64 replies to this topic

[Lou K]

So I am sure many of you have heard, but in the wake of President Obama's statements in favor of gay mariage it seeems that Marvel and DC are running with it.

Northstar to tie the knot.

http://popwatch.ew.c...dding-the-view/

DC announces that a major character, who has not yet been reinvented by the New 52, will come out.

http://abcnews.go.co...-out-of-closet/

Don't really care about Northstar as he is a safe character for Marvel.

But who do we suspect is coming out for DC? Clearly it's Bruce Wayne (   ) but I'll bet they chicken out and go with a safer character, one who is not as major of a player as they make it out to be. [edit] Shazam? Remember, this character has not yet been a part of N52.

Is this DC's way of keeping up with the times or is this yet another blatant cash grab? How much backlash from zealot whack jobs do you suppose these two companies will face?

[dogpoet]

Fuck all backlash.
Zealot whackjobs don't buy comics in the first place.

[Lou K]

I agree on both of your statements.

However, protesting something they don't even participate in is just the kind of shit the zealots like to do. I can hear them crying about pushing a leftist, gay agenda on our nations youth already.

[dogpoet]

Maybe they're hoping for a backlash as a publicity gimmick, then?

[Lou K]

Free publicity, right?

[Shawn]

As long as it helps create a good story I don't care. And a character's sexual preference is not important, to me.
I think, for the most part, comic book readers are fairly open minded. HOWEVER, what many comic fans don't like is when a company forces some sort of diversity in a book or into a character for no other sake than for publicity, and ultimately $$$. Which is what I think this is. (I'm thinking of Renee Montoya. No clue she was gay...then BOOM! she's suddenly switches teams)
Northstar has been out for awhile. But his wedding came a very convient time.

DC having an established character come out so soon, right after Marvel plans this, smells of desperation.
I think it will be either Aqualad or Wally West. Both fit the criteria. Although, I could see them do that with one of the Earth 2 characters

[Christian]

Yep, Northstar has been openly gay for quite a while.
I remember the raging debates in the Hulk letter's columns back in the 1990s, when Peter David was on the book, discussing this subject. Mainly from the perspective that early-90s comic readers didn't want no damn gays in their funny books!
Peter David now gets to use a number of gay or bi-sexual characters in X-Factor.
Marvel had a policy that they would not allow any gay characters in their books during the 1980s-1990s, which is why Bill Mantlo had such a hard time writing Alpha Flight. He wanted to make Northstar gay, and he kept hinting at it, but Marvel editors wouldn't allow him to come out and say that Northstar was gay.
Of course there is mainstream comics first gay character (actually bi), Paradox (created by Bill Mantlo) from the obscure pages of a late-issue of the Marvel Preview magazine.
I'm sure a few gay characters turned up in the Milestone comics.

So far, Northstar has been like Marvel's token gay character.
I just hope they decide to try to do this naturally for once. If you create a character who is also gay, remember this fact...he is a character who is also gay. He's not a GAY CHARACTER. Don't make a character gay just for the sake of him/her being gay!
Shazam is a hilarious choice though.

Some people who are going to be very happy though:
http://www.gayleague.com/wordpress/
Maybe they won't have to grasp at so many straws anymore.

Hey, if the zealots came out to protest Superman giving up American citizenship, and a "black Thor" appearing in the Thor movie (I still have no idea what that was about...), I'm sure they'll be all upset about this too.
Also, I remember the internet comic community getting in an uproar over the revelation that Shatterstar was bi. "That character was not created to be gay by his creator. This is disrespectful, and must not stand as a part of continuity." What about the fact that the character was created as a crap character by his creator?

[Mark]

Shawn, on 22 May 2012 - 07:39 PM, said:

As long as it helps create a good story I don't care ... I'm thinking of Renee Montoya

But...umm...haven't you read 'Half A Life'? It's an absolutely superb story...

[Shawn]

Christian, on 22 May 2012 - 07:55 PM, said:

I just hope they decide to try to do this naturally for once. If you create a character who is also gay, remember this fact...he is a character who is also gay. He's not a GAY CHARACTER. Don't make a character gay just for the sake of him/her being gay!

Absolutely!!! YES!

Shazam would be funny. But he's been introduced.....sort of...so maybe not him.


That is really interesting info on Marvel history.

Also, why hasn't Peter David received more recognition for writing quality characters, some of who happen to be gay?

[Kate]

Mark, on 22 May 2012 - 08:00 PM, said:

Shawn, on 22 May 2012 - 07:39 PM, said:

As long as it helps create a good story I don't care ... I'm thinking of Renee Montoya

But...umm...haven't you read 'Half A Life'? It's an absolutely superb story...

This post is Kate-approved.

[Shawn]

Mark, on 22 May 2012 - 08:00 PM, said:

Shawn, on 22 May 2012 - 07:39 PM, said:

As long as it helps create a good story I don't care ... I'm thinking of Renee Montoya

But...umm...haven't you read 'Half A Life'? It's an absolutely superb story...

No I have not. That's from Gotham Central, isn't it? I admit I have not read any of that series and I know I should. That being said, I stand corrected. Since Bru + Rucka, I'm sure, did a great job.

[Mark]

That's the one where Montoya is outed, and yeah, you really should read Gotham Central - one of the best things ever to come out of the stable of Bat-books, easily.

In fact, since Rucka had been writing Montoya as his pet character across several titles for years leading up to that point, it wasn't exactly a BOOM! out-of-the-blue revelation, either...clues had definitely been dropped. To be honest, though, the fact that so many people still feel forced to remain closeted well into adulthood makes the "and then, suddenly, GAY!" approach to character reworking a lot more plausible than you might think, anyway.

[Shawn]

See, you've just made a case for me to read even MORE comic. If I had read some of those titles, I'd have been better informed  

[Balthazar]

Shawn, on 22 May 2012 - 08:03 PM, said:

Christian, on 22 May 2012 - 07:55 PM, said:

I just hope they decide to try to do this naturally for once. If you create a character who is also gay, remember this fact...he is a character who is also gay. He's not a GAY CHARACTER. Don't make a character gay just for the sake of him/her being gay!

Absolutely!!! YES!

Shazam would be funny. But he's been introduced.....sort of...so maybe not him.


That is really interesting info on Marvel history.

Also, why hasn't Peter David received more recognition for writing quality characters, some of who happen to be gay?

He's gotten recognition and won awards for his queer characters.

[Avaunt]

Christian, on 22 May 2012 - 07:55 PM, said:

.
I just hope they decide to try to do this naturally for once. If you create a character who is also gay, remember this fact...he is a character who is also gay. He's not a GAY CHARACTER. Don't make a character gay just for the sake of him/her being gay!

+1 as the young people say.


When Superman ( or any Superperson, or even just a Hero with no powers but a strong will and great toys ) rocks up and Does Her Duty and saves the day, it don't really matter a damn who he wants to have hold his hand at the Thanksgiving Parade the town ought to throw him, it isn't part of the storyline who she finds attractive in the crowd of people she saves.

In fact, if she/he is doing their job right, he/she isn't thinking about sex.

It is fucking silly.

"Why, HE can't be a Superhero, he opens his boiled eggs from the wrong end!".

However, just from the point of view of making the stories ( that themselves are not about our world as a whole, we don't got no superheros. ) more relevant to our own stories, some Supes have gotta be gay.

Shazam would be funny, yes of course. However, it is obvious which one it is going to be at DC, right?.

They don't call him the Martian Manhunter for no reason!. Obvious joke aside, he ain't human, it makes just as much sense for him to fall in love with a male human as for him to do so with a female human!.
That way they get to have their pink cake and deny they are "transgressing" too, if crazy people* take them to task about it.

*Looks at Fox News.

[Red]

Green lantern?

[dogpoet]

I think he was in the relaunch from the off.

[JasonT]

dogpoet, on 22 May 2012 - 06:43 PM, said:

Zealot whackjobs don't buy comics in the first place.

Did you think about that?

[A. Heathen]

JasonT, on 23 May 2012 - 09:13 PM, said:

dogpoet, on 22 May 2012 - 06:43 PM, said:

Zealot whackjobs don't buy comics in the first place.

Did you think about that?

[dogpoet]

JasonT, on 23 May 2012 - 09:13 PM, said:

dogpoet, on 22 May 2012 - 06:43 PM, said:

Zealot whackjobs don't buy comics in the first place.

Did you think about that?

Yes. They're still sulking over her getting killed at the end of the Image Wildcats.