Big Idea 2

For my Big Idea project, I have decided to look at comic books, but more specifically Indigenous representation in comic books. As someone who loves Marvel and the worlds they can create, I’ve always had trouble finding and getting thoroughly invested in the Indigenous characters introduced into the Marvel Universe; this is not for lack of trying though. Characters like Warpath, whose name alone should gain some curious looks, has been relegated to the background while other non-Indigenous characters take on more important roles; Danielle Moonstar’s character has been morphed so drastically that she has become embroiled in another cultures mythology. While still there, the representation of Indigenous characters in Marvel comics is seriously lacking. However, when you look outside mainstream books and dig a little bit, there is a world of Indigenous writers and illustrators creating and producing stories that hold more meaning than an issue of Captain America ever could. They are telling the stories of their people, the struggles Indigenous people face as they try to claw their way into modern society instead of being seen as something of the past, they tell stories of hurt and loss that can be shared amongst countless Indigenous people, and they create heroes that all people can look up to. For my project, I am going to look at a selection of comics illustrated and written by Indigenous artist (i.e. Moonshot, 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga) and articles and papers written about Indigenous comics from the Xwi7xwa library. I am going to discuss the importance of representation and try and tackle the stereotype that if someone is an indigenous artist, they carve, weave, or paint.

Works Cited

Henzi, Sarah. ““A Necessary Antidote”: Graphic Novels, Comics, and Indigenous             Writing.” Canadian Review of Comparative Literature / Revue Canadienne De            Littérature Comparée 43.1 (2016): 23-38. Web.

Http://lssu.academia.edu/ChadBarbour. “When Captain America Was an Indian:             Heroic Masculinity, National Identity, and Appropriation.” Academia.edu –               Share Research. The Journal of Popular Culture, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Nicholson, Hope. Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection. Toronto: Alternate            History Comics, 2015. Print.

Robertson, David, and Scott B. Henderson. 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga.                     Winnipeg, MB, Canada: HighWater, 2012. Print.

Royal, Derek Parker. “ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics Studies.” Native Noir:               Genre and the Politics of Indigenous Representation in Recent American                     Comics. N.p., 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.