NYT Asks: Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?

NewsBusters.org ^ | 9/7/2007 | Clay Waters

[Pyro7480]

On Monday, New York Times Arts writer George Gene Gustines profiled gay novelist Perry Moore, a fervent supporter of gay rights -- for fictional comic book characters.

"Novelist's Superhero Is Out to Right Wrongs" began:

"Perry Moore has the sinewy physique and golden looks of a California surfer, but get him talking about comics, and he can out-geek the biggest fanatic. He also has the fervor of an activist when discussing the dearth -- and occasional shoddy treatment -- of gay superheroes in mainstream comic books."

Now there's a vital cause we can all rally behind!

"It is an issue close to the heart of Mr. Moore, who is gay, and he has funneled his passion into a young-adult novel. 'Hero,' published in hardback last week by Hyperion Teen, tells the story of Thom Creed, coping not only with high school, sexual orientation and a strained home life, but also with his own budding superpowers. In telling Thom's story, Mr. Moore, like some of the costumed champions he admires, hopes to right some wrongs.

"'My publisher did not shy away from my mission,' he said during a recent interview near his home in Greenwich Village. That mission is a multipart endeavor to show gay superheroes in a positive light, to learn from his experiences with his father and to give younger readers a potential role model in Thom."

Because liberal moralizing is what comic book readers are looking for.

For the complete version of this article, visit Times Watch.

[weegee]

Ron Pearlman just about tanked the industry (not just Marvel) especially with his flooding of multiple cover variations and attempts at having a monopoly on distribution (for all publishers).

[weegee]

He was also a head shrink (like Wertham).

[dangus]

You’re brave not to put a (/s) after that.

[dangus]

>> “no, but Thank God Hop Sing was” <<

I don’t get it.

[weegee]

According to RFK’s son (an heir to a family of “saints”), you are a TRAITOR if you deny man is causing global warming.

It is all about thoughtcrime but in their warped worldview Reagan-Thatcher was the West approaching Orwell’s 1984. They need to reread the writings of Orwell. He’d been a Socialist (even in war) and he got sickened by their tactics and their absolute refusal to critize Stalin’s USSR.

It took Pete Seger 40 years to concede Stalin’s failings.

[weegee]

What’s a ‘phone booth’?

[Calpernia]

.

[bert]

Did not Damon Ivory Wyans play a gay super hero on one of his shows? He flew around in a blue bunny suit

[pgkdan]

LOL! Yeah It’s really a hot topic...got me all worked up.

[gieriscm]

Where are all the gay superheroes?

Still in the locker room trying to color-coordinate their lime green spandex pants with their lavender capes.

[freepertoo]

NO comment!

[Lloyd227]

uh... Batman and Robin?

“The Ambigiously Gay Duo” was quite a popular skit for a while :-)

[freepertoo]

I believe I know the author you’re referencing. If so...he drives me crazy. Has destroyed most of the story lines and characters at Marvel.

[Antoninus]

NYT Asks: Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?

In the mens' room of Metropolis airport, protecting rendezvous-seeking senators from overzealous cops.

Or else in the Gotham City Hospital getting super rodents extracted.

[Antoninus]

“The Ambigiously Gay Duo” was quite a popular skit for a while :-)

And the main reason I stopped watching SNL...

[Rastus]

Robin is gay....period. For those who are upset...this is why Batman eventually dumped the sidekick and went off on his own.

Which Robin is this? It sure can't be Dick Grayson, who has been involved with a lot of women, including Barbara Gordon. Here's his longtime love interest:



I didn't read the posted article beyond the excerpts, but the premise is laughable. Unfortunately, comics are full of gay characters now. Over at DC, Batwoman and the Question are former lesbian lovers. A Flash villain named the Pied Piper is gay. At Marvel, there are a couple of gay Young Avengers named Hulkling and . . . something. Can't remember his boyfriend's name. There's a team called the Runaways that I think has a lesbian. And, most annoyingly, there was a child superhero team called Power Pack, and one of the girls has grown up to be a lesbian. Marvel is full of gay heroes. Oh, yeah. In the Ultimate Universe, Colossus is gay.

[Calpernia]

Hey kids! Time for Captain Cottontail!

[Rastus]

I read an article a couple of years ago saying that whichever publisher owns Rawhide Kid is going to do a sequence of issues in which Kid is revealed to be gay, although supposedly it was all pretty PG-13.

Marvel, and it was completely out-of-continuity. The writer is an idiot who writes all of his characters out of character. Still, I doubt if the character will ever be seen as anything but gay because of the media storm over that.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I forgot about the “golden lasso”. ;-)

[CharlesWayneCT]

How could anybody watch that show “Superhero” and NOT think that Stan Lee liked gay characters :-)