. There are a couple of problems with that.

First, it takes the dangerous position that in the late 19th century, aboriginal people pretty much only dressed in breeches, loincloths and a startling lack of upper body wear. Of course, this isn’t true; not only did aboriginal people wear a wide variety of clothes, including, yes, shirts and coats (I’d like to see present-day Red Wolf William Talltrees brave his home Montana winters without it), but since contact with European settlers, many aboriginal people had begun dressing in European-style dress, a number that only increased as the two (to oversimplify it) groups co-existed, intermingled, and came together to form the distinct aboriginal people, the Métis.You don't have to be an expert on Native history to get the point. Think of the famous images of leaders such as Sitting Bull and Geronimo from that era. They're usually wearing full outfits, shirts and pants, made of buckskin or cotton. Half-naked Indians, or Indians wearing warpaint, become increasingly rare. Why? Because as Leask says, Indians were intermingling with Anglos and adopting their customs. Going around half-naked was impractical and out of fashion.


Leask's conclusion:Of course, this is just a promotional image. We don’t know how Red Wolf will be included in All New, All Different Marvel or, for that matter, how he’ll be included in Secret Wars: 1872. We don’t know what books he’ll be in, who the creative team will be, or who he will be.

My point is, this could end up being something smart and progressive, potentially even from an aboriginal creator. This could be exactly what I asked for.

But it doesn’t look like it. This is just a promotional image, but it’s the image that Marvel decided to sell their diversity with. It’s the image they decided to present of an aboriginal person in 2015. It’s an Injun.

Axel Alonso is right, that image of Red Wolf “resembles the Marvel Universe that 60 years of readers have come to love.” The problem is, that’s not necessarily a good thing.The main difference between Red Wolf's old and new costumes is whether he wears a physical wolf headpiece or has a wolf headpiece painted on. That's not much of a difference. And since warpaint usually has a symbolic message--one this design is obviously faking--I'd say the old Red Wolf is slightly better.

Yes, the old Red Wolf was problematical as well. But that costume was designed in 1970 or thereabouts. After 45 years, can't Marvel come up with up with something better?

Even the notorious Tonto wore full buckskins in the 1950s. So 65 years later, we've literally made no progress in our portrayals of fictional Indians. Wow.

All-new, all-different Red Wolf?

I was a bit slow, but I soon noticed the character on the bottom right of this illustration:



He looked like a cross between Conan the Barbarian and Red Wolf the Native superhero. Turns out I was half right.

'All-New, All-Different Marvel' Spotlight: Meet Red Wolf

The somewhat obscure character first appeared in 1970's Avengers No. 80.

By Graeme McMillanLooking at artist David Marquez's teaser art for Marvel's "All-New All-Different Marvel" relaunch, one question might be on a lot of people's minds: Who is that guy on the far right that looks a bit like Tarzan crossed with Turok? Ladies and gentlemen, meet the somewhat obscure Red Wolf.

Red Wolf's first appearance came in 1970's Avengers No. 80, helpfully titled "The Coming of Red Wolf!" For all writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema's clear intent to diversify the predominantly white Marvel Universe of the time with the introduction of William Talltrees, a Cheyenne tribal leader out for revenge on the man who killed his family, the story is very much of its time, complete with well-meaning but awkward attempts at invoking a culture outside their own experience. ("Oh, the Anglos watched all the war dances—the ones done especially for them," Talltrees says at one point, explaining his origin to the Avengers, "but they did not look within our hearts—they could not read our minds —!")It would appear that it's the wild west Red Wolf that will inform the version of the character that appears in the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe this fall; before Marvel puts a spotlight on the character with its high-profile relaunch (although it's unclear where he will appear), a Red Wolf will show up in 1872, a tie-in to the publisher's Secret Wars event set in an alternate reality where versions of familiar Marvel heroes like Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man exist in a wild west setting.

That Red Wolf is returning to Marvel at a time when the publisher is pushing the diversity of characters as a selling point is oddly fitting; he was, after all, one of the earliest examples of the company trying to move beyond its core demographic and try something else. That he's been forgotten in the many years since only makes his return feel all the more important.You can see a preview of 1872 #1 here:

It's High Noon On Battleworld In This 1872 #1 First Look

It appears Red Wolf is dragging a box of explosives. Steve Rogers the sheriff arrests him--perhaps for sabotage or the threat of sabotage? While the others may want to shoot Red Wolf or string him up for his alleged crimes.



More on this new version of a classic Native superhero coming up.