Welcome to season 4, our 4 year anniversary, and Valentine's Day! We're celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Scarlet Witch by talking with Robin Badaire about Romani comic book character representation in Marvel and DC!

Robin Badaire is a writer and an artist of Cale Romani descent from Boston, Massachusetts. As an avid reader of comic books and graphic novels, Robin has spent the better part of a decade writing, researching, and speaking out about the representation of Romani people and history in American superhero comics. In addition to consulting and editorial work, Robin runs a webpage where they pen critical essays and answer questions about Romani subjects in comics and other pop culture, which gained notoriety amongst the Marvel fandom during the release of Marvel Studios' WandaVision, which featured whitewashed depictions of prominent Romani characters. Drawing on their background in both fine arts and digital illustration, Robin also uses tarot illustrations, cosplay photography, and fanart to perpetuate more authentic and inclusive images of Romani characters.

• BDS reference links: https://bdsmovement.net/boycott-captain-america; https://bdsmovement.net/Act-Now-Against-These-Companies-Profiting-From-Genocide
• Robin's Writing at Scarlet Wiccan
• Art & cosplay Instagram and Twitter
• Video essay on WandaVision, whitewashing, and the history of the Scarlet Witch, on which Robin served as a consultant and script editor 
• Robin's Medium essay about the 60th anniversary of the Scarlet Witch

Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.

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Keep an eye out for our upcoming book on Romani fortune telling published by Weiser Books available October 2024. 

Email us at [email protected] for inquiries. 

Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens

Conceived of by Paulina Stevens

Edited by Cherub

With Music by Viktor Pachas

And Artwork by Elijah Vardo

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