Dragons, Magic and Superheroes: Black Fans’ Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Universes

The X-Men were created as a commentary on race, so they’ve always held a special place for Black comic book fans. The discrimination mutants face and their fight for respect and freedom hits close to home. Our deep understanding of their stories makes them a longtime favorite.

We know the franchise is actually based on the “A Song of Ice and Fire” books, but the more mainstream name is “Game of Thrones.” What captivates fans about the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros is the ever-changing political alliances and family rivalries. It’s a thrilling, high stakes game of chess, that also includes dragons. There’s an unpredictability that makes all the stories must watch.

Black folks love anime. One of the most popular franchises in the world is “Dragon Ball.” We can’t get into all the storylines and variations, but at its core it follows the dramatic adventures of Goku. What keeps fans coming back is their emotional attachment to universe’s longevity and wide-ranging stories and settings.

If we’re being honest, the Wizarding World isn’t the most diverse universe. However, there’s been a lot of talk about how the new series will be more inclusive than the movies. Despite all the intricacies of the universe and the rules of who can use magic and how they can use it, there’s a simplicity in its good vs. evil story. An unlikely hero and his friends must believe in themselves and their teachers to defeat a great evil. That’s something we can all get behind.

Over the years, DC Comics’ live-action movie universe has been a mixed bag. However, its animated series and films have been stellar. From John Stewart, to Static, to Amanda Waller, these are often the best projects to see quality representation of the universe’s Black characters. Series like “Batman: The Animated Series,” “Justice League,” “Teen Titans” and “Batman Beyond” hold a special place for fans.

“Star Trek” promises us a future where we’ve moved beyond our pettiness differences based on race, class and gender. It’s that dream that makes the franchise one of the enduring universes in pop culture.

J.R.R. Tolkien fans study Middle-Earth like they’re preparing for a doctoral dissertation, which some of them are. It might the most intricately created world on this list, and that’s one of the reasons fans are so devoted to it. “The Rings of Power” has allowed audiences from all backgrounds to feel seen in the franchise, which has helped it once again expand its footprint.

Unlike some of these other universes, “Dungeons & Dragons” is an immersive world that fans become personally invested in, which deepens their connection to the property. You’re playing a tabletop game where you become characters in this world, making it feel like it’s actually part of your life. You also create bonds with fellow players, which makes it feel even more real.

Most of these franchises are built on a good vs. evil premise. None of them embody that more than “Star Wars.” A group of scrappy rebels who band together to beat the all-powerful evil Empire. Unfortunately, that’s a story that’s always playing out somewhere in our real world, so fans are constantly drawing inspiration from a Galaxy Far Far Away.

For decades, Black comic book fans have fantasized about what a real Wakanda would look like. Thanks to Ryan Coogler and the rest of his team, we were not disappointed. “Black Panther” effortlessly blended the country’s traditions with its technology, and we cannot express how much we want to live there in real life.

Time bending can be a pain to follow, but “Loki” managed to make all the time travel a fascinating bit of fun. The Time Variance Agency’s old timey steampunk aesthetic worked perfectly with its advanced tech because the characters allowed space to feel authentic. We didn’t need to question it, because they weren’t.

What the MCU does so well is blend the comic book visuals of something like “Ms. Marvel” with the grounded, real world setting of “Iron Man” and “The Avengers.” We always know we’re in a superhero world, but it never feels over the top, or out of place.

L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” has been delighting families for more than a century. The classic film starring Judy Garland introduced us to live action versions of going from a black and white world to color, ruby slippers and the yellow brick road. “The Wiz” gave the story the soul it was desperately missing, and the stage musical “Wicked” added an extra twist that the Oz we’d known all these years wasn’t the real one. Now, the new musical film is poised to draw the next generation of fans into Oz.

The “Percy Jackson” book series follows young demi-gofd in a modern world where the Greek Gods exist. The young adult franchise offers a compelling look at how the ancient mythology fits into a moden world. It’s always felt like a culturally diverse world, but the Disney+ series casting actors from various backgrounds has really expanded on the universe’s inclusivity.

Disney refreshed its most familiar fairy tales with these movie musicals following the children of famous villains and heroes. Characters who were previously seen as a certain kind of hero or villain got remakes for a new generation, allowing everyone to feel represented and seen.

We’ve lost count of how many versions of Gotham City we’ve seen over the years, but that fact that creators keep trying to put their own spin on Batman’s hometown lets us know how popular it is. Those Gotham variations feature a Black Batwoman; her partner Batwing; Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox as the Caped Crusader’s closest ally; and a Black Catwoman.

For more than 60 years, The Doctor has traveled through time and space helping people fight evil aliens and constantly saving Earth from invasion. They doesn’t spend much time dealing with issues of race, but their Black companions have come up against it over the years. With a Black Doctor flying the TARDIS now, the Fifteenth Doctor is being forced to confront the unfortunate truth that racism will always exist somewhere in time and space.

Say what you want about James Cameron, he knows how to build a captivating, visually stunning world. At its core these films are stories of Indigenous people fighting to keep outsiders from taking over their land and culture. That’s something Black folks can definitely identify with. If you enjoy these, you’re in luck because he’s making at least three more of them.