fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3426 ]

[ SECRET POST #3426 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3426 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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[Renaud (French singer)]

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 048 secrets from Secret Submission Post #490.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

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Enh, for the longest time, I was POSITIVE that Lex Luthor was black. (This was due to a total childhood misreading of his 90s animated incarnation.)

This led to us (without consciously thinking about it) imagining a backstory for him that involved him ruthlessly clawing his way to the top of corporate America, due to a combo of whiplash intelligence and hardcore social skills, and being so pissed that Superman, a freakin' ALIEN, seems to get adulation and all handed to him on a plate. (Keep in mind that we had never read any Superman comics or anything; this was pretty much based entirely on the 90s Superman cartoon and Justice League Unlimited. We saw the Christopher Reeves movie, but just assumed that white Lex was factually incorrect.)

It wasn't until we were like, in our early TWENTIES that we realized how off-base we were. And I remember feeling oddly let down.

that would have been so much cooler

goddammit

I KNOW RIGHT???? I fucking LOVED my mental image of Lex Luthor as like, the eviler side to Horatio Alger's rags-to-riches story! And it meshed so well with those cartoons' characterization--a guy who takes his appearance and reputation SO seriously, the guy who can socially manipulate fucking SUPERMAN, who knows how to use the media to his advantage... that always struck me as the behavior of someone who's not used to coasting or resting on his laurels, but someone who's utterly determined NEVER to end up at the bottom again.

Like, man! I would read the backstory of a man like that!

it'd have made him so much more evil to pretend to be aiding his racial group and his community and sometimes legitimately doing so and then turning and throwing them under the bus if it came down to him vs them

Ooh, maybe. But I dunno, the shows I saw regarding Luthor was, he did seem to take an interest in his community and keeping them well (so they'd keep supporting his enterprises). I kinda mentally saw him in maybe a similar vein to the machine politicians who had huge popular support, despite being totally corrupt, because they knew how to keep the people happy.

I could totally see him as the kind of guy who totally crushes the people who might make him look bad though, especially if they make him look bad by pointing out he isn't as shinyclean as his image suggests. Imagine the sort of Internet conspiracy theories he would generate if he was a real person!

I thought he was too, but I had never met a person with African heritage at the time.

...Wait, animated Lex wasn't supposed to be black??

I AM SO VINDICATED TO KNOW WE WEREN'T THE ONLY CONFUSED CHILD.

Yeah, he was apparently supposed to look more Greek? *shrug?* But we were little Texas kids, didn't know many Greek folks, so...

Kind of obvious that he's white though. He looks like every single strong-featured bald guy out there only as a cartoon. Though you bringing your background into this makes sense. It's like how people who have only seen stereotypical Mexicans refuse to believe that light skinned latinos are latino too (because they only associated being latinX with having dark brown skin) once they go into the real world.

Except apparently not, since other people on this thread apparently thought he was black too. I feel like his design kinda reflects the background of whoever views him--to you, it's obvious he was white, while other people on the thread thought he was black or mixed-race too.

*shrug*

I always thought he was supposed to be black in the cartoon, too, but I only ever saw maybe a couple of episodes. It seemed like the kind of thing a kid's cartoon would do - bring in more diversity.

I only recently started to watch the animated DC series and I was convinced that Luthor was supposed to be mixed race? Is that not so?

Apparently not. Apparently he was supposed to look more like Telly Savalas but you know, it is what it is.

I feel like it kinda makes for an interesting reflection of the racial system folks grew up with, asking them that question, because you'll get extremely passionate answers and deep surprise all around.

I always read him as black

Yeah, when we read Death of Superman and saw Luthor WITH HAIR, it was quite a shock. This led to lots of asking people if Lex was white, and having that sense of I AM WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING.

That is some quality hair going on there. But yeah, from the pic you linked above, I probably would have assumed he was black as well.

(no subject)

lb_lee - 2016-05-21 21:23 (UTC) - Expand

Oh my god he's Lysandre from Pokémon XY

Who exactly are "lots of people?" People who were in the same position as you? It seems that anyone who grew up with the comics might have known he was white. (This comes off as rude. Sorry. But just asking here because this series as a whole has been around for a long time.)

(no subject)

lb_lee - 2016-05-22 23:34 (UTC) - Expand

Yeah, I thought Lex was supposed to be black/mixed in the animated series too.

I love your idea for the backstory though, maybe in one the many earths that exist in the DC universe it can be true.

Yeah. Man, him and Amanda Waller would either get on like a house on fire or HATE EACH OTHER PASSIONATELY. I'm not sure which.

Actually his backstory is pretty much exactly like that, only he's white. He came from abject poverty and was only able to escape it due to a life insurance policy on his alcoholic father. While he was ruthless and more than a bit on the evil side (his dad's fatal car accident wasn't exactly an accident, mind), he had some good intentions until Superman showed up, and it was essentially what you said.

Huh. In that case, I have to give kudos to the Superman cartoon for being able to CONVEY that background purely through visual design, behavior, and voice acting, without ever actually bringing it up. Good job, Warner Bros!

oh my god he does look like a light skinned black guy in that drawing

It's really only because of the lower lip. White men rarely have lips, but when they do or when it's a bright color it's so weird looking (like Jack McBrayer). Then when you put it in a drawing and mix it with some racially-ignorant people then they start thinking he's black. Like how white people assume anyone with a tiny tan is a poc, event thought the person is obviously white.

I'm finding it kinda fascinating how folks are going, "omg he totally looks black/mixed-race/white" and everyone seems pretty certain of it.

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