Marvel’s Inspiring Sign Language Poster Slightly Misses The Mark With ‘Typo’
Image via Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios’ latest promotional poster for its new Disney+ series, Echo, speaks volumes—quite literally. The show, starring Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, or Echo, stands out in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not just for its action-packed storyline but for its deeper cultural resonance and its portrayal of a deaf superhero.
Introduced in Hawkeye in 2021, Maya’s character is a trailblazer, representing both the deaf community and her Native American heritage, specifically the Choctaw Nation. Viewers can expect flashbacks featuring the Choctaw language, adding a layer of authenticity to the portrayal of Maya’s heritage.
The series’ commitment to inclusivity extends to its latest poster, which uniquely spells out “Echo” in American Sign Language (ASL). This creative choice pays homage to Maya’s deafness, a core aspect of her character.
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As compelling as the visual is, there’s one detail in it that ASL communicators can’t unsee. As pointed out by Children of Deaf Adult (CODA) interpreter and TikToker Vera Goudie, the letter H is inadvertently inverted.
@veepats Maybe hire a Deaf graphic designer next time? #asl #signlanguage #coda #deaffamily #learnontiktok #echo
♬ original sound - Vera Goudie
“I’m not trying to poo-poo the series,” Goudie stresses. “I’m excited to see a deaf female superhero in a lead role.”
Goudie acknowledges that Marvel Studios’ designers might have followed the comics, where the letter H was also erroneously displayed likely due to its referencing of Microsoft’s less precise Gallaudet fingerspelling typeface.
As someone fluent in sign language this poster is mildly infuriating for one simple reason the h is wrong and flipped to the perspective of the person signing.
— Nicogeo (@Nicoge0) January 9, 2024
How it's supposed to look
↓ https://t.co/rVLtp6jn3a pic.twitter.com/5xtuxZ6BdU
Elsewhere, Sydney Freeland, Echo’s director and executive producer, emphasized the importance of authenticity in a recent press conference. The production involved Native individuals both in front and behind the camera, ensuring a genuine representation of the Choctaw Nation and its culture. This effort included collaborating closely with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a partnership Freeland deemed crucial.
All in all, Echo, now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, marks an important step in bringing diverse voices and stories to the forefront, resonating with audiences far beyond the traditional superhero narrative. While it’s set to leave Hulu on April 9, the impact of its culturally rich and respectful storytelling is sure to linger.
[via Comicbook.com and Creative Bloq, cover image via Marvel Studios]
