PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A bookstore and comics shop in Chestnut Hill has on display a 40-year-old action figure on loan from the Philly Doll Museum collection. The figurine will be there through Black History Month and beyond.
Sun-Man was born in 1985 after marketing and communications expert Yla Eason learned there were no Black superhero figures. She created Sun-Man and founded Olmec Toys. Now the company is a case study for business school classes teaching multicultural marketing.
“It was created in response to a comment her son had made, about feeling like he couldn’t pretend to be He-Man because he wasn’t white,” said Gralin Hughes, co-owner of Multiverse, a Chestnut Hill bookstore with a focus on science fiction, fantasy and comic books by artists of color.
“There’s so many great stories out there, and they’re not always displayed in the big box stores. So we really wanted to have a focus on people of color,” said Hughes.
The story of Sun-Man’s creation hit home for him.
“Being able to see yourself as the hero, or as the problem solver, is a really important thing,” he said.
“Often seeing the Black action figures in the clearance bin, you think about—’Oh, these are the unwanted figures. What does that say about me?’”
And Sun-Man isn’t Black just for the sake of it.
“He’s a character whose strength is the pigment of his skin, who absorbs the power of the sun,” said Hughes.
Sun-Man will be on display at Multiverse on a neat pedestal made by artist George Rodriguez at least through March.
On Feb. 7, Multiverse is hosting a live podcast taping of The Blerd Bar, followed by a meet-and-greet with Yla Eason herself.