NFL SuperPro #6
“The Kachinas Sing of Doom”
Writer: Buzz Dixon
Breakdowns: Jose Delbo
Finishes: Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Evelyn Stein
Cover: Rob Tokar,* Ron Frenz and Joe
Sinnott
Editors: Dave Wohl
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco
Published by: Marvel
Released: Jan. 7, 1992
It turns out Phil Grayfield doesn't only report on football, and his alter ego, SuperPro, will protect athletes in other sports as well, as we learn in the most controversial issue of NFL SuperPro yet. Admittedly, that's a pretty low bar to clear, unless you found the introductory special's anti-steroid stance objectionable, but here we are.
The second issue of Buzz Dixon's tenure opens with Phil and Ken getting footage of world champion figure skater Laura Eagle practicing when a trio of costumed figures burst in armed with a shepherd's crook, nunchuks, a bow and arrow and a chainsaw. Phil makes a token attempt to stop them until he's cast aside, giving him the chance to change into his SuperPro gear. Laura seems to recognize one of the attackers, calling him “Nata-Aska” and making reference to the pueblo where she grew up.
After a run-in with a police officer who is not remotely impressed with his superheroing, Phil takes Laura to the apartment of his girlfriend Jane Dixon, who assists in this case by being jealous of her beau hanging out with another attractive woman. Laura spins a story of her past growing up among the Hopi in Arizona and how kachinas, which are spiritual beings in some indigenous peoples' beliefs, frightened her as a child. Laura became fascinated with figure skating and less interested in tribal affairs, creating a rift with her sister He'e'e. She thinks He'e'e, who is named after a kachina spirit and involved with a radical Hopi group calling themselves the Kachinas, is responsible for her recent harassment and the attack. As circumstantial evidence goess, it's not bad.
Laura decides to return to the pueblo, with Phil and Ken going along to cover the story and, apparently unbeknownst to the skater, fight any ensuing crime. Laura receives a hero's welcome as Phil gets an idea of the tension surrounding the casino owned by the tribe** and run by Tyler Gaunt, a rather shady white businessman. They head over to meet with He'e'e, leading to some verbal sparring between the sisters and Phil's blundering attempt at peacemaking.
He'e'e denies being involved in the actions targeting her sister. As Phil, Ken and Laura leave, they're attacked by the same costumed trio from the opening. The masked men abduct Laura and leave Phil and Ken for dead, though the duo manage to get to safety.
And he would have gotten away with it, if not for that meddling SuperPro and an assist from a fourth kachina-costumed figure enters the fray – He'e'e herself, in the garb of her namesake and armed with a bow and arrow.
Together, they turn the tables on the impostors. When one of them threatens Laura with a knife, she flashes back to a tribal ceremony involving a masked kachina figure that frightened her as a child. Her scream gives He'e'e an opening to knock out the third and final thug. SuperPro delivers Gaunt to the police, and the sisters come to an understanding.
I remember hearing years ago that there was an issue of SuperPro that caused a stir based on racial issues. As I've been working on these posts, I found out this was the one, though I avoided diving into specifics until I could read it myself.
I think even without knowing in advance, I would have found some of this story awkward, especially that initial conversation between Laura, He'e'e and Phil. I knew part of the problem was the portrayal of kachinas, but I wasn't sure if it was the fact that the villains were using the costumes – which in story shows an abuse and twisting of the Hopi culture – or the way Laura's childhood experience was depicted.
It's not my culture in the story, so I may not be in the best position to judge. I got the feeling Dixon was attempting to use Hopi culture and real issues to tell a story without any intention to be disrespectful. Aspects of it seem over-simplified and awkward at best, such as thought balloons in which Jane and Phil are confused by the pronunciation of Hopi names and words.
After typing up my own thoughts, I did a little research, and it seems the overall portrayal was the main point of contention. Again, I think it's pretty clear that Dixon meant no disrespect. You can judge by his own words, excerpted here in a “Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed” post from 2007. Marvel did decide to recall the issue, but that apparently happened after the cat was out of the bag and safely aboard the ship that had already sailed, as this issue isn't hard to find or expensive to procure.
Minus the thorny cultural issues, there are fun aspects to this issue, which has a bit of a Scooby-Doo mystery feel to it, something Dixon acknowledged in the Urban Legends post. Shady business dealings and family dynamics leading to costumed combat is pretty par for the course in the Marvel universe. 'Pro proves he'll defend any athletes in need but he's still a rookie when it comes to banter, as all his wisecracks remain football-centric.
Reading Dixon's take softens the controversy somewhat, but it's hard for me to say somebody shouldn't be offended when I don't know where they're coming from. I think there is a middle ground where even with no ill intent, something could have been handled better or differently, and that's probably where portions of this issue falls.
* - Whose first name I finally stumbled upon in an entry of In My Not So Humble Opinion discussing this very issue.
** - Which Dixon later acknowledged was not an activity with which the Hopi tribe was actually involved.
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