Comments on: The Co(s)mic Race: Blackface in Comics South of the Border (Part 1) http://classic.tcj.com/international/the-cosmic-race-blackface-in-comics-south-of-the-border-part-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-cosmic-race-blackface-in-comics-south-of-the-border-part-1 The Comics Journal is a magazine that covers the comics medium from an arts-first perspective. Fri, 04 Mar 2011 23:56:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Jesse Tangen-Mills http://classic.tcj.com/international/the-cosmic-race-blackface-in-comics-south-of-the-border-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-2326 Jesse Tangen-Mills Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:41:01 +0000 http://www.tcj.com/?p=29853#comment-2326 Pedro, I was focusing on the comics hegemonic reach within Latin American countries with large black populations as in Colombia, where I live (although I don't really agree with your view of race in Mexico). For years in Central America, Colombia and Venezuela the only historietas available were Mexican (with the exception of Condorito). This makes it even more significant. Gracias por el dato Asanti. Le agradecería si me puede dar su fuente (escanear un ejemplar tal vez). Pedro, I was focusing on the comics hegemonic reach within Latin American countries with large black populations as in Colombia, where I live (although I don’t really agree with your view of race in Mexico). For years in Central America, Colombia and Venezuela the only historietas available were Mexican (with the exception of Condorito). This makes it even more significant.

Gracias por el dato Asanti. Le agradecería si me puede dar su fuente (escanear un ejemplar tal vez).

]]> By: asanti http://classic.tcj.com/international/the-cosmic-race-blackface-in-comics-south-of-the-border-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-2321 asanti Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:16:31 +0000 http://www.tcj.com/?p=29853#comment-2321 Realmente Sixto Valencia no es el creador de Memín Pinguin. La primera persona que lo dibujó fue Alberto Cabrera allá por los años de 1940, y él fue el creador del personaje... De hecho, creo que los argumentos fueron encargados a Yolanda Vargas Dulché por él, pues en las páginas de un periódico dominical de 1946, que poseo en mis archivos, dice al principio textualmente: MEMIN PINGUIN, POR ALBERTO CABRERA Y YOLANDA VARGAS DULCHÉ... Esto quiere decir que el VERDADERO CREADOR de ese personaje no era Yolanda, si no Alberto Cabrera... Si se me solicita, puedo enviar la documentación a que me refiero... "Al César lo que es del César...!" Realmente Sixto Valencia no es el creador de Memín Pinguin. La primera persona que lo dibujó fue Alberto Cabrera allá por los años de 1940, y él fue el creador del personaje… De hecho, creo que los argumentos fueron encargados a Yolanda Vargas Dulché por él, pues en las páginas de un periódico dominical de 1946, que poseo en mis archivos, dice al principio textualmente: MEMIN PINGUIN, POR ALBERTO CABRERA Y YOLANDA VARGAS DULCHÉ… Esto quiere decir que el VERDADERO CREADOR de ese personaje no era Yolanda, si no Alberto Cabrera… Si se me solicita, puedo enviar la documentación a que me refiero… “Al César lo que es del César…!”

]]> By: Pedro Arizpe http://classic.tcj.com/international/the-cosmic-race-blackface-in-comics-south-of-the-border-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-2317 Pedro Arizpe Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:07:42 +0000 http://www.tcj.com/?p=29853#comment-2317 I remember the so called controversy. Most mexicans will react negatively, sometimes even aggressively, when faced with the idea of Memín as an exploitative character. Memín is a caricature, that's not up for discussion, but a caricature like many others in mexican comics. Mexico as a culture isn't riddled with guilt for the way black people were treated (though heavy racism does exist, only of a different kind), so exaggerating their facial features was and should still be fair game. Americans see a picanniny, sambo or minstrel depiction, "thanks" to their history; mexicans see a caricature like many others. As for his character, Memín is deeply rooted in spanish picaresque literature, like Lazarillo de Tormes... not really a generalization of the behavior of black children. An example of this attitude came up recently in a thread of the social community Reddit, where a caricaturist posted works based on chatroulette encounters. http://imgur.com/sELok People noted that he went all out exaggerating the facial features of most people, but showed a lot of restraint when drawing african americans, almost to the point those were regular portraits. He responded by saying "You have to admit, it's a dangerous and potentially hurtful line to cross, if I ever accidentally crossed it." To mexicans (and probably other non-americans) that notion is completely alien. I think it's irrational for mexicans to expect people from the US to just let go of an issue so socially and historically complex that is nowhere near resolved... but I think a big part of the discussion should focus on the reader and his/her interpretation, not so much the work itself. Like Enid says in the Ghost World movie, in reference to her black-face found art piece: "Because, when we see something like this, it seems really shocking... and we have to wonder why it is so shocking" --Pedro Arizpe I remember the so called controversy. Most mexicans will react negatively, sometimes even aggressively, when faced with the idea of Memín as an exploitative character. Memín is a caricature, that’s not up for discussion, but a caricature like many others in mexican comics. Mexico as a culture isn’t riddled with guilt for the way black people were treated (though heavy racism does exist, only of a different kind), so exaggerating their facial features was and should still be fair game. Americans see a picanniny, sambo or minstrel depiction, “thanks” to their history; mexicans see a caricature like many others. As for his character, Memín is deeply rooted in spanish picaresque literature, like Lazarillo de Tormes… not really a generalization of the behavior of black children.

An example of this attitude came up recently in a thread of the social community Reddit, where a caricaturist posted works based on chatroulette encounters.

http://imgur.com/sELok

People noted that he went all out exaggerating the facial features of most people, but showed a lot of restraint when drawing african americans, almost to the point those were regular portraits. He responded by saying “You have to admit, it’s a dangerous and potentially hurtful line to cross, if I ever accidentally crossed it.” To mexicans (and probably other non-americans) that notion is completely alien.

I think it’s irrational for mexicans to expect people from the US to just let go of an issue so socially and historically complex that is nowhere near resolved… but I think a big part of the discussion should focus on the reader and his/her interpretation, not so much the work itself. Like Enid says in the Ghost World movie, in reference to her black-face found art piece: “Because, when we see something like this, it seems really shocking… and we have to wonder why it is so shocking”

–Pedro Arizpe

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