• Kedly@lemm.ee
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    5 months ago

    Dude, one of the most egregious things a piece of media can do is bore you. Bad can be funny, angry can make you think, fun and happy dont need to be explained why we’d want to watch that, but boring just wastes our time. Media that’s been overly focus grouped has the highest likelihood of being bland as shit. Like I said, YES, a LOT of the race swap hatred comes from racism, but it also acts as a signal for people who dislike boring media that it might be a focus group tested waste of our time.

    edit Tldr: If its race swapping thats the problem itself? Yeah, likely racist. But race swapping is also a red flag for people that their actual problem with media, bland and focus group wastes of time, is present in said piece of media

    • magnusrufus@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Dude, focus groups? 6 slightly different spider-mans are not boring as long as he stays white but change his race and that’s the bland as shit part?

      • Kedly@lemm.ee
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        5 months ago

        I havent watched a spiderman I didnt like? Well, maybe the 3rd movie of the Toby Maguire run. Red flags are just flags at the end of the day and can end up being wrong. I didnt say a race swap guaranteed a bland piece of entertainment, just that it can signal one. Also, Miles Morales isnt a race swap, he’s an entirely new character, and I actually prefer him to Peter Parker

        • magnusrufus@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          It can signal one just like all the other little changes they make when rehashing a character right? Those changes are just as big of red flags right? They get the same out cry right? Cause if they didn’t, well that would seem like a red flag of it’s own.

          • Kedly@lemm.ee
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            5 months ago

            Bud, just because some people using it as a red flag are racist, doesnt mean ALL people who are… are. Theres no denying that racist people care more about this red flag than the others, which all arent the same degree of red flag I might add. I’m merely pointing out that theres non racist reasons to be wary of a race swap

            • magnusrufus@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              Which doesn’t seem like a very helpful point. We all have figured out it’s a mixed bag. The more interesting question might be what’s the mix? Just because a handful of them are using race swap as a lazy filter for what they presume to be bland media we gotta handle the rest with kid gloves just in case?

              • Kedly@lemm.ee
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                5 months ago

                Thats what I mean, though. I cant really think of a race swap, that wasnt a fully new character, that added to a story. For me, its a good sign, so far, because if theres ever an era that could change that its right now, that its likely a soulless corporate move, that the piece of entertainment is probably going to waste my time. The mix currently isnt in favour of race swaps. That being said, if the ONLY problem I hear about the piece of media is a race swap, I’m likely still going to watch it. It usually just signals me to wait a bit, and then other more important info, like none of the characters being likable and Scooby Doo not even being IN the newest Scooby Doo, will quickly come out and let me know that it isnt worth watching

                • magnusrufus@lemmy.world
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                  5 months ago

                  So you are one of the handful. The fine point that you are trying to make is lost when it follows up people saying that changing an established character’s race is purely pandering. The idea that most readers distinguish the superhero mantle from the alter ego doesn’t hold up. When they say established character they mean Spider-Man. You might not but again you are the tiny handful.

                  So if changing race is a lazy inconsequential element why is it an issue? Why not all the other lazy inconsequential changes?

                  Why is inclusivity the inevitable obvious outcome of focus groups?

                  • Kedly@lemm.ee
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                    5 months ago

                    I’d argue that there are more like me than you think, we’re just hidden by how loud the racists are (And others who arent as stupid as me as to get painted like one to argue about a relatively minor point). I guess I should reiterate that race changing in itself isnt a problem, its moreso that in its current most often usecase its signals that bad writing will follow. I’m making great care to point out entirely new characters because THERE where its a moniker that a new character adopts, there is plenty of precedent that it results in a new and interesting spin. But race swaps without character changes havent done so and have usually been done to hide bland writing