Introducing DC Comic's new Gay Hero!

If you're here reading this article, and you have no idea what's going on, perhaps you are are better off to read my blog A New Gay Hero in DC Comics - Who is it?

Heroism can be found in every species, race, sex, religion, and sexual orientation in the DC Universe.

Over the weekend, DC Comics announced the gay superhero to debut this month: Green Lantern Alan Scott, the first and original Green Lantern introduced in 1940.

Who's Alan Scott?

Green Lantern - Alan Scott

Alan Scott, a railroad engineer, discovers a magic lantern constructed from an alien meteor, and through a ring of the same substance he is able to channel the mystical power and fight crime as the Green Lantern.

Contrast Scott with Hal Jordan, who, as seen in the Green Lantern movie, is given a ring and lantern from the Guardians of the Universe, and Jordan joins the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic police force.

GL Hal Jordan meets GL Alan Scott

To read more about Hal Jordan and Alan Scott, go to my blog on The History of Comics Pt III: The Silver Age of Comics.

Why a Gay Character?

The primary response from the company indicates that the goal is to introduce a strong character for the gay community to identify with.

DC has other prominent gay heroes in the DC Universe including Renee Montoya, and Batwoman, who has won "Outstanding Comic" from GLAAD two of the last three years for her portrayal.

Green Lantern, however, is one of the most high-profile characters to be outed in comics.

Why Pick an Already Established Character?  

Why not create a brand-new hero and introduce the character as gay?  The answer to this could be because of the company's wish to spotlight a character quickly.  Others, including myself, saw this move as a marketing ploy more than anything else.  Marvel Comics, for example, is having its most prominent gay character, Northstar, get married this same month.

Or, it could be because the fear that a new character may not sell well (gay or otherwise).  As such, DC took a high profile and established character, Green Lantern, and during his reboot in The New 52 made the move.

In hindsight, perhaps it is too cynical to perceive this as a marketing ploy (though to ignore that aspect altogether would be naive).  If this is done correctly, Alan Scott could shine his green light on this aspect and provide a strong male role model for everyone, gay and straight alike.  James Robinson, the writer re-introducing Alan Scott to The New 52 DC Universe, says, "What I really want to do with this character is make that fact that he's gay to be a part of who he is and not to be the one identifying aspect of him" (article can be found here).

On a side note, Robinson also introduced the first gay kiss in comics in an issue of Starman.

Why Alan Scott?

In previous continuity, Alan Scott was not only Green Lantern, but he also helped found the Justice Society of America, and became the first chairperson.

In his personal life, Scott was also the father of two children: Jennifer-Lynn Haden, aka Jade, and Todd James Rice, aka Obsidian - Todd being one of DC's first notable gay characters.

Because The New 52 has retconned Jade & Obsidian out of continuity, writer James Robinson decided that Alan Scott himself would be a strong gay character, replacing the gap left with his son being retro-ed out of continuity.

How Jade and Obsidian will debut in The New 52, if at all, remains to be seen, though making them adopted to a gay couple would be a leap in the next logical direction.

Final Thoughts

Once comics get completely political in agenda, the heroism aspect is lessened in stories, and that's really why you're picking up the book in the first place.  From my other blog on the subject, I wrote this:

"...what makes these characters superheroes isn't their sexual orientation.  In fact, I read a comment somewhere that a particular reader always viewed heroes as asexual; the superhero fights evil, and isn't on patrol for men/women.

Eliminating factors like this will make storytelling one-dimensional, I'll concede that, and a romantic interest here and there helps to keep storytelling interesting.  But you shouldn't be picking up the newest issue of Action Comics and be looking for a comic primarily focused on the character's love life, straight or gay."

I will reiterate this point in another way.  Consider this: if a character is devoutly religious, that shouldn't be the absolute dominating point of every issue the character is featured in.  Zauriel, one of God's guardian angels, came to Earth and joined the Justice League of America, and every issue wasn't preachy and driving one particular religion down your throat.  In fact, for many, many adventures, the fact that Zauriel was an angel was altogether dismissive; Zauriel was the team's "magic" expert, and otherwise often acted as the team's Hawkman.

If Alan Scott can be utilized in the same manner, as a superhero that happens to be gay, hopefully this will achieve its desired goal and becomes a positive figure for everyone, both gay and straight, men and women.

Alan's debut in The New 52

Besides, if any aspect of this is truly shocking, it's the fact that DC brought back Earth-2 and the Multiverse!

The History of Comics Pt I: The Golden Age of Comics, where it all began....

In the beginning...


Comic strips ran in weekly newspapers, with characters like Little Orphan Annie (1924), Popeye (1929), and other characters.  Comic strips eventually evolved into comic books, bringing along these characters, and ushering in new creations.  Whether or not comic strips and these early comic books are included in The Golden Age is best left argued by historians.

So let it be written...

Although comic books didn't start with super heroes, many tend to agree that The Golden Age began (or, at the very least, began its popularity) with the introduction of the first super hero of them all: Superman in Action Comics #1.

I want one... Somebody lend me $1.5 million?

"Super" heroes all began with "Super"-man... While you may not have considered this, yes, it seems fairly obvious when you think about it.  Regardless if you knew this before, I bet you won't forget it now!

After the introduction of Superman, the idea of the superhero fighting crime and evildoers boomed, and superheroes soon dominated the comic book industry.  DC characters like Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman (see my write-up of Aquaman here), Green Lantern (Alan Scott), the Flash (Jay Garrick), The Atom (Al Pratt), Dr. Fate, the Spectre, Black Canary (Dinah Drake), Hourman, and Hawkman all made their first appearances, while Timely Comics (which would later evolve into today's Marvel Comics) introduced characters like Captain America and Bucky, the Sub-Mariner, and the android Human Torch (not Johnny Storm, the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four).  Other publications of the era introduced characters such as Quality Comics' Plastic Man, Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel, (both characters now belong to DC), and the Spirit.  The Golden Age also saw the first team-up, the Justice Society of America, as various DC heroes banded together to stop villainy on epic scales.

The 1930s, historically, saw gangsters taking to the streets, so in comics heroes were there to stop these menaces and show them the error of their ways.  But by the late-30's and early-40's, the world was changing: the world was going to war, for the second time.  This battle was not about land or money, despite the initial arguments made.  This war was about evil and atrocities on a scale the world had never seen before.

Grow a real moustache, wimp.

Heroes fight villains, and good conquers over evil.  No grey areas.  Superheroes went to war.

The comic book, at this point, sold millions.  Cheap and portable, comic books often found their way overseas, comforting soldiers as they read about the superheroes, too, taking the fight to the Axis.

Can I help you, ladies?

Furthermore, comic books helped to spread war propaganda, as seen on this cover:

"Hey Kid, put the down the comic and grab your gun!"

With the dropping of the atomic bomb, the word "atomic" became the buzzword of the time, and many characters and storylines began to deal with radiation and its effects.  Even Superman felt the effects of radiation in the form of kryptonite. 

...So let it be done.

As the war came to an end and real-life heroes came home, the fascination with superheroes began to fade.  Comic books of war, westerns, crime, horror, science fiction, and romance hit the market and overshadowed the superhero comics.  Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman remained profitable, and thus continued printing.  Many other titles, however, were cancelled, and other titles changed their primary focus altogether.  All-Star Comics #57, the comic book home of the Justice Society, changed to All-Star Western #58 the next issue.

The Golden Age of Comics saw the best of times, and the blurst worst of times.  Heroes began to vanish altogether....

And then, with the flash of lightning, the Silver Age began....

[Stay Tuned for my entry on The Silver Age of Comics!]