Heimdall is black!

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It seems the lunatic racists of the conservative citizens council (used to be the white citizens council, which Haley Barbour had recently praised) are planning to boycott the upcoming movie Thor, because the northern god Heimdall is being played by a black actor. They say this is a case of multiculturalism run amok by portraying a northern deity as anything other than white.
Actually, it's not a reenactment of northern mythology, but rather of Marvel Comics!

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

I see a Heimdall and I want it painted black.

So what country is this? And why is this a surprise? People talk about the 21st century in America as if there shouldn't be any racism left, but it was only 50 years ago that I wouldn't have been allowed to sit in the same room as a black person. What's so great about the number 21? Because drinking is legal? Because owning guns is legal? Because going to strip clubs is legal?

Heimdall is a god, right? As such, he's a supernatural being, and therefore his physical representation can be whatever colour he damn well likes. (white, yellow, purple...)

As an aside, weren't the svartalfir of Norse mythology supposed to be dark-skinned?

The classical description of the war-god Thor specifically mentions his red braids and thick red beard - as opposed to Marvel's Thor, who looks more like Fabio at the height of his popularity.

For what it's worth, the Asatru, a church that still worships the Norse gods, says that what you think they look like is unimportant - "[t]he physical image is a way in which we can approach the gods." They aren't getting upset about Heimdall, one of their own deities, being portrayed by a black man, so where do these supposedly Christian people in the US get off being all pissy about it?

It does seem kind of ridiculous having a black actor play a Norse god, but whatever.