DC Comics to introduce gay character - Page 2

**Dale_M** · #16 May 22, '12, 11:28 am

Here are a couple excerpts from the article which appeared in The Adocate, an American LGBT magazine. The interview with Dan Didio of DC Comics seems to have been the source this news story.

Quote:

The Advocate: What can you tell us about the new Batwoman and the thought process behind introducing a high-profile lesbian character into the DC Universe?

Dan Didio: We did a big push for Batwoman. We introduced her quite a while ago and we really wanted to push her as one of the mainstay characters in Batman’s world. It was important for us to introduce a gay character in that series. It was important for us to have [that character] featured with a bat symbol on its chest because we knew that would draw the attention and show how much we were behind setting a standard of diversity in the line [and] also making her a strong character in her own right.

Quote:

The Advocate: In addition to Batwoman, Apollo and Midnighter, you’re also introducing a female bisexual African American superhero in Voodoo. Was it a conscious decision to introduce characters from across the LGBT spectrum?

Dan Didio: Yes. What we really wanted to do was show the diversity of our audience across the line of our books. Right now we have such a wide fan base and we wanted to create characters and stories that really reflected [that] fan base.

The Advocate: DC has several popular teenage heroes such as Robin, Wonder Girl, Superboy and the other Teen Titans. With gay teens becoming more visible in the media, can readers expect to see a teenaged gay superhero in the future?

Dan Didio: One of the things we’re very focused on doing for these types of stories is rather than [change an existing] character, we want to make sure that this is the basis of who that character is right from the start. So if we’re going to introduce a gay character in Teen Titans, we want to make it a new character and make sure that is an iatrical part of who he is, or who she is, right from the start so we can really lean and grow with her or him.

http://www.advocate.com/arts-enterta...loset?page=0,1

Since the Batman world already has a lesbian character, I think the new gay character would be in a different universe. And it seems that Didio is saying that characters who are known to be heterosexual will not change, which , as Jharek mentioned, would rule out Batman.

**JharekCarnelian** · #17 May 22, '12, 11:40 am

I don't like the way DC rebooted all it's books and whacked all these universe together. The universe of the Authority is an ill fit with DC characters and both sets of characters worked better in their own seperate continuities. DC already had a gay female character in the Batman's world before the reboot, in the person of Gotham City Police Detective Renee Montoya. She to me was far more interesting than Batwoman has been. I think what Dan is saying though is that with the new universe rather than reveal the character is gay after many years of been written in the same continuity they want to make it part of the character early on. For myself I've been distinctly unimpressed by most of the reboot, Grant Morrison's Superman stands out as one of the few things I've liked thus far as is Aquaman. Batman lacks any uniqueness in a world with the Midnighter as does Superman, those character's 'kill em first ask questions later' outlook also leaves me cold. In 'The Authority' series they sprang from that whole attitude was used to question the whole notion of vigilantism in comics (among other things), in a world where Bruce and Clark live you would expect them to plan their downfall as quickly as possible.

sedonaman · #18 May 22, '12, 12:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JharekCarnelian

... She to me was far more interesting than Batwoman has been. ...

Remember Terry and the Pirates? One of my favorite characters was Dragon Lady. She was possibly the inspiration for Irina Spalko in Indiana Jones.

johnnyjones · #19 May 22, '12, 12:25 pm

Would anyone be upset if Superman and Batman suddenly came out as gay and kissed in the comics? If so, why? If homosexuality is acceptable behavior, why should readers care?

**JharekCarnelian** · #20 May 22, '12, 12:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedonaman

Remember Terry and the Pirates? One of my favorite characters was Dragon Lady. She was possibly the inspiration for Irina Spalko in Indiana Jones.

The Dragon Lady is one of the more famous characters in comic book history among those who take the time to research the history of the genre, she wasn't quite a villain and nor quite a hero, although she could be heroic. She ended up been played as a hero more I believe as she was shown as leading the Chinese people as a resistance fighter against the Japanese in later episodes of 'Terry and the Pirates'. Sadly I've only ever read bits and pieces of that strip via reprints. I can see her been an inspiration in part for Irina Spalko, although Spalko also has plenty of antecedents in the 'ruthless but beautiful Soviet spy' class of character. Characters like Spalko do draw on all sorts of roots though.

**JharekCarnelian** · #21 May 22, '12, 12:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyjones

Would anyone be upset if Superman and Batman suddenly came out as gay and kissed in the comics? If so, why? If homosexuality is acceptable behavior, why should readers care?

That's been done in a roundabout way, the characters Apollo and Midnighter I referenced earlier are thinly veiled pastiches of Batman and Superman (although far, far more violent in their methods than the original two are mostly shown as) and they infamously were married on panel in a gay marriage ceremony.

It's not about whether homosexuality is acceptable or not but about the fact that if all the characters in these universes are going to mirror our personal views or Church teaching on the subject we are no longer representing a world of varied characters. Characters with differing perspectives and outlooks make for a richer world and so long as that is done with discretion I have no problem with gay characters. Although DC's plans here seem somewhat gimmicky.

Michael C · #22 May 22, '12, 1:39 pm

I sent the editor in chief an e-mail. I am tired of the political correctness. American teams are now international teams. If they want to do something cutting edge why don't they have a hero turn on the police state. Marvel should have Captain America go underground and fight against torture. Superman should fly and knock drones out of the american sky. That's cutting edge. I will not allow my kids to read about Green Lantern molesting Ronbin.

johnnyjones · #23 May 22, '12, 1:45 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JharekCarnelian

That's been done in a roundabout way, the characters Apollo and Midnighter I referenced earlier are thinly veiled pastiches of Batman and Superman (although far, far more violent in their methods than the original two are mostly shown as) and they infamously were married on panel in a gay marriage ceremony.

It's not about whether homosexuality is acceptable or not but about the fact that if all the characters in these universes are going to mirror our personal views or Church teaching on the subject we are no longer representing a world of varied characters. Characters with differing perspectives and outlooks make for a richer world and so long as that is done with discretion I have no problem with gay characters. Although DC's plans here seem somewhat gimmicky.

I think ultimately it is about acceptability. If DC said from now on the Superman charactor will be gay the reaction would be much different from readers. Sort of like, society says being gay is as normal as heterosexuality, yet, do you see two men kissing in a Tide laundry detergent commercial? No. As a matter of fact, 99.9% percent of television advertisments won't touch it. It is wonderful and acceptable as long as it doesn't hurt sales, and apparently it does. Advertisers know the masses are not accepting of it, particularly in the physical sense.

**edwest2** · #24 May 22, '12, 1:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JharekCarnelian

There have been gay characters in Marvel and DC comics for 30 years or so now. Comic characters have romances and many long running titles are a lot like a soap opera of sorts (albeit with superpowers added in) and thus this sort of thing does come up as comics do reflect the world we live in.

A list of suspects for this reveal would include:-

1. Wonder Woman. Especially as DC has rebooted everything again recently and Diana's people have been shown to engage in lesbianism in previous iterations as well. No-one's come right out and said Diana ever did in any previous version but given her history I'd say she is high on the list of suspects.

2. Martian Manhunter. Except he is not that iconic. To comic fans he is, but to the general public he is not. He actually would make some sense as been gay as his people are shape-shifters.

Those are two that spring to mind. I can't see them making Superman or Batman gay as both have been shown to be strongly heterosexual in present continuity and Batman has been seen engaging in sex with Catwoman (in a spectacularly tasteless scene*) and Superman is once again not married to Lois but in love with her. The Flash also seems unlikely. I can think of other characters who could be revealed as a gay or bisexual and it would fit their characters but none of them are all that iconic.

One of the first gay characters who was prominent was Northstar over at Marvel comics, he was a Canadian mutant who could move at superspeed and project bolts of light among other abilities he possessed. The original plan was to have him contract AIDS but then Marvel wouldn't bite the bullet on that and rewrote him as been partially of Elven (as in Asgardian Elves) heritage and suffering from living in the mortal world. That was all retconned out later though and he still pops up in the Marvel universe as a recurring gay character. He is actually when written by someone with intelligence Ok as he is a vain character and pompous as can be at times, but will do the right thing when the chips are down.

Batwoman is a bit lipstick lesbian for my tastes. I have no problem with gay characters in comics but she is a bit 'meh' for my taste.

I've been reading comics for a long time and gathering a list of "suspects" doesn't prove anything. Oh, it's been said by Dr. Frederic Wertham that this or that character is gay but his work has been discredited.

Comics, in general, do not reflect the world we live in.

Peace,
Ed

**edwest2** · #25 May 22, '12, 1:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyjones

Would anyone be upset if Superman and Batman suddenly came out as gay and kissed in the comics? If so, why? If homosexuality is acceptable behavior, why should readers care?

Why should readers care? Who made this behavior acceptable?

Wake up, my fellow Catholics. This is called Issue Advocacy, the new term for Propaganda.

Why is anyone "upset" by homosexual behavior or have you missed all the articles about "same-sex" marriage and all the ink used to write about it in a positive way?

To anyone reading this who have or care for children, this is your chance to reevaluate reading certain comic books as good choices. Indoctrinating the young is a bad idea as well.

Peace,
Ed

**edwest2** · #26 May 22, '12, 2:07 pm

X-Men "Gay Marriage" confirmed.

http://comicbook.com/blog/2012/05/22/18433/

Peace,
Ed

**JharekCarnelian** · #27 May 22, '12, 2:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwest2

I've been reading comics for a long time and gathering a list of "suspects" doesn't prove anything. Oh, it's been said by Dr. Frederic Wertham that this or that character is gay but his work has been discredited.

Comics, in general, do not reflect the world we live in.

Peace,
Ed

I was referencing the original point of the thread. DC comics commented it would be revealing one of it's more iconic characters as gay in June. I speculated WW might be that character, I later withdrew that speculation as when I read the news reports it became clear DC are going to reveal a male character as been gay in their recently rebooted (for the umpeenth time) universe.

None of the characters I cited as shown as gay on panel existed at the time Wertham wrote 'Seduction of the Innocent' and all those I cited as definitely gay have been shown to be unequivocally so on panel.

You seem to have been reading an entirely different post than the one I wrote.

johnnyjones · #28 May 22, '12, 2:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwest2

Why should readers care? Who made this behavior acceptable?

Wake up, my fellow Catholics. This is called Issue Advocacy, the new term for Propaganda

Why is anyone "upset" by homosexual behavior or have you missed all the articles about "same-sex" marriage and all the ink used to write about it in a positive way?

To anyone reading this who have or care for children, this is your chance to reevaluate reading certain comic books as good choices. Indoctrinating the young is a bad idea as well. [/b]

I do not support homosexual behavior. It was a rhetorical question. In other words , everybody says oh, a few gay sub charactors, but try telling readers good old apple pie Superman is gay, then have him kissing a man, a real outcry would emerge (hopefully).

Peace,
Ed

I do not support homosexual behavior. It was a rhetorical question. In other words , everybody says oh, a few gay sub charactors, but try telling readers good old apple pie Superman is gay, then have him kissing a man, a real outcry would emerge (hopefully).

**JharekCarnelian** · #29 May 22, '12, 2:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwest2

X-Men "Gay Marriage" confirmed.

http://comicbook.com/blog/2012/05/22/18433/

Peace,
Ed

Hardly the first gay marriage in superhero comics and there have been gay X-men before this, in fact quite a few as I recall. The X-Men franchise is recognisable to those of the public who are not geeks like myself and thus they can run a minor news article on it.

Publisher · #30 May 22, '12, 2:26 pm

DC has had gay characters before....they flew under the radar....Element Lad was gay for a time....but when the LSH was rebooted...he was then "straight".....I think a couple of other LSH characters were either bisexual or gay as well.

Marvel has had gay superheroes for years...Wiccan and Hulkling are partners....in more than crime fighting only.