It's 2023, and with Hollywood making great strides toward inclusivity, it's high time to give Native American superheroes a greater spotlight than they've had previously in pop culture. Granted, strides have been made in recent years, and with the upcoming series Echo on the way, we're about to see a Native American character leading a series we can all binge with a Disney+ subscription. Even so, with Native American Heritage Month happening in November, now is as good of a time as any to remind the world Echo isn't the only hero who comes from America's indigenous peoples.
Over the years, both Marvel and DC have introduced several heroes of Native American descent. While the comics haven't always done right by them or given the spotlight they deserve, there are still plenty of opportunities to throw these heroes into upcoming superhero movies in a meaningful way. Here are a handful of characters we'd like to see get some shine and maybe even a movie or television series of their own as time marches on.
Forge
Forge was a mutant born from the Cheyenne people, with two very unique abilities. He was capable of impressive magical spells and mysticism, but also was a technological genius without any formalized training to explain it. Forge used these powers over the years to establish roles within the X-Men and even S.H.I.E.L.D. Forge feels like the most obvious choice for inclusion, especially given he doesn't lean as heavily on old Native American stereotypes as other characters.
Thunderbird
Thunderbird is an iconic part of the X-Men history, but the character's original legacy wasn't quite as glamorous as the average hero. Thunderbird holds the unlucky honor of being the first team member to die in battle in the organization's history. Fortunately, later Marvel stories permanently brought him back to life in the comics. With the MCU's X-Men movie finally moving forward, it would be nice to see him or another one of the many Native American mutants included in the mix. He did get a short run in the canceled Fox series The Gifted, but nothing that was worthy of the character he could be if given more time elsewhere.
Jake Gomez
We had some questions about the Werewolf By Night special on Disney+ when it first came out, and I'd like to add one to the mix. Does Jack Russell's Werewolf being in the mix mean that we won't be seeing Jake Gomez's version? His Werewolf is arguably cooler, as Jake utilized a technique learned from his Native American heritage in order to make his change based on emotion and not the state of the moon. Assuming he's better at controlling his feelings than The Hulk, that seems far more ideal than changing every time there's a full moon.
Puma
It seems like some of Spider-Man's greatest allies start off as enemies, and the same is true of Puma. This Native American-born man was trained to be a warrior and had the ability to morph into a humanoid werecat. Given the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Puma seems like a friend Spider-Man could use when he doesn't really have a lot of people he used to have in his life. Ideally, it'd be great if Peter could get MJ and Ned back in his life, but guys like Puma would be cool too in the meantime.
Red Wolf
Red Wolf was the first Native American superhero created by Marvel, and has been a mantle carried by a few men over the years. In most all iterations, they're blessed by wolf spirit Owayodata, a god of the Cheyenne pantheon. This blessing grants mystical powers, as well as a wolf companion named Lobo. This is a hero that fascinates me to know end, and I'd love to see a series about him someday. Of course, we'll have to wait and see if it ever actually happens.
Dawnstar
Dawnstar is a 31st century superhero affiliated with DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes with a unique background. Yes, she's of Native American descent, but she hails from Native Americans who were abducted from Earth and moved to Venus over generations. Dawnstar has the unique ability to live in space for extended periods of time without need of a space suit, and can track targets from lightyears away. She can also travel at the speed of light. Is she the strongest Native American hero on this list? I'd say so!
Man-Of-Bats
William Great Eagle was inspired by the legend of Batman, and decided to take up the mantle to help people along with his son, Little Raven. The two operate as members of Batman Incorporated, which is the organization meant to help spread the mission and ideals of Batman across the world. Seeing a whole series or movie of different Batmen and how they operate worldwide would be amazing, I'd also settle for a miniseries about a Batman with Native American roots, and how that differs from the luxurious life of Bruce Wayne.
Apache Chief
Apache Chief is one of the earliest representations of Native Americans in DC Comics, but not exactly one of the most thoughtful. While his growing power likely makes him one of the most memorable Native American heroes in pop culture, the character suffered from writing that relied mostly on cultural stereotypes rather than actual research. Still, many look back fondly on Apache Chief in Super Friends, and future takes on the character or similar successors have taken more care in providing a decent representation
Black Crow
Jesse Black Crow of the Navajo Nation was paralyzed after a construction accident, but the work of a spirit of the Earth transformed him into the Black Crow. Crow originally started as an adversary to Captain America, but the two eventually forged an alliance and became allies down the stretch. It'd be nice to see someone like Black Crow crop up as a future ally, especially in the MCU, where the new Captain America is finding his way in the mantle.
As we continue to celebrate and acknowledge Native American Heritage Month, hopefully, prominent superhero shows in the DC and Marvel families will look to incorporate more Native Americans into their projects when applicable. We're off to a good start with Echo, but hopefully that's just the beginning of more representation across the board.
