It seems an unlikely path for a comic book aficionado with college degrees in math and library science.  Especially a non-Native comic book aficionado with college degrees in math and library science.  But Rob Schmidt isn’t like most non-Native comic book aficionados with college degrees in math and library science, and not just because he was born and raised in southern California, which we won’t hold against him. 

Rob Schmidt—yep, the same Rob Schmidt whose blog, Newspaper Rock, we carry in NativeVue—he’s   a missionary of sorts, or maybe in keeping with his focus, a superhero.  His mission, quite simply, is to dispel stereotypes of Native Americans in  mainstream society; to shine a light wherever he discovers yet another example reinforcing the image of Indians as relics, spiritual icons or hapless victims.  How and why makes what he does all the more remarkable. 

Like I mentioned above, Rob is a comic/sci-fi fan.  About 15 years ago, he came up with the idea of creating his own comic book different from the violent, dark messages dominating the genre; one promoting his personal opposition to warfare and violence.  It was that interest, his pacifism, plus a fascination with studying civilizations that led him to creating a comic book unlike any published before.

“I’d thought about doing my own comic book for a long time,” he says.  “I wanted to do something original, something that hadn’t been done previously.  I was inspired by the thought of Indians.  Particularly the Pueblo cultures of the southwest since they are so different than the stereotypical image of Indians with their naked chests and war bonnets.” 

“…The Hopis are sedentary, peaceful people.  They’re farmers and have a rich mythology and go back further than the Lakota culture, for example.  They aren’t at all the violent types like you see in works of fiction.”  

In 1999, Rob Schmidt’s Peace Party  Comic was born.  With limited funds but a lot of determination, he recruited artists and published several issues about two young Pueblo Natives, Billy and Drew, and how they fight “prejudice to pollution, supervillains to the supernatural.” 

“I came up with the idea to incorporate Indian culture as a way to comment on our mainstream American culture.  Our culture of greed, inquisitiveness, our myopia toward other ways of life, our tendency to hit first and ask questions later,” he explains.  

Although reviews from the mainstream press were overwhelmingly positive, the radical departure from the blood-lusting genre was ill-timed; as a result Peace Party  didn’t take off as hoped.  This hasn’t stopped him, however, for continuing to advance a multi-cultural perspective with the zeal of a, well, superhero.  

Through his research skills (see, his library science degree did come in handy) his website, Blue Corn Comics has become the online standard bearer of Native American pop culture commentary.  With links, articles, essays, videos, and images that are an info geek’s dream, Blue Corn provides copious information on contemporary Native arts and media with an entire section dedicated to educational resources alone. 

What makes Blue Corn refreshing is Rob’s lack of objectivity while maintaining coherent civility.  He is unapologetically biased, which is a welcome antidote to so-called “objective” news sources; likewise he doesn’t descend into the hysterical ranting that detracts from other media devoted to discussing racial politics in Indian Country.  

A favorite feature on the site is the Stereotype of the Month contest where readers submit examples of negative depictions of Indians in contemporary America.  It’s dismaying, though not surprising, the amount of prevailing stereotypes listed.  Politicians, cartoons, yeah—sports mascots, for sure—films, corporations; all receive the hall of shame honors.  When asked why he bothers focusing on this issue when there are more important concerns, Rob is adamant.  

“Sure, both Whites and Natives ask me why I spend so much time worrying about mascots and stereotypes saying that there are bigger problems to worry about…But it’s simple; I believe there’s still too much ignorance out there, and I’m still surprised at how blatant it is,” he says.  “Like the cannibals in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean.   Nobody had any qualms about that, apparently, and it was a major subplot of the movie.  Just one more example of portraying Indians as savages and cannibals.” 

Lest you think he’s abandoned his original objective, think again.  Whereas he has no plans for future editions of Peace Party,  Rob is writing a graphic novel to come out within the next year “looking at our problems from a multi-cultural perspective—whether it’s warfare, poverty, discrimination, or AIDS.” He’s also developing a non-profit organization to help tribes preserve their language and traditions through the medium of comics.  

So upwards and onwards he continues.  Rob Schmidt, the comic book aficionado with college degrees in math and library science, is a man on a mission.   Or maybe just a superhero. 

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Dive in and see for yourself: www.bluecorncomics.com or leap over to Newspaper Rock, handily accessible on our right-hand column.