Way back in 1941, the first Vigilante was Greg Sanders, a cowboy-themed crimefighter who was also on the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Then came New York City district attorney Adrian Chase, who embodied a more well-known, violent version of the identity in the 1980s, followed by a few other folks as time passed. The newest person to wear the distinctive black suit will be a fictional basketball player whose life turns sour after a NBA career fails to materialise.
The House of Superman announced The Vigilante: Southland today, a new six-issue miniseries starts in October from author Gary Phillips, with interior art by Elena Casagrande Giulia Brusco, along with covers by Mitch Gerads. The southern California-set story will focus on one-time pro hoops hopeful Donny Fairchild. More from the press release:
When his girlfriend stumbles on a conspiracy to steal water rights through a series of shady land development deals, she’s mysteriously murdered. Once Donny starts getting too close to the cause of her death, his house is blown up and he’s left for dead. Determined to bring the killers to justice, Donny undergoes training from an urban legend known as The Eastsider to become a masked vigilante.
“THE VIGILANTE: SOUTHLAND is incredibly relevant to our times,” said writer Gary Phillips. “It’s a politically tinged story that touches on a myriad of contemporary issues, such as gun violence, class struggle and Black Lives Matter. The book also provides me an opportunity to contemporize classic issues/tropes like the fight over water rights in southern California. I’m very excited to show readers this character, reimagined for the 21st Century.”
Comments
8 responses to “DC Comics’ Newest Version Of Vigilante Isn’t Another White Person”
Shh, come here for a second. I literally want you to imagine if that color in the title was inverted. Now imagine how that would boggle your mind.
Indeed. I look forward to reading this, very much all the same. But poor wording in the title still.
If that isnt racebaiting in that title I dont know what is. Diversity has been coming to comics in a big way lately but articles like this with bullshit racially charged titles do nothing to help that cause. Do better next time Evan.
A little disappointed in him, also. Very sad to see him generalise so many and so much with the title.
Given the emphasis on Vigilante’s arm mounted bolas, or whatever they are, can we assume there will be a move away from the character’s history with guns?
Interesting timing with CW’s Arrow series:
Adrian Chase, the original Vigilante, is expected to play a prominent role in season 5Why is the colour of his skin so important?
The colour of the character’s skin is presumably highlighted in the title to indicate that the newest iteration of the Vigilante is a departure from previous versions, something that is confirmed within the article.
Aside from that though, two things come to mind:
1) All eight characters who have previously assumed the mantle of Vigilante have been Caucasian. Donny Fairchild, the ninth Vigilante, is the first person of colour to hold the title.
2) The writer indicates that the series will entail “(A) politically tinged story that touches on a myriad of contemporary issues, such as gun violence, class struggle and Black Lives Matter”.
Am I the only person to think that making a black character wanting to play professional basketball is a bit racist in of itself?
Like, here, let’s insert this character of colour to show we’re not racist but give him a stereotypical black ideal?
“will be a fictional basketball player whose life turns sour after a NBA career fails to materialise.”
He’s gonna be drinking the purple koolaid hardcore.