SPOILER WARNING!
If you haven’t read Batwoman #17 this week you may want to skip this post – even though the headline gives it away – I know!
Seriously!
OK!
Here it comes:
Congratulations Batwoman! Kate Kane proposed to her Continue reading Batwoman’s Gay Marriage Proposal
An X-Man got married to a Man. A gay Green Lantern was born. A Riverdale teen met his geek (and gay) icon. A twist on who was a Slayer in Buffyverse. Those were just some of the GLBT characters and storylines that made mainstream headlines, boosted comics and possibly helped change our culture.
GLAAD revealed their nominees for Outstanding Comic Book. Congratulations to the writers/artists/editors and publishers for the recognition. The nominations reflect on the big year for gay characters in comic books and the impact they have on society.
Astonishing X-Men, Earth 2, Kevin Keller, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batwoman are great books by talented creators but which book should win and why?
Op/Ed:
Do I have a favorite? I admit I have a X-Men bias but it was my first comic book.
I have go to with Astonishing X-Men. Northstar’s wedding to Kyle Jinadu was not just a one issue stunt. Jean-Paul has been out since 1992. Jean-Paul an Kyle’s romance developed in earlier volumes of Uncanny X-Men and the most recent Alpha Flight series.
In Astonishing X-Men #51 Jean-Paul and Kyle got married in New York’s Central Park surrounded by teammates. Marvel even gave the book 2 variants: one with Jean-Paul and Kyle kissing and one with the happy couple on the cover with some of Marvel’s most famous couple’s on their big day. You may call that smart marketing. It is. By looking at this special cover it sent a message that Jean-Paul and Kyle’s ceremony and relationship was the same as Reed and Susan Richards and other Marvel super couples. (Let’s hope they turn out better than Scott & Jean, Storm & T’Challa or Quicksilver & Crystal!)
The wedding was not the end of Kyle’s screen time in the book. After the honeymoon Marjorie Liu continues to explore the complicated life of being married to a superhero in every issue. Who would have thought Wolverine would be giving a guy relationship advice about his husband? Remember when Jean-Paul couldn’t come out?
Northstar wasn’t the only GLBT character featured in this book. Former New Mutant Karma was central to the storyline of Liu’s thrilling arc. Liu didn’t touch on Karma being a lesbian just a conflicted character who showed why she’s a great hero and mother figure to her younger siblings. It didn’t matter than Karma was a lesbian but perhaps Shan may find love now that she’s survived the villain of Liu’s first arc.
By Editor
By Editor
Hawkeye. Psylocke. Huntress. The Wonder Twins. Bunker. Heroes from DC and Marvel Universes work the purple!
Fellow comic book fans take inspiration from these stylish heroes to make a statement. Wear purple on October 19, 2012 for GLAAD Spirit Day to help speak out against bullying and show your support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. Follow the stories and support with #SpiritDay with GLAAD on Twitter.
Thanks for sharing this and showing you support on Spirit Day.
By Editor
Who’s getting hitched in Astonishing X-Men #51? Marvel released a “Save the Date” teaser image today. Marjorie Liu (writer) and Mike Perkins (artist) and Dustin Weaver (cover artist) are the creative team on the June issue.
The book’s lineup includes Wolverine, Iceman, Gambit, Northstar, Karma and Warbird. I think Northstar and boyfriend Kyle will be couple walking down the aisle. The two met when Jean-Paul founded his own snow sports equipment company. This was around the time the X-Men first moved to San Francisco. Jean-Paul later joined his friends in a reformed Alpha Flight. Liu announced Northstar would be part of her Astonishing line-up which focuses on the personal lives of X-Men.
Marjorie Liu may be planning a same-sex wedding. In earlier interview Liu said one character will be changed forever and there’s a long term story planned. Marvel has teased this title will have the most controversial story of the year.
Earlier this year I said Astonishing X-Men would be a title to watch for next year’s GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Comic Book. In this post Liu discusses why she wanted Northstar on the team.
I could be in for a surprise – Iceman and Warbird? Bobby could fall fast for the Shiar warrior woman. Karma is a lesbian that has never had a romance in the comics. Maybe Shan and Cecelia Reyes might be hooking up? But my money is on Northstar having a happy day and Marvel having a milestone issue featuring a gay wedding.
Marjorie Liu and Mike Perkins are the new team on Astonishing X-Men. The lineup includes Wolverine, Iceman, Gambit, Warbird, Karma and Northstar. With the cancellation of Alpha Flight I had hoped Marvel would bring Jean Paul back to the X-Men. Northstar is at the Jean Grey School and he’s continuing his relationship with boyfriend Kyle.
I call Astonishing X-Men the title to watch for next year’s GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Comic Book. In the solicit for May’s issue Liu is keeping Karma and Northstar pivotal to the first arc.
The mutant with mind possession power is losing control over her own. How will the X-Men stop Karma from taking control over her teammates. Northstar’s boyfriend Kyle is in danger. Will Jean Paul be forced to choose between him or his team. Plus Marvel promises that his issue’s ending will “be the most talked about moment of the year!”
Some comic book companies have gay and lesbian super heroes but Archie Comics is creating socially relevant and boundary pushing storylines. The publisher didn’t just give the Riverdale Gang a new gay supporting character – they made Kevin Keller a star.
Kevin is an openly gay young man wanting to serve proudly in the military. They even had Kevin marry his African-American partner is a future storyline and put them the cover. The publisher has been nominated by the GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Comic Book series.
This week in comic book stores – Kevin Keller stars in his own hardcover graphic novel featuring the GLAAD nominated story where Kevin first meets the Archie and gang, shares his dream to serve in the military and background of his life as an Army kid before moving to Riverdale. This includes Kevin’s appears in Veronica’s comic and his own 4 issue miniseries but that’s not all for Kevin fans.
Kevin Keller gets his own first series. In this first issue its Kevin’s first year at Riverdale High Class President and first date with some help from his friends.
The Superhero Registration Act/Civil War and M-Day/The Decimation are critical moments in Marvel’s recent history. Peter David brilliantly takes the essence of those plots and twists them into a bizarre new world. Jamie Madrox is trapped in that dimension in X-Factor #231.
Last issue saw Wolverine give comfort to a grieving Layla and give Havok and Polaris roles on X-Factor Investigations. But this issue focuses on Madrox being hunted in a world with giant Iron Men and a mutated take on the mutant/human conflict.
Peter David delivers action and wit. Jamie is caught in a war between a vicious Tony Stark and a shocking version of Deathlok. The one liners and puns fly fast and hilarious. Madrox seems like a hybrid of Deadpool and Daredevil in Excalibur’s Cross-Time Caper.
I’m thrilled to have Havok and Polaris on the team and look forward to the GLAAD recognized Rictor/Shatterstar romance evolve but this Madrox solo issue is fun and thrilling
When the GLAAD Best Comic Book Series Nominee Avengers: The Children’s Crusade began it marked the return of the excellent Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung on the team they created. Wiccan and Speed hoped to find, save and redeem their mother, Scarlet Witch. Their devoted teammates joined them on an adventure into Latveria through time. The heroes faces the Avengers, X-Men, X-Factor and Doctor Doom. Avengers: The Children’s Crusade is one of the most perfectly written and drawn series Marvel is publishing.
I had no idea how pivotal this story would be to the entire fate and future of the Marvel Universe. When the series ends the Scarlet Witch will be set up for her role in Avengers Versus X-Men, the return of the Phoenix Force and her possible connection to the mutant messiah, Hope Summers will be revealed.
X-Editor Nick Lowe answered fan questions on Comic Book Resources. The question I found interesting was if the Avengers Editors or X-Editors determined Wanda’s fate after Avengers: The Children’s Crusade?
“It was Allan Heinberg (with input from Tom Brevoort) mapping out Wanda’s trajectory. Allan had some great ideas on the subject and somehow Tom B. didn’t ruin them all,” Lowe responded. Brevoort is the Avengers Editor.
Will Wanda be redeemed for Avengers Disassembled and M-Day/The Decimation? Wiccan and Speed may save their mother only to see her fall in AVX. Time will tell but Heinberg and Cheung have created a real Marvel classic with Avengers: The Children’s Crusade.