Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?

[-Ocelot-]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

[Alvecia]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

Depends on which Green Lantern. The black one was only the 4th iteration.

[Vassenor]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

I think you need a better justification than just "people are too stupid to keep up".

[Mexar]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

In my day, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) was white. Of course there have been multiple Green Lanterns. I can't see a black Superman. Or Santa. They're too iconic. I don't like retcons, including race/sex retcons.

[Alvecia]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

In my day, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) was white. Of course there have been multiple Green Lanterns. I can't see a black Superman. Or Santa. They're too iconic. I don't like retcons, including race/sex retcons.

I imagine people said the same about Spider-Man before Miles Morales

[Exxosia]

Santa is a representation of the spirit of christmas and a representation of Saint Nicholas' goals/objectives. So I feel that his ethnicity should match that of the people in each place as he is representing THEIR christmas spirit and THEIR spin on Saint Nicholas' goals/objectives.

As for his gender, lets just make him both. We'll move him out of the elves into the dwarves so even females have beards and we just won't check genitals.

[-Ocelot-]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

I think you need a better justification than just "people are too stupid to keep up".

Knowing who is who is easy if you are really into a franchise but for people who don't invest too much time on them it can be alienating.

With that being said, this is not about the ability to keep up, it's about making consistent and believable characters.

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

Depends on which Green Lantern. The black one was only the 4th iteration.

I didn't know there's more than one. Sorry for the bad example.

[Alvecia]

Depends on which Green Lantern. The black one was only the 4th iteration.

I didn't know there's more than one. Sorry for the bad example.

Quite a few superheroes have had different incarnations. Superman is actually one of the few who hasn’t, though he’s ripe for it, with several different Kryptonians who could take up the mantle if needs be.

[The Biggles Syndicate]

Yes.

[Arcturus Novus]

I mean, Santa isn't real, so I suppose you can depict him however you want.

[Kowani]

I didn't know there's more than one. Sorry for the bad example.

Quite a few superheroes have had different incarnations. Superman is actually one of the few who hasn’t, though he’s ripe for it, with several different Kryptonians who could take up the mantle if needs be.

No, actually he did. Back when he was “killed” by Doomsday, and the Supermen took over his role, as well as his multiversal and time-travelly variants. Although, of the latter group, most of them did not exactly try to take up his mantle (except as a larger scheme.)

[Risottia]

So oh festive revellers of NSG as we wait for the lolly scramble could you gift me with your opinions - would you be outraged/saddened or confused if your communities local public Santa was non-standard Gender or Ethnicity? Can Santa be portrayed as anything other than a fat old white man?

1.We don't have a "local public Santa". The idea of the local council paying for that is rather silly.
2.I frankly don't give a major fuck about who represents Saint Nicholas of Myra and Bari. Your local Christian priest might have a thing or two to say, expecially if you turn the depiction of a Saint into a peepshow. Apart from that, you should be fine with whomever.

[The Blaatschapen]

So oh festive revellers of NSG as we wait for the lolly scramble could you gift me with your opinions - would you be outraged/saddened or confused if your communities local public Santa was non-standard Gender or Ethnicity? Can Santa be portrayed as anything other than a fat old white man?

1.We don't have a "local public Santa". The idea of the local council paying for that is rather silly.
2.I frankly don't give a major fuck about who represents Saint Nicholas of Myra and Bari. Your local Christian priest might have a thing or two to say, expecially if you turn the depiction of a Saint into a peepshow. Apart from that, you should be fine with whomever.

May I present you Satanklaas?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElYwUY60UYw

[Alvecia]

Quite a few superheroes have had different incarnations. Superman is actually one of the few who hasn’t, though he’s ripe for it, with several different Kryptonians who could take up the mantle if needs be.

No, actually he did. Back when he was “killed” by Doomsday, and the Supermen took over his role, as well as his multiversal and time-travelly variants. Although, of the latter group, most of them did not exactly try to take up his mantle (except as a larger scheme.)

Well, there you are, even Superman isn’t immune to it.

[Risottia]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency.

Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, Davison, Baker, McCoy, McGann, Hurt, Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, Capaldi, Whittaker. And some others.

Just sayin'.

[Risottia]

1.We don't have a "local public Santa". The idea of the local council paying for that is rather silly.
2.I frankly don't give a major fuck about who represents Saint Nicholas of Myra and Bari. Your local Christian priest might have a thing or two to say, expecially if you turn the depiction of a Saint into a peepshow. Apart from that, you should be fine with whomever.

May I present you Satanklaas?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElYwUY60UYw

Win.

[-Ocelot-]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency.

Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, Davison, Baker, McCoy, McGann, Hurt, Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, Capaldi, Whittaker. And some others.

Just sayin'.

Dr.Who has an ability to change appearance. He/she is an exception to the rule.

[Vassenor]

Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, Davison, Baker, McCoy, McGann, Hurt, Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, Capaldi, Whittaker. And some others.

Just sayin'.

Dr.Who has an ability to change appearance. He/she is an exception to the rule.

Connery. Lazenby. Moore. Dalton. Brosnan. Craig.

[The Huskar Social Union]

In my day, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) was white. Of course there have been multiple Green Lanterns. I can't see a black Superman. Or Santa. They're too iconic. I don't like retcons, including race/sex retcons.

I imagine people said the same about Spider-Man before Miles Morales

There is like a thousand spider man variations anyway

[The Grims]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

Thor is a lady nowadays though As is the Doctor

[Arcturus Novus]

Dr.Who has an ability to change appearance. He/she is an exception to the rule.

Connery. Lazenby. Moore. Dalton. Brosnan. Craig.

Elba

[Alvecia]

Connery. Lazenby. Moore. Dalton. Brosnan. Craig.

Elba

Man, we can only hope.

[The Grims]

And surely Saint Nicholas was oliveskinned ?

[Valrifell]

"Must Santa always be an fat old white guy?", no but even fictional characters should have some consistency. Superman, for example, is white. The green lantern is black. Swapping physiques, races and genders on well-known fictional characters all the time can be confusing.

Depends on which Green Lantern. The black one was only the 4th iteration.

I love it when people disprove their own premise with their own examples.

-

Santa Clause is a fictional character, while iconic, there's nothing mandating that he must be a fat old white guy. In fact, there are quite a few depictions of him as fat old black guy. Related but controversial opinion: the next Batman should be black, you know, for kicks.

[Alvecia]

And surely Saint Nicholas was oliveskinned ?

Myra is like, southern coast of Anatolia, so probably.