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Green Lantern Fights Gay-Bashing (Comics)
Associated Press ^ | Tue Aug 13, 6:40 PM ET | VERENA DOBNIK

Posted on 08/13/2002 4:47:15 PM PDT by USA21

Green Lantern Fights Gay-Bashing

NEW YORK (AP) - The comic book company that created Superman and Batman has a cutting-edge new story line: a gay teenager is the victim of a hate crime.

DC Comics' "Green Lantern" No. 154 hits newsstands in September — with main character Terry Berg beaten almost to death on a street.

Terry actually emerged as a gay character in 2001 in issue No. 137, which was cited by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( news - web sites) as the year's best comic book. Terry is a sidekick to Kyle Rayner — aka Green Lantern — whose emerald ring gives him supernatural powers that keep New Yorkers safe.

"Terry came out because he had a crush on Kyle. Who wouldn't? He's tall, with all those muscles," says cartoonist Judd Winick, who created the gay character at the suggestion of DC comics editor Bob Schreck, also responsible for the "Batman" series.

Schreck "knew I'd be pretty sensitive to gay issues," says Winick, 32, who is married and lives in San Francisco.

He was a cast member of MTV's "Real World," a documentary-style show that detailed the lives of a group of people living in the same house.

Winick's "Real World" roommate was Pedro Zamora, a nationally known AIDS ( news - web sites) activist who died in 1994. Their friendship inspired Winick's comic-book story "Pedro and Me."

If there's a lesson in dropping gay issues into "Green Lantern," one of DC's flagship titles, "it might be that it would be great for young people to see that the Green Lantern doesn't care that Terry is gay. He's a person," says the cartoonist.

"Terry represents acceptance. And now, in this hate crime, we're discussing the worst side of the gay issue."

In issue No. 154, the teenager and his boyfriend are walking down the street when three men start yelling out a derogatory anti-gay word and chasing them. They catch up with Terry, who's brutally beaten.

Though he's a main character whose gay lifestyle is a running thread in the comic series, it's not the first time the comic book industry touches on gay issues.

The 1993 coming-out of Marvel Comics' Northstar, of the Canadian X-Men group Alpha Flight, was a sensation. X-Men characters Mystique and Destiny had an implied lesbian relationship, and the Green Lantern features lesbian supporting characters Lee and Li.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: comicbooks; dccomics; greenlantern; hatecrime; pccomics
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To: SpinyNorman; USA21; parsifal; Salman
You're all forgetting the most obviously gay cartoon character of all time: Jughead. The guy followed Archie around, constantly telling Archie that he should stop wasting his time on women and hang out with him instead. Jughead was obviously gay AND a stalker.
41 posted on 08/13/2002 8:11:46 PM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: Behind Liberal Lines
Uh, being married does not necessarily equate to having sex. See Bill Clinton and Hillary Whatever. parsy.
42 posted on 08/13/2002 8:12:07 PM PDT by parsifal
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To: Behind Liberal Lines
You just leap to conclusions, don't you. Jughead follows other guys around and has no life of his own and no girl friend EQUALS LIBERTARIAN. parsy.
43 posted on 08/13/2002 8:14:13 PM PDT by parsifal
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To: USA21
I always knew the green lantern was a homo
44 posted on 08/13/2002 8:17:07 PM PDT by Enemy Of The State
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To: USA21
Judd Winick is one of those MTV "real world" losers. After the death of his gay roommate Pedro (from AIDS), he went around the country giving speeches about Pedro to raise his own profile, ultimately landing a gig at DC comics.

Personally, I don't think any Freeper could last a week on the real world. Normal men usually get kicked out of the house. ANd the only relatively normal males on that show are the black guys, and they get kicked out, too.

God, I despise MTV. It started out cool in the 80s, but all they do now is push the fag/freak/feminazi agenda. And I'm really disappointed in DC comics.

45 posted on 08/13/2002 8:23:56 PM PDT by Hamza01
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To: parsifal
Listen, Mister, you can say a lot of negative things about the Man of Steel. You can say hateful, nasty things about his red underwear, his spit curl, even his sexuality.

But don't you ever, ever compare the symbol of "TRUTH, justice and the AMERICAN way" to Bill Clinton.

Not Ever.

;-)

46 posted on 08/13/2002 8:24:13 PM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: Behind Liberal Lines; SpinyNorman; USA21; parsifal; Salman
You're all forgetting the most obviously gay cartoon character of all time: Jughead.

How about Johnny Storm, The Human Torch?

Every time he gets excited, he yells "Flame on!"

-PJ

47 posted on 08/13/2002 8:40:20 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too
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To: Salman
You gays are making me mad. Mainly because you don't know what you're talking about. It makes me wonder how many know-it-all comments here on FR are totally uninformed. A lot probably.

"Didn't they also change the Green Lantern from a white guy into a black guy?" The premise was that the old Green Lantern retired and his young "ward" (wink, wink) replaced him. And we know who else has a "ward".

There have been six different Green Lanterns from earth (usually at least two or three at a time) and one of them is black (John Stewart). They picked Stewart to be on the new Justice League cartoon because they wanted a black, and they wanted to try a different spin on him. Stewart was NEVER a "ward."

How straight can a guy be who goes around in leotards and an opera cape? Is flying though the air without wings a subtle hint of being "light in the loafers"? It seems to me all these so-called "superheroes" are a bit lavender.

Trust me, if they were, most readers wouldn't touch them.

Lois loves Superman. He saves her from the bad guys, but he never even asked her for a date. Why do you suppose that is?

Lois and Superman are married. My biggest problem with comics these days are they are too sexual. Aquaman and Green Arrow have illegitmate kids, for pete's sake. Even Aqualad, Aquaman's "ward" had to get married.

48 posted on 08/13/2002 9:03:03 PM PDT by far sider
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To: far sider
You gays are making me mad. Mainly because you don't know what you're talking about.

I'm not gay, and you take comic books way too seriously.

49 posted on 08/13/2002 9:53:54 PM PDT by Salman
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To: Behind Liberal Lines
Uh, first of all, Superman is MARRIED to Lois Lane these days. Has been since, I think, 1992.

I stopped following Superman before 1992. Straightened up did he? That's good. Any kids yet?

50 posted on 08/13/2002 10:04:43 PM PDT by Salman
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To: Dan Day
Didn't know Niven had originated it or else I would have cited the source..rats! LOL LOL
51 posted on 08/13/2002 11:58:20 PM PDT by mdmathis6
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To: Sgt. Fury
Oh come on...
Its a damn comic book, if you dont like its content dont read it...
52 posted on 08/14/2002 12:48:36 AM PDT by LibertarianLouie
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To: parsifal
Boy, I must have missed something then, ask my wife......
53 posted on 08/14/2002 12:49:46 AM PDT by LibertarianLouie
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To: Salman
"You gays are making me mad. Mainly because you don't know what you're talking about."
I'm not gay, and you take comic books way too seriously.

Salman, I'm sorry. I meant GUYS. I really did. I don't know why I said "gays." I wasn't referring to just you. Every time comic books come up, all these smartalec gay comments pop up about Batman and Robin, etc., and it bugs me.

Really. I meant guys. (Sheesh. I gotta get a life.)

Sorry.

54 posted on 08/14/2002 5:54:20 AM PDT by far sider
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To: LibertarianLouie
I agree. If a comic book wants to come out against people beating people to death, I don't see the problem. They are a business putting out a product. It is their right to make any kind of product that they want.

You may argue that they are messing with something classic. Well, that goes with the territory. If you don't like the new product, don't buy it. I happen to think cars were perfect in the 50s and 60s. I like the heaviness, stability, chrome, and attention to detail that is lacking in today's automobiles. Therefore, I do not buy the new Impala, because I don't want their grey plastic substitute. If you don't like the new comic, you should do likewise.
55 posted on 08/14/2002 9:11:40 AM PDT by mysterio
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To: far sider
"Salman, I'm sorry. I meant GUYS. I really did. I don't know why I said "gays."

This was probably a Freudian slip on your part. Here you were, enjoying the cameraderie and give and take intellectual tussle, and . . .you just fell in love with us. I'm flattered, of course, but mrs.parsifal keeps me on the porch. :) parsy the understanding.
56 posted on 08/14/2002 3:47:41 PM PDT by parsifal
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To: USA21
Though he's a main character whose gay lifestyle is a running thread in the comic series, it's not the first time the comic book industry touches on gay issues.

True, Ace and Gary, the Ambiguously Gay Duo, have been fighting that fight for years...

57 posted on 08/14/2002 6:53:09 PM PDT by RogueIsland
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To: parsifal
As Rosie would say, "Les-be friends."

far sider, male lesbian

58 posted on 08/15/2002 7:18:05 AM PDT by far sider
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To: USA21
He was a cast member of MTV's "Real World," a documentary-style show that detailed the lives of a group of people living in the same house.
Winick's "Real World" roommate was Pedro Zamora, a nationally known AIDS ( news - web sites) activist who died in 1994. Their friendship inspired Winick's comic-book story "Pedro and Me."

Ah, the only slightly amusing "Real World" there ever was. Puck made idiots of both of these twerps.

59 posted on 08/15/2002 7:21:14 AM PDT by southern rock
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To: USA21
The Lantern's late to the game...

"What are you looking at?"

60 posted on 08/15/2002 7:31:34 AM PDT by sayfer bullets
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