Red Mask Magazine

  Comic books have always had Asian characters, but few are memorable, and most that are memorable are memorable for the wrong reasons. I’ll focus on the heroes who are most important and a few who deserve more attention. Wing, the Crimson Avenger’s assistant The history of Asian comic book heroes begins with a radio show, The Green Hornet. Its title character was a white newspaper publisher who put on a mask to fight crime with his Asian valet and chauffeur, Kato. Since the first principle of commercial entertainment is to swipe whatever sells, Detective Comics in 1938 introduced a new series, the Crimson Avenger. Its title character was a white newspaper publisher who put on a mask to fight crime with his Asian valet and chauffeur, Ka — , I mean, Wing. Wing and the Avenger being blatant Kato and the Hornet knock-offs doesn’t affect Wing’s status as the first Asian comic book hero. Some say Wing and the Crimson Avenger were DC’s first superheroes because they debuted ...

While there were many Middle-Eastern heroes in the early days of comics (perhaps because Middle-Easterners had been legally white since 1909) , black characters tended to be assistants or comedy relief or both. The most famous—or egregious—examples: Lothar, created in 1934 as a servant for Mandrake the Magician. First appearance of Lothar and Mandrake, 1934 2. Ebony White, created in 1940 as the Spirit’s friend and aide. Ebony and the Spirit, 1940 3. Whitewash Jones, created in 1941 as a member of the Young Allies. 4. Steamboat Bill, created in 1942 as Captain Marvel and Billy Batson’s valet. Steamboat and Captain Marvel, 1942 There’s little good to be said about Whitewash and Steamboat. Marvel Comics eventually addressed the depiction of the Young Allies in the only way possible by saying those comics were wartime propaganda and not part of official Marvel continuity. Steamboat was so offensive that an integrated group of students visited Captain Marvel’s publisher in 1945 and...