So in desperate need of attention and relevance, Rob Liefeld has decided to weigh in on the #AAIronFist controversy.
For those of you just joining us, this summary here breaks it down.
Created at the height of the 1970s kung-fu movie craze, Iron Fist is an American who learns martial arts from masters at the hidden city of K’un-Lun. He becomes their best student and earns the power of Iron Fist, the ability to channel superhuman energy into his fists. Basically it’s a story about a white guy being better at martial arts than everyone else, steeped in tropes that critics regard as examples of cultural appropriation.
According to Liefeld, Iron Fist “has never ever been considered racist,” (never ever never ever) and casting an Asian American actor would be “reverse white-washing.”
“This is about a comic character being cast to reflect his history,” Liefeld claimed. “You are making it something else. Why is race an issue w/this?”
Comic character being cast to reflect his history? So tell me again how the Ancient One in the upcoming Doctor Strange film got changed to a skinny old white lady.
That is exactly why race is an issue with this.
I find it both hilarious and ironic Liefeld is spewing this reverse racism nonsense, considering the fact that he got his big break working on New Mutants and X-Force, two spinoffs of X-Men, that bestselling flagship Marvel title that is based on the Civil Rights struggle.
This also isn’t the first time Liefeld has reminded everyone that his neurologist is also his proctologist. A few years back he threw an epic hissy fit when X-Factor comic writer Peter David revealed that Shatterstar was not heterosexual and shared a surprise kiss with male teammate Rictor.
“As the guy that created, designed and wrote his first dozen appearances, Shatterstar is not gay. Sorry. Can’t wait to someday undo this… Shatterstar is akin to Maximus in Gladiator. He’s a warrior, a Spartan, and not a gay one.”
Um…
The only thing Liefeld struggles with more than history, facts, and reality is this thing called human anatomy.
Much like Donald Trump or anyone at FOX News, Liefeld is one of those individuals where if you find yourself on the same side of an issue with him, that should be a redflag that you need to reevaluate your life choices because you are failing something fierce. Call it the Law of Liefeld.
In fact, when Jim Viscardi mentioned he and Liefeld were friends during my tenure at Comicbook.com, my Spidey sense went into overdrive and I realized the type of bigots I was working for. We know how that BS with Comicbook.com has been playing out.
I’m not going to reiterate why #AAIronFist should be reality. I did that here. More than that, Fearless Leader (known to some of you as Keith Chow) and my other Nerds of Color have already done that. But there are two things I do need to point out.
Pro-tip: you may also want to retire the term “reverse racism” or any version thereof. In addition to there being no such thing, ultimately you’re telling on yourselves. Reverse racism implies white people facing racial oppression at the hands of people of color; thus making people of color the source of reverse racism. If that’s the case then that means racism in its proper definition is people of color facing racial oppression at the hands of white folks. Thus making white folks the source of racism.
For those of you who are still struggling with the concept of white privilege, here’s an excellent example. It’s a mediocre bigoted hack like Liefeld having a career in the first place.
Tip your waitress.