Reimagined cartoon characters are a dime-a-dozen these days, how many more times can Disney princesses take on a different guise? That's not to say it's easy though. While some artists give a change of outfit or maybe a new hairstyle, capturing a uniquely different 'feel' of a popular cartoon character can be a real challenge.
Artist Tyron Handy has managed to do just that, giving famous cartoons like The Simpsons And Family Guy black characters, and doing it so well that people are calling for the animated series to be made in real life. “Most recreations that I see are just people putting designer clothes and jewelry onto the characters and changing their skin color. My recreations really look like they could be parallel versions of the characters,” he told.
“There weren’t a lot of cartoons that I felt represented me much growing up — most black cartoon characters and tv shows were stereotypical, slightly racial discriminating side characters and the best friend of the white main character. Black kids need to be able to see more representations of themselves in media.”
These cartoon reimaginings are a side project to Tyron's weekly comic. 'Apple Dapple Tactics' is based around the main character Ty, a systems engineer for Coca-Cola (although his mama says he ain't got no job) and his complicated relationships. Check it out!
Scroll down below to see Tyron's work for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
More info: Instagram
This is Tyron Handy, a Cartoonist, Illustrator and Comic Artist from Philadelphia
He has reimagined some of his favourite cartoons with black characters
He started posting on his instagram 2 years ago and now more than 19 000 people love his work
He told BuzzFeed: "There weren’t a lot of cartoons that I felt represented me much growing up"
"Most black characters in cartoons and tv shows were stereotypical side characters and the best friend of the white main character"
"Black kids need to be able to see more representations of themselves in media"
Handy wants to inspire the next generation of black artists
"I hope that one day I can run my own animation studio. I want to create more cartoons with black lead characters that will better represent the black experience"
Handy also has his own weekly comic, Apple Dapple Tactics
Not everyone accepted Handy's message, some even thought it was racist
But others defended him and said what he was doing was good
