Tag: GLBT

LGBT in the Marvel NOW?

Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel

Northstar made Marvel history, generated a ton of media attention and sold a lot of comic books. Jean-Paul’s wedding to Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men #51 was a huge success story. But will Northstar and Kyle’s story continue in the Marvel NOW? What about other GLBT characters in the relaunch?

Faithful followers of this blog have been sharing their concern over the fate of GLBT characters in the upcoming relaunch. So based on their suggestions and a Marvel NOW tally of announcements so far here are some great characters that will hopefully survive and thrive in the relaunch.

Striker: Several members of the soon to be departed Avengers Academy will graduate and appear in the recently announced Avengers Arena but Striker is missing from those kids.

Wiccan and Hulkling’s romance was a fan favorite element of Avengers: The Children’s Crusade. Wiccan does appear on the cover of the an upcoming Marvel Now Point One issue. Anole is a background character as a student of the Jean Grey School in Wolverine and the X-Men. The romance of Rictor and Shatterstar has been a fan favorite storyline in Peter David’s X-Factor which sure seems like it’s ending with the current Breaking Points arc.

X-Factor’s Shatterstar and Rictor courtesy Marvel.com

One fan’s idea is a team of all GLBT characters. A storyline in which GLBT heroes use their powers to patrol and prevent bullying could have strong potential. I think it’s important to have more than just an all-gay cast. I remember how much I enjoyed Anole and Rockslide’s team up in the X-Men: Manifest Destiny series. Wiccan and Hulkling have always had the support of their straight friends in the Young Avengers.

Hopefully there will be more Marvel NOW announcements about books with GLBT characters. (I really hope Marjorie Liu’s Astonishing X-Men run continues and Peter David on X-Factor.) The publisher has shown a commitment to showing diversity in the Marvel Universe. It is the comics business. Publishers are willing to invest in GLBT characters and stories if readers invest in the books. You have the power.

By Editor

 

X-Men Wedding Follow Up: More Gay Mutants in Love

  Northstar’s upcoming wedding in Astonishing X-Men next month and the reintroduction of a gay Alan Scott Green Lantern inspired my story X Marks Diversity – which looked back at how the X-Men have always been groundbreaking when it comes to characters of different races, cultures, religions and sexual orientation.

X-Statix Volume 1 courtesy Marvel.com

I made a glaring omission. As I was reading today’s Axel-In-Charge column on Comic Book Resources  CBR’s Kiel Phegley reminded us that current Marvel Editor in Chief Axel Alonso was editor of the Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather. This Marvel MAX series relaunched the Wild West hero as open and flamboyantly gay drew criticism from anti and pro gay groups more than a decade ago. This led Alonso to remind us of two other gay heroes.

  “There are plenty of gay characters in Marvel Comics that fly under the radar. Take Phat and Vivisector, for instance: teammates on the [Peter] Milligan/[Mike] Allred X-Force/X-Statix series that were also lovers. I don’t remember them provoking any controversy and I don’t think Rawhide Kid paved the road for them or any other gay characters; the opportunity was always there. Whenever you create a new character, the details of their interior or private life – stuff like their sexuality – will at some time become relevant.”

  Northstar’s proposal is Marvel history now. Alonso revealed how recent events affected the storyline.

 “Our best stories reflect stuff that happens in the world outside your window. When the Twin Towers fell, we did the Spidey black cover issue [“Amazing Spider-Man #36”]. when New York State legalized gay marriage, we wondered how Northstar – an openly gay super hero who’s in a long-term monogamous relationship – would respond to that development.

 The world outside New Yorkers’ windows is one where gay marriage is recognized. But remember: For Northstar and Kyle, getting married is just the beginning of the story – the easy part. Marriage isn’t about the week’s vacation in Tahiti – it’s about the weekend trip to the K-Mart. A year from now, who knows – we could be looking at the historic divorce issue!” [Laughter]

For more of today’s column – a Friday must for me and I recommend for Marvel fans- here’s the link.

  I complete forget this mutant couple and this X-Force reboot from two gifted creators! The title was so different at the time – I always thought of it as an X-Men book by Vertigo.

By Editor