One of the most ridiculous details from the tragic shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin is that his George Zimmerman – who shot Martin in what he claims was self-defense — felt threatened because Martin was wearing a hoodie. The youth didn’t appear to have a weapon or to be acting in a threatening manner, and yet Zimmerman racially profiled him all the same.
Martin’s lawyers, as well as protesters holding vigils pleading for justice, have all adopted the innocuous gray hoodie as a symbol of their solidarity. And now, it’s made its way into the comics world. Tor.com noticed this strip from webcomic Let’s Be Friends Again, which draws on half-black, half-Latino Spider-Man Miles Morales to drive home the point that you never know what kind of person is beneath a hoodie.
And it could very well be that more often the stranger is a good guy instead of a threat.
Kudos to creators Curt Franklin and Chris Haley for this tribute and social commentary. Rest in peace, Trayvon.
