Sam Jackson is Nick Fury in Iron Man 2

Samuel L. Jackson will apparently have a much larger role in the Iron Man movie sequel.

What is the deal with all the white characters going to black actors, Marvel Studios? As I've said time and again, I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but what is it really about?

Granted, there aren't a whole lot of black major characters in comics, but isn't part of that because black Americans are in the minority of comic book fans? Obviously, if more of them were interested in the hobby, there would be more major black characters... at least that's obvious to me. So I can understand some roles going to black actors even though the characters were originally white in the comics, but why so many?

Of course, I am all for integration and minorities in roles and all that. It has absolutely nothing to do with being politically correct, it's just - I mean, why not? It's a mere difference of skin shade! But when you grow up with a white Nick Fury, Captain America, Kingpin - on down the line - changing something physical in such a dramatic fashion can upset the suspension of disbelief.

Take the Captain America situation: over such a lengthy feature, it will be easy to "forget" that Cap was originally white; you'll get over it in the first few minutes and that's that. With Kingpin, I actually loved that Michael Clarke Duncan got the role! He looked the part - excepting, obviously, the difference in skin color. The only person I could think of who might have been better would have been that rapper (Lil' Joe? Is that his name?), but I don't think he has the chops. So, again, it really isn't that big of a deal...

But I still have to ask: "Why?"

I mean, if they are just trying to be PC, then I have to be against it on principle. After all, of the few major black characters, being black is pretty important to them: can you imagine a white Storm or Black Panther? Of course not - that would be heretical! So I really hope the executives in charge of these decisions consider this before they make decisions that kill these franchises before they really get off the ground.

Of course, that's not a problem with Iron Man, but what about a budding Nick Fury franchise?

© C Harris Lynn, 2008