White Lightnin'!

So I'm a bit behind the times on this issue.  Further proof, I suppose, that I should be reading Penny Arcade on a regular basis (and watching the weekly videos).


Because white actors need more roles!  Ugh.

 Anywho, on to the issue in question;  Thor.  As you probably know, there's a film version of the longtime Marvel comic book that will soon be hitting the big screens (directed by Kenneth Branagh!).  As a longtime Thor fan, I've been decently excited about the upcoming film (although I am a little wary of the costumes), and so a link to an article about a movement to boycott the Thor movie caught my eye.  Full disclosure; at first I thought the controversy was religious, due to the teaser at Bleeding Cool.  I guessed that Christian groups were mad about a movie glorifying a false idol.  Turns out they were just mad about one of the supporting characters being played by a black guy.  Even better.

Boycott Thor's outrage stems from the fact that Heimdall, the all-seeing Norse guardian of the Rainbow Bridge and Asgardian watchman extraordinaire, is being played by African-American actor Idris Elba.  Since the Nordic myths are pretty white-centric, site runner Kyle Rogers sees the portrayal of a traditionally white mythological figure by a black actor as an outrage, as well as further proof of a sinister Leftist agenda in the mainstream.

Personally, I agree with the Penny Arcade guys, as well as Terry Bartley and Cody Walker.  In a very strict, very narrow sense, Rogers could maybe have a point.  If the upcoming Thor movie was supposed to be some kind of accurate retelling of an ancient myth (the concept itself being something of an oxymoron), then yeah, maybe it would make sense to cast a Nordic fella as Heimdall.

But it's not.  It's a movie based on comic books.  Taking place in the modern world.  So what if Heimdall's black?  The movie stars a giant wrestler who runs around with giant bird wings on his helmet.  That's not exactly historically accurate.  And that's the point.  Thor's a Marvel movie loosely based on a Marvel comic book, which in turn is loosely based on Nordic myth.  Nothing's set in stone here, nor should it be. 

And after spending a while on the Boycott Thor page, it's pretty evident that Rogers is using the issue to push his racist ideals.  The sooner this guy's fifteen minutes expire, the better.