'Daredevil's Peter Shinkoda alleges Jeph Loeb made racist comments and cut Nobu's storyline, fans slam Marvel head
'Daredevil' broke many hearts when it ended two years ago. Fans had some respite at the #SaveDaredevilCon, where they could celebrate the good memories of the show. However, a few unpleasant relevations were made during a roundtable discussion with actors Peter Shinkoda, Geoffrey Cantor and Tommy Walker. Hosted online by Team #SaveDaredevil, this free fan celebration is running concurrently with San Diego Comic-Con@Home, from July 23-26.
According to Shinkoda, former Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb allegedly told the writers involved with that show that "Nobody gives a sh-t" about Asian characters and so they had to drop plans to dive into a backstory involving Shinkoda's character Nobu and Wai Ching Ho's Madame Gao.
"I'm kind of reluctant to say this, but I'm going to take it and I apologize to Tommy [Walker] and Geoff [Cantor] that I'm going to take this moment, but I have to because...I just have to. I'm not really into protecting certain things anymore," Shinkoda said. "Jeph Loeb told the writers room not to write for Nobu and Gao — and this was reiterated many times by many of the writers and showrunners — that 'nobody cares about Chinese people and Asian people. There were three previous Marvel movies, a trilogy called 'Blade' that was made where Wesley Snipes kills 200 Asians each movie because nobody gives a sh-t, so don't write about Nobu and Gao,' so they were forced to put their storyline down and drop it."
There's much fury about Loeb's statements, as there should. "Jeph Loeb is a racist shitbag and now I have to burn any posters I have with his signature on it," one fan wrote.
Others didn't want to blame Marvel and said that Loeb solely is to blame. "I'm in NO WAY blaming @Marvel, they may (I don't know the legal "rights" logistics) have the ability to fix this, but the rights will be theirs to give the character an actual fighting chance soon enough. #Daredevil Loeb solely holds the blame," another wrote.
"Nobu had so damned much potential and it sounds like Loeb quashed it. Come on @Marvel, bring back #Daredevil, and give Shinkoda's Nobu the Immortal story he deserved," tweeted a fan.
"That's awful I can't believe they would cut down the role of a minimal villain to make more air time for the title character WHO IS WHITE!! Who wanted to see Daredevil anyway? Nobu was obviously intended to be the lead!!" Another wrote.
"1st: @PeterShinkoda is an amazing human & actor. 2nd: #Nobu and #GAO were AWESOME characters! 3rd: F**k Jeph Loeb & his racism! #Daredevil," tweeted another.