Saturday, November 5, 2016

Berlanti obviously doesn't read this blog...

Or he wouldn't allow all of the shows he's running for CW to be filled with message fiction. Of course, my readers know exactly what type of messages I'm talking about: Social Justice messages.  This week's episodes of Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow were really heavily into the message fiction. Arrow and the Flash had less this week, so I'm going to discuss the newer shows.

Supergirl:

Firstly, I have to say the Superman they introduced felt more like Supes than the current film incarnation. That is, he felt more human, and more like he enjoys himself while he's saving the world. Maggie Sawyer got introduced last week, and the show has her as a xenophilic lesbian. M'gann M'orzz was also revealed to us, and she, like all the other active redhead characters in the Berlantiverse, has been made black. I don't mind a little of it, and sure, the DCU in comics has a disproportionate amount of redheads, but let us keep one or two. The Berlantiverse is close to 50/50 black/white, which is nowhere near the USA's demographics. Also, why can't you show us one or more of J'onn's alternate identities? He's got dozens in the DCU he occasionally uses, to gain perspectives on humanity.


DC's Legends of Tomorrow:

Oh, man. You actually had an interesting story with the Civil War zombies. But, you went and called it the "very worst of humanity". I'm appalled at you lack of historical knowledge and perspective. Is it dark? Most certainly, but great light shone against the institution.  In the 1930's and 40's, eugenics was popular scientific thought. Laws were passed, and mandatory sterilizations of some minority people happened under the law of the United States. Planned Parenthood was founded by Margaret Sanger, as a measure to exterminate the black population, which was targeted by the sterilization laws already. In some ways, I find these to be far scarier and darker than the open hatred displayed by slavery in the USA.

Contrary to what students are being taught in schools today, slavery was not invented in the United States of America. Every sizable civilization has contained this institution at some point, and several countries still contain it today. Nor was the South the worst practitioner of this. Romans had them fight each other to the death. Other, more modern versions are less palatable.

And the Romans? Even they, during their pagan years, valued life. Hannibal and the forces of Carthage worshipped Moloch, sacrificing live children of multiple years old. They burned their own children in ritual for their deity, hoping for power and victory. Rome even fell for awhile, and rose again and destroyed the empire, the city, and the earth where they stood, so reviled by this were they. Yes, the pagans fought and destroyed what truly was the worst and darkest time in history.


Berlanti, if you keep this up, you'll lose viewers eventually. This is despite being some of the best superhero presentation there is today. And now, for an altered version of my last line:

When you play Social Justice, the multiverse loses.

1 comment:

  1. The redhead replacement drives me up the wall. It's EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. The Wests, Hawkgirl, Jimmy...argh.

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