GAY HERO In A LEADING ROLE

Astonishing X-Men #50 courtesy Marvel
Astonishing X-Men #50 courtesy Marvel

Marvel’s Hercules is 100% heterosexual.

In an earlier, alternate universe Herc he was in a relationship with James Howlett, aka Wolverine so fans were naturally curious about Herc when he returns.

Marvel’s Editor-In-Chief clarified when the Olympian God makes his comic book comeback this November he will be straight.

But it raises a question: where are the GLBT characters in a leading role in a Marvel book?

If not Herc, then who? Continue reading GAY HERO In A LEADING ROLE

X-MEN GAY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel
Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel

Evil mutants, Age of Apocalypse X-Men, journeys to Hell and book cancellations can’t stop this marriage.

 

It’s GLBT Pride Month, a time to celebrate victories and visibility of gay, lesbian and transgender. When it comes to visibility – an X-Man getting married to a man in New York City and on the cover of a major Marvel comic is big.

 

Pride 2014 is a time to celebrate the second wedding Anniversary of Northstar and Kyle Jinadu! It was nearly two years ago the X-Man married in Astonishing X-Men #51. Continue reading X-MEN GAY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

X-Men Gay Wedding Anniversary

Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel
Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel

Happy One Year Anniversary to Northstar and Kyle Jinadu! It was one year ago the X-Man married Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men #51. The marriage was heavily promoted, protested and celebrated. Openly gay X-Man Northstar married Kyle Jinadu with the X-Men and Alpha Flight watching in New York’s Central Park. The big event inspired some gay X-men fans to tie the knot…in a comic book store on the day of the wedding issue’s arrival! The wedding of Jean-Paul and Kyle was huge for mainsteam comics but continued the tradition of diversity in the X-Men history.

 

Jean-Paul and Kyle are still together, still trying to cope with the pressures and dangers of being a super couple targeted by villains. Northstar’s wedding was a major milestone in comic books. Back in the 1980’s John Byrne (Jean-Paul’s creator along with the rest of the Canadian supergroup Alpha Flight) wasn’t allowed Continue reading X-Men Gay Wedding Anniversary

NIGHTWING in Chicago

Nightwing #21 courtesy DC Comics
Nightwing #21 courtesy DC Comics

Nightwing is leaving Gotham City for Chicago! At the DC All Access Panel at Chicago’s C2E2 writer Kyle Higgins talked with fans about the new mission and new home for Dick Grayson:

“The idea is that Tony Zuco – the man that killed Dick Grayson’s parents – is still alive and living under an assumed identity in Chicago.” The high concept of masked heroes and villains all being outlawed in the city even as a new masked version Continue reading NIGHTWING in Chicago

GLAAD Outstanding Comic Book Should Be?

Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel
Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel

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.

Astonishing X-Men #51 variant courtesy Marvel

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?

Astonishing X-Men #54 courtesy Marvel
Astonishing X-Men #54 courtesy Marvel

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

Astonishing X-Men: Northstar

Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel

  It was the comic book wedding of the year that made mainstream news. Openly gay X-Man Northstar married Kyle Jinadu with the X-Men and Alpha Flight watching in New York’s Central Park. The road to the altar was sidetracked with human and superhero drama – including the return of the Marauders.

  Astonishing X-Men: Northstar collecting the first arc of Marjorie Liu and Mike Perkins on the book. An elite team of X-Men (Gambit, Northstar, Wolverine, Iceman and Warbird) are in New York City when a new version of the Marauders attack. This arc brought back Cecelia Reyes and Karma. The New Mutant’s return came with a plot twist that’s still turning in the title.

  The gay wedding made huge news, inspired a short-lived protest and inspired some gay X-men fans to tie the knot…in a comic book store on the day of the wedding issue’s arrival.

  Here’s a link to Astonishing X-Men: Northstar if you missed the issues or would like to have the entire collection in this hardcover edition.

By Editor

Northstar’s Wedding Inspires Comic Book Store Ceremony for X-Men Fans

Now this is true love and true comic book love…

    Northstar’s wedding inspired a real New York couple to tie the knot in a famous comic book store. X-Men fans Scott Everhart and Jason Welker were selected from more than 50 applicants to get married in New York City’s Midtown Comics in honor of Astonishing X-Men #51 which features the wedding of Northstar to his boyfriend Kyle. The photo from the Midtown Comics Tumblr site.

Marvel Editor-In-Chief Axel Alonso said the plans for Northstar were inspired by New York’s legislation of marriage equality. Congrats and good luck Scott and Jason.

Thanks to Towleroad.

By Editor