Terry McGinnis To Be Race-Swapped For Batman: Beyond The White Knight In Order “To Diversify The Line”
Spencer Baculi
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Based seemingly on the false assumptions of a number of Batman Beyond fans and a desire to “diversify the line,” DC Comics author Sean Gordon Murphy has revealed that in his upcoming Batman: Beyond The White Knight series, Terry McGinnis will be race-swapped to be half-Asian.
Source: Batman Beyond Vol. 6 #21 “Target: Batman, Part Two” (2018), DC Comics. Variant cover art by Dave Johnson.
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The DC Animated Universe successor to the cowl, Terry was born the first son of Mary and Warren McGinnis – the latter of whom had their DNA rewritten to mimic Bruce Wayne’s in a plot by Amanda Waller to ensure the continuing legacy of the Dark Knight, as established by the Justice League Unlimited episode ‘Epilogue’ – both of whom were very plainly white individuals.
Source: Justice League Unlimited Season 2 Episode 13 “Epilogue” (2005), Warner Bros. Animation
However, thanks to the slim eyes and black hair of Terry’s character design, many fans have come to falsely believe that the futuristic Gotham crimefighter possesses some sort of Asian heritage.
Source: Batman Beyond Season 2 Episode 26 “Ace in the Hole” (2000), Warner Bros. Animation
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Yet, despite this interpretation of Terry’s ethnicity being nothing more than a widely-assumed headcanon, Murphy’s version of the young crime fighter will take inspiration from this misconception about the hero, establishing him as having some level of Asian background when he debuts in this fifth entry of the White Knight series.
“The trick with Terry for me was how to make him a little different,” Murphy told Screen Rant during a recent interview given in promotion of Beyond The White Knight. “I didn’t want to just mirror exactly what happened with the Batman Beyond cartoon series. I wanted to make it unique, but sort of familiar at the same time.”
Source: Batman: Beyond The White Knight Vol. 1 #1 (2022), DC Comics. Cover art by Sean Gordon Murphy and Dave Stewart.
“One of the things I really wanted to do is make him half Asian. I didn’t realize this, but a ton of people–including myself–always assumed Terry was half Japanese, and half Irish, or something,” he continued. “Only because there’s so much kanji in Neo-Gotham, and he has long, black, straight hair… like, a lot of people mistake him as being half Asian. Even though both of his parents are like, extremely white.”
Source: Batman: Beyond The White Knight Vol. 1 #1 (2022), DC Comics. Art by Sean Gordon Murphy and Dave Stewart.
“So for this one, I decided to make his mom Asian, and his dad is obviously Irish, just to finally create a new kind of Terry,” he concluded. “Maybe it’s just window dressing, and it doesn’t really affect story that much, but I just thought it was an interesting way to break out my Terry from the other Terrys out there. And obviously to diversify the line, which is important.”
Source: Batman Beyond Season 3 Episode 10 “Curse of the Kobra” (2001), Warner Bros. Animation
The first issue of Murphy’s Batman: Beyond The White Knight is set to hit shelves on March 29th.
What do you make of Murphy’s race-swapping of Terry McGinnis? Let us know your thoughts on social media or in the comments down below!
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