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A review by vigneswara_prabhu
The Other History of the DC Universe by John Ridley
5.0
In many ways ‘The other history’ feels like a story written by someone who has taken pages from their own life and experience and used it to paint a picture, on the other side of the rose-tinted world of superheroes. By exploring several themes and practices, in story and out, to bring to focus an endemic problem which has always plagued comics especially in the western genre. It is largely a white man’s game, and worse it is written for, and by the majority, which over the years has resulted in some very questionable inclusions into the roster, which, in hindsight was not at all tasteful
One has to appreciate DC for venturing into such political and socially charged commentary, which, more times than often, points a finger, and tears down the pantheon of some of its most popular characters, when viewed through the eyes of those ‘token’, or supporting characters. Superman comes across as a naïve popular man, who chooses to ignore the problems which are not the world ending kind. Refusing, or indifferent to the racial violence and downtrodden sections, and even turning a blind eye to the whole thing (which is ironic in someone who has umpteen forms of visions). Batman comes across as a blatant antisocial, compulsive, control freak character, and not the kind that comes off as cool. He is someone who refuses to get attached or trust anyone, even the ones who he fights with. Someone who has no hesitation to show someone the underside of his boot, if they don’t conform to his rules. It is not easy to address some of the less tasteful things which have transpired in the history of a long running enterprise, but one has to give credit for not shying away from a retcon which can possibly make them look bad.
Which is exactly opposite of what their competitors at Marvel are up to. Or a better way to put it would be, that Marvel has gone so far off the deep end, in the wrong direction, when it comes to representation, diversity and social causes, that they come across as mere platitudes. Marvel has been, for quite a few years now, following the ‘put the cart in front of the horse’ approach, shoving diversity and social justice down their reader’s mouth, with having no firm foundation to stand on. Heaps upon heaps of ‘new age’ characters, who are meant to tick the diversity quota….
African American - check
African American women- check
LGBTQ-plus ultra- check
Pan sexual- check
Asexual- check
Body positivity- check
Asian representation- check
…. The problem with this is that characters are more about their respective social causes, than actual organic narratives. They are so full of ‘it’ that the story comes secondary to bashing the patriarchy.
John Ridley has chosen characters who often find themselves in the backdrop of much of the flashy events in universe and juxtaposed with the sociopolitical climate at the time of their introduction and speaks of the harsh alternatives of the cape and crime fighting profession.
--------------------------------
In Book 1, the events of which make much more sense after watching the TV series “Black Lighting”, we get the first glimpse of this ‘other history’ which is in question. Superheroing, we are shown, is largely as white guy exclusive club, while the rare exceptions, like John Stewart, Mari McCabe, or Victor Stone, were more akin to ‘diversity hires.
Which doesn’t jell well with the social activist, schoolteacher, and hero Jefferson Pierce, walking around with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He can be at times extremely outspoken, but what is spoken hits hard. Where are you, when youths in suicide alley, kill each other over drugs and gangs? He asks the big blue boy scout. Where are your gadgets and billion-dollar inheritance when it comes to improving the condition of my community, she asks the Caped Crusader?
The chip in Jefferson's shoulder comes from having to work two lives, and be a family man, just to stay true to what he believes in; while the elite clubs of the Justice league and the Titans, deal with world ending PR stunts, and are adored as the darlings of the nation. We see a very raw portrayal of the character, from his highs and lows, successes and failures, acceptance and reconciliation.
--------------------------
Book 2: Mal & Karen Duncan are used to being treated as the hired help of the Titans. They know it, even if the rest of the team chooses to be blissfully ignorant of it. At one point Mal was basically the Janitor of the team. And despite the efforts they put into the team, which they believe as much was theirs, they’re often delegated to benchwarmers.
There was this one part in Book 2, about Mal and Karen’s wedding. During the wedding of Donna troy & some rich hick, the celebrations were long and wide. Almost the entire gaggle of heroes arrive to be present for the happy couple, and the whole world seemed to be tuned in to the event.
The older couple reminisce regarding their own wedding, quite a private and modest affair, modest as they couldn’t afford to invite the whole village, and private, not because they didn’t want anyone to attend, but because none of their former colleagues had the time or interest to attend. The difference in standards between the two really seemed to drive a knife into their hearts and into their sense of self-worth.
--------------------------------
Book 3: Katana; Tatsu Yamashiro's life is one which is earmarked by loss. Her children, husband and everyone she loved were taken away from her, leaving only the burning desire for vengeance. In the fields of slaughter and mayhem, where she roamed as a sword for hire seeking death, she found instead a skewed identity which was thrust upon her. Of an Asian woman, master of martial arts, who went around killing her opponents, with a blade which stole her victim's store, and a essentially stereotypical name to go with it: Katana.
When what she was just someone who faced death again and again, while managed to come out of top, by virtue of sheer willpower and determination. Who found camaraderie in a group of flawed individuals, in the outsiders, rekindled her lost sense of maternity, taking care of an amnesiatic orphan, Violet Harper, only to have that brief comfort yet again wrenched from her. Through all of this, and through all the racial discrimination, she endured. For that is the defining character of the woman who is Yamashiro Tatsu.
The book is shy in throwing some light into the more problematic aspects of stories told at the time. In book 3, we are shown the thoughts of Tatsu, in regard to what transpired during the events of ‘The Judas Contract’, one of the more popular Teen Titans storylines. While most were quick to dismiss what happened to Tara Markov, labeling her as a traitor and villain. But Katana saw something different. She saw a girl, barely a teenager, being brainwashed, dependent and manipulated by Slade Wilson, who used her as a tool, before discarding her just as quickly. Tara lost her friends, reputation and life, while Deathstroke gained another notch in his belt. It is incredible how different things can be when viewed through someone else's eyes.
---------------------------------------
Book 4: The story of Renee Montoya, was perhaps the one that I was the most familiar with in this whole anthology. A character who came to my radar during the tumultuous event of Batman: Cataclysm, her weird relationship with Harvey Dent was interesting even at its infancy. Suspicion, wariness, distrust, which eventually resolved into some form of acceptance and empathy.
But her final act of kindness, having treated Dent as a human being, instead of Two face, would be the poisoned seed that would come back to ruin her life, when, in a fit of pathological fixation and ‘love’ Two face reveals the secrets about her private life, tearing her away from Family, and the force, in a depraved attempt to have her dependent entirely on him. Which send her in a spiral of booze and sex, hitting rock bottom, before being chosen as the unlikely successor to the eccentric enigmatic Vic sage, and eventually go on to become the second person to hold the mantle of ‘Question’.
Renee, as well as Anissa's story is more about living a double life, not even taking the whole superhero schtick into consideration. Having to figure out what they want in life, who they want, and how to reconcile what they want, with their family expects of them, and in the process losing sight of oneself. But the struggle is what makes them, as they get broken down, and built themselves up, brick by brick, into the layered individual they are.
-------------------------
Book 1 & Book5, are in many ways, antithesis of each other, while at the same time following several parallels. In Book 1, Jefferson Pierce, who grew up with a murdered father, an in a socially disenfranchised community, took it upon himself to set things right, on many fronts, as a hero and as a teacher. But many of his actions, well intentioned or otherwise ended badly, for himself and those around him.
Yet he saw himself as a man of character who was willing to stand up to a broken system, and was doing good. He was someone who held himself to a much higher standard, yet at the same time allowed himself to be deluded by this higher calling.
Anissa Pierce, who grew up in a broken family, and under a father who laid down the commandment when it came to his children’s lives, saw the man behind the mask, as well as the flawed human being, trying to do good, but fumbling several times along the way. While Jefferson sees himself as someone who stands against oppression and always does the right thing, through Anissa’s eyes we see the parts that fall through the cracks.
Such as the father who never knew how to bond with his children, the parent who lay down the law and never consider the say of his children, or the teacher who inadvertently tried to ‘reform’ his student from the ‘condition’ of homosexuality.
The last one was a debilitating fracture in their relationship, as Anissa struggled with her own sexuality in light of her father’s more conservative faith. Yet for all the effort she put into distancing herself from him, and trying not to emulate him, in many ways her journey draws a lot of parallel with that of Jefferson. Be it the secrets kept the search for belonging among a group of flawed people in the outsiders, facing failure and regret along the way, before finally coming to terms with the inescapable reality they live in.
I have to give credit to the writing staff, especially in the later books, showing how white men don’t have any monopoly when it comes to racism, sexism and homophobia.
One has to appreciate DC for venturing into such political and socially charged commentary, which, more times than often, points a finger, and tears down the pantheon of some of its most popular characters, when viewed through the eyes of those ‘token’, or supporting characters. Superman comes across as a naïve popular man, who chooses to ignore the problems which are not the world ending kind. Refusing, or indifferent to the racial violence and downtrodden sections, and even turning a blind eye to the whole thing (which is ironic in someone who has umpteen forms of visions). Batman comes across as a blatant antisocial, compulsive, control freak character, and not the kind that comes off as cool. He is someone who refuses to get attached or trust anyone, even the ones who he fights with. Someone who has no hesitation to show someone the underside of his boot, if they don’t conform to his rules. It is not easy to address some of the less tasteful things which have transpired in the history of a long running enterprise, but one has to give credit for not shying away from a retcon which can possibly make them look bad.
Which is exactly opposite of what their competitors at Marvel are up to. Or a better way to put it would be, that Marvel has gone so far off the deep end, in the wrong direction, when it comes to representation, diversity and social causes, that they come across as mere platitudes. Marvel has been, for quite a few years now, following the ‘put the cart in front of the horse’ approach, shoving diversity and social justice down their reader’s mouth, with having no firm foundation to stand on. Heaps upon heaps of ‘new age’ characters, who are meant to tick the diversity quota….
African American - check
African American women- check
LGBTQ-plus ultra- check
Pan sexual- check
Asexual- check
Body positivity- check
Asian representation- check
…. The problem with this is that characters are more about their respective social causes, than actual organic narratives. They are so full of ‘it’ that the story comes secondary to bashing the patriarchy.
John Ridley has chosen characters who often find themselves in the backdrop of much of the flashy events in universe and juxtaposed with the sociopolitical climate at the time of their introduction and speaks of the harsh alternatives of the cape and crime fighting profession.
--------------------------------
In Book 1, the events of which make much more sense after watching the TV series “Black Lighting”, we get the first glimpse of this ‘other history’ which is in question. Superheroing, we are shown, is largely as white guy exclusive club, while the rare exceptions, like John Stewart, Mari McCabe, or Victor Stone, were more akin to ‘diversity hires.
Which doesn’t jell well with the social activist, schoolteacher, and hero Jefferson Pierce, walking around with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He can be at times extremely outspoken, but what is spoken hits hard. Where are you, when youths in suicide alley, kill each other over drugs and gangs? He asks the big blue boy scout. Where are your gadgets and billion-dollar inheritance when it comes to improving the condition of my community, she asks the Caped Crusader?
The chip in Jefferson's shoulder comes from having to work two lives, and be a family man, just to stay true to what he believes in; while the elite clubs of the Justice league and the Titans, deal with world ending PR stunts, and are adored as the darlings of the nation. We see a very raw portrayal of the character, from his highs and lows, successes and failures, acceptance and reconciliation.
--------------------------
Book 2: Mal & Karen Duncan are used to being treated as the hired help of the Titans. They know it, even if the rest of the team chooses to be blissfully ignorant of it. At one point Mal was basically the Janitor of the team. And despite the efforts they put into the team, which they believe as much was theirs, they’re often delegated to benchwarmers.
There was this one part in Book 2, about Mal and Karen’s wedding. During the wedding of Donna troy & some rich hick, the celebrations were long and wide. Almost the entire gaggle of heroes arrive to be present for the happy couple, and the whole world seemed to be tuned in to the event.
The older couple reminisce regarding their own wedding, quite a private and modest affair, modest as they couldn’t afford to invite the whole village, and private, not because they didn’t want anyone to attend, but because none of their former colleagues had the time or interest to attend. The difference in standards between the two really seemed to drive a knife into their hearts and into their sense of self-worth.
--------------------------------
Book 3: Katana; Tatsu Yamashiro's life is one which is earmarked by loss. Her children, husband and everyone she loved were taken away from her, leaving only the burning desire for vengeance. In the fields of slaughter and mayhem, where she roamed as a sword for hire seeking death, she found instead a skewed identity which was thrust upon her. Of an Asian woman, master of martial arts, who went around killing her opponents, with a blade which stole her victim's store, and a essentially stereotypical name to go with it: Katana.
When what she was just someone who faced death again and again, while managed to come out of top, by virtue of sheer willpower and determination. Who found camaraderie in a group of flawed individuals, in the outsiders, rekindled her lost sense of maternity, taking care of an amnesiatic orphan, Violet Harper, only to have that brief comfort yet again wrenched from her. Through all of this, and through all the racial discrimination, she endured. For that is the defining character of the woman who is Yamashiro Tatsu.
The book is shy in throwing some light into the more problematic aspects of stories told at the time. In book 3, we are shown the thoughts of Tatsu, in regard to what transpired during the events of ‘The Judas Contract’, one of the more popular Teen Titans storylines. While most were quick to dismiss what happened to Tara Markov, labeling her as a traitor and villain. But Katana saw something different. She saw a girl, barely a teenager, being brainwashed, dependent and manipulated by Slade Wilson, who used her as a tool, before discarding her just as quickly. Tara lost her friends, reputation and life, while Deathstroke gained another notch in his belt. It is incredible how different things can be when viewed through someone else's eyes.
---------------------------------------
Book 4: The story of Renee Montoya, was perhaps the one that I was the most familiar with in this whole anthology. A character who came to my radar during the tumultuous event of Batman: Cataclysm, her weird relationship with Harvey Dent was interesting even at its infancy. Suspicion, wariness, distrust, which eventually resolved into some form of acceptance and empathy.
But her final act of kindness, having treated Dent as a human being, instead of Two face, would be the poisoned seed that would come back to ruin her life, when, in a fit of pathological fixation and ‘love’ Two face reveals the secrets about her private life, tearing her away from Family, and the force, in a depraved attempt to have her dependent entirely on him. Which send her in a spiral of booze and sex, hitting rock bottom, before being chosen as the unlikely successor to the eccentric enigmatic Vic sage, and eventually go on to become the second person to hold the mantle of ‘Question’.
Renee, as well as Anissa's story is more about living a double life, not even taking the whole superhero schtick into consideration. Having to figure out what they want in life, who they want, and how to reconcile what they want, with their family expects of them, and in the process losing sight of oneself. But the struggle is what makes them, as they get broken down, and built themselves up, brick by brick, into the layered individual they are.
-------------------------
Book 1 & Book5, are in many ways, antithesis of each other, while at the same time following several parallels. In Book 1, Jefferson Pierce, who grew up with a murdered father, an in a socially disenfranchised community, took it upon himself to set things right, on many fronts, as a hero and as a teacher. But many of his actions, well intentioned or otherwise ended badly, for himself and those around him.
Yet he saw himself as a man of character who was willing to stand up to a broken system, and was doing good. He was someone who held himself to a much higher standard, yet at the same time allowed himself to be deluded by this higher calling.
Anissa Pierce, who grew up in a broken family, and under a father who laid down the commandment when it came to his children’s lives, saw the man behind the mask, as well as the flawed human being, trying to do good, but fumbling several times along the way. While Jefferson sees himself as someone who stands against oppression and always does the right thing, through Anissa’s eyes we see the parts that fall through the cracks.
Such as the father who never knew how to bond with his children, the parent who lay down the law and never consider the say of his children, or the teacher who inadvertently tried to ‘reform’ his student from the ‘condition’ of homosexuality.
The last one was a debilitating fracture in their relationship, as Anissa struggled with her own sexuality in light of her father’s more conservative faith. Yet for all the effort she put into distancing herself from him, and trying not to emulate him, in many ways her journey draws a lot of parallel with that of Jefferson. Be it the secrets kept the search for belonging among a group of flawed people in the outsiders, facing failure and regret along the way, before finally coming to terms with the inescapable reality they live in.
I have to give credit to the writing staff, especially in the later books, showing how white men don’t have any monopoly when it comes to racism, sexism and homophobia.