Portrayal of black people in comics

Black people have been portrayed in comics since the medium's beginning, with their portrayals often the subject of controversy.^[1][2] Mainstream comic publishing companies have had a historical trend of being predominantly white and male, reflecting the lack of representation and inaccurate depictions of Black people in comics.^[3] The integration of black characters in mainstream and superhero comics has endured various obstacles and challenges. Critics have noted that black men and women have historically often been portrayed as jungle or ghetto stereotypes, and as sidekicks as opposed to primary characters.^[4][5][6] Occiasionally, comic book creators would lampshade stereotypes, lack of representation and emphasize social injustices.^[7][8] In recent years, with the integration of more Black people in mainstream comic writing rooms as well as the creation of comics on digital platforms has changed the representation and portrayals of Black people in comics and has started to reflect the complexities of Black people across the diaspora.^[2][9]