Protecting the Innocent: Great Fathers in Comics!

Here's a post to honour all the Fantastic Fathers and Daring Dads out there.

I remember a PSA when I was a kid stating, "Anybody can make a baby, but it takes a man to be a Dad."  Truer words never spoken.

In comic books, the role of father impacts various superheroes:

Jor-El, Kal-El's Kryptonian father, was a scientist who predicted planet Krypton's doomed fate.  Unable to convince the science counsel of the impending destruction, Jor-El and his wife Lara, in an act of love, placed their infant son in a rocket ship bound for Earth.

Kal-El would be found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, and raised as their own son, accepting the Earth name Clark Kent.  Jonathan (in many incarnations) allowed Clark to develop his abilities and talents, but all the while made sure Clark knew the value of hard work and the importance of humility.  His Kryptonian DNA and the Earth's yellow sun may have given Superman his super-powers,  but it was Ma and Pa Kent who gave him his morality and the essentials to be the hero he is today.

Orphaned as a young boy, Peter Parker lived with his Aunt May and his Uncle Ben.

Uncle Ben was Peter's mentor, and taught Peter the iconic principle that "with great power comes great responsibility."  Spider-Man would use this as his mantra for the rest of his life.

Thomas and Martha Wayne, Gotham City's high-profile philanthropists, loved their son, Bruce.  Thomas was always protective of Bruce, and when he fell down a well as a child, Thomas went in after him.

After their passing, a grief-stricken Bruce would take up the mantle of Batman.  As Bruce Wayne, he is always mindful of their charity and good will, and himself tries to bring fortune to the less fortunate to continue his family's campaign.  As Batman, he never seeks vengeance for their passing, but rather strives to honour their memory by making the world a place his parents would want to live in.

A grown-up himself, Bruce later took in a young Dick Grayson as his ward and eventual adopted son, and later, Tim Drake, as another adopted son.  And years after that, he would have a son of his own, Damian, further extending the Batman family.

Instilling a role of responsibility is what fathers do.  Dads are the original superheroes, protecting us when we're scared.  They educate and mentor us to become their sidekick when we're young, with the hope to eventually fill their role in society when we've grown up.  Our job is to heed their advice, learn from their experience, and aspire to obtain their level of wisdom.

So here's to all the fathers, especially my own.  Much love and a Happy Father's Day!

The History of Comics Pt III: The Silver Age of Comics (But as Good as Gold!)

[If you haven't yet read my entry on The Golden Age of Comics - STOP!  Then follow up part two - Who Killed The Golden Age?]

In the third entry on the history of comics, we now enter The Silver Age of Comics.

At the closing of the Golden Age of Comics, soldiers returned from the war, superhero comics began to decline, and other genres such as war, westerns, crime, horror, science fiction, and romance began to hit the stands.  DC heroes (then National Comics) like Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Flash (Jay Garrick), and other members of the Justice Society of America were pulled, while Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman continued to print, albeit modestly.  Horror and crime comics took things to new levels, and Fredric Wertham, psychiatrist and author of Seduction of the Innocent, coupled with the United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency, led the charge against comic books.  And from the book burnings, the pressure from the government, and the avoidance of a government-sanctioned body overseeing comic book publications, comic book publishers formed the Comics Code Authority to monitor published content.

The short lived journey of crime and horror comics at the top was coming to an end, and it was time for superhero comics to strike again - and strike they did, with a bolt of lightning!

DC Comics

Barry Allen's first appearance as the Flash,
hastily ushering in the Silver Age

DC Comics sought to bring lighter-hearted, fun, adventurous comics back to the forefront.  While Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman had continued to sell, editor Julius Schwartz decided to revamp the other heroes of the 30's and 40's.  Himself a fan of science fiction, Schwartz looked to reimagine DC's heroes with a scientific twist.  Thus, the following changes were made:

Hal Jordan's 1st Appearance

• 1940's Flash, Jay Garrick, was replaced by police officer Barry Allen, who, while working in a crime lab, was struck by lightning and made a super speedster.  After reading a comic book about The Golden Age Flash, Barry decided to take the name for himself.  The new Flash's appearance in 1956's Showcase #4 (shown above) is generally regarded by historians as the first issue of The Silver Age.
• 1940's Green Lantern, Alan Scott, whose ring was operated by a magic lantern, was replaced by test pilot Hal Jordan, who was given a ring and lantern after being inducted into an intergalactic police corps, the Green Lanterns, by an alien group known as the Guardians of the Universe.
• DC updated other heroes, including The Atom (professor Ray Palmer, physicist) and Hawkman (Katar Hol, an alien from the planet Thanagar).
• Aquaman was retconned and given a new origin and history.
• DC introduced new characters, like J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter.

J'onn J'onnz, manhunter from Mars

The new changes by DC were a hit, and once again, superheroes began to flourish and thrive.  Crossovers began, with heroes appearing in each other's titles, until DC introduced their flagship mega-team, the Justice League of America.

Justice League's 1st Appearance: Brave and the Bold #28

And later, following the popularity of team-ups, DC had sidekicks join forces to create the Teen Titans:

Brave and the Bold #54

DC Comics, now a publishing giant in the 50s and 60s, paved the road for the new superhero era.  It was during this time that DC decided they would do something radical - bring back the original heroes.

The Flash #123 - a landmark issue.  It also recently sold for $83,000

Flash (Barry Allen) was able to vibrate his molecules so fast, he was able to escape our plane of existence - and land himself on Earth-Two, the home of the original Flash, Jay Garrick (confused?  Wait till we get into the multiverse).

Over time, Barry visited Jay and vice versa, and through creative ways eventually the whole Justice Society of America met with the Justice League of America, saving each other's bacon now and again.

DC was truly breaking new ground for the superhero genre - something comic writer Stan Lee took notice of.

Enter the Marvel Era


While mega stars like the current Flash and Green Lantern were created, and the Justice League became a sought after comic book for readers everywhere, the Silver Age of Comics cannot be spoken about without delving into the massive gains made by Marvel Comics and, notably, Stan Lee.

I shouldn't have to reiterate the awesomeness that is Stan Lee, because you've already gone ahead and read my introduction to Stan Lee in my blog Comic Names You Should Know: Stan Lee!  Besides, you already knew who he was prior to that anyhow, right?  Right?

But to showcase the work Lee accomplished during the Silver Age, let's again recall that Stan Lee co-created:

Spider-Man's first appearance, Amazing Fantasy #15.
Recently sold for $1.1 Million.  I want one... make it two.

• Spider-Man
• Iron Man
• Hulk
• Thor
• Hawkeye
• Nick Fury
• The Avengers
• The Fantastic Four
• The Silver Surfer
• The X-Men
• Daredevil
• Doctor Strange

Stan Lee looked at comics in the 40s and 50s, and saw what worked, and what didn't work.  Together, with Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, John Romita, Sr., and many other incredible artists and writers, Stan began the Marvel Comics explosion.  Lee, like DC's Julius Schwartz, was a big fan of science fiction, and based most of his superhero's powers on scientific reasoning (Iron Man's suit ran on Stark-powered transistors, Peter Parker's radioactive spider, Bruce Banner's gamma bomb radiation, cosmic radiation in the Fantastic Four, and so on).

And, playing off the popularity of super teams, Lee saw to the creation of the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and a comic book that took singular heroes and paired them together, The Avengers.

The Avengers Versus Loki?
Hmm... they should make a movie about that.....

Stan Lee, as editor of Marvel Comics, also introduced a new aspect to superhero comics - the reluctant, self-loathing superhero.  Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, would battle a villain, but as a result frequently miss a high school test, lose his job, or end up not getting the girl.  Bruce Banner constantly avoided becoming the Hulk, as he was powerless when the rage took over.  The Fantastic Four acted as a super team, but while Reed Richards could control his stretching, Susan Storm wasn't always invisible, and Johnny Storm could toggle his Human Torch guise,  Ben Grimm was permanently disfigured and viewed as a monster when he was cosmically altered into the Thing.

At a time when DC Comics's heroes were becoming over-the-top (Superman's powers escalated to the point that he could now move planets with his hands), Marvel Comics's humanizing traits, historians argue, are what drew in teenage crowds and jetted Marvel Comics into the spotlight.

Another key point for Marvel was that Stan Lee like to place his heroes in familiar settings - like New York City (Peter Parker grew up in Queens, the Fantastic Four's headquarters, the Baxter Building, was located in Manhattan, etc), as opposed to DC's imaginary locations of Gotham City, Metropolis, and Smallville.  In fact, Lee placed almost all of his characters in New York City, giving more justification as to why the heroes would cross paths regularly.  Placing the heroes in locations that Lee was familiar with helped with the writing process, as well as made fans more easily identify with the characters.

With all these comics in the market, it was only a matter of time until superheroes took over other mediums - notably television.

Comics-to-Television


The 60s & 70s saw a lot of superheroes on TV, some incarnations good, some mediocre (but never bad - I mean, hey, they're comics!).  Perhaps I'll do a more thorough review of this later, but for now, he's some of the major ones to recall, and likely the ones you're most familiar with.


Batman

In 1966, Batman made his TV debut, starring Adam West as the titular hero.  I don't believe there's a lot of explanation required here - the theme song alone should refresh your memory.  If you don't remember the show at all, here's a quick explanation:

• Burt Ward, as Robin, consistently said, "Holy ___, Batman!" ( ___ not meant to represent a curse word).  See here for examples.
• Mickey from the Rocky movies (Burgess Meredith) was the Penguin - though chronologically that means the Penguin was Rocky's coach.
• The Joker, played by Caesar Romero, had a moustache whited-out with makeup because the actor wouldn't shave it for the role.
• There were three actresses to portray Catwoman: Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriweather, and Julie Newmar.
• Frank Gorshin expertly portrayed The Riddler.

Because the Comics Code Authority had neutered comics, this campy representation of Batman made it to the air.  Respectfully, it did extremely well at first, which even prompted the 1966 Batman movie.  By the third season, the TV show pressured DC Comics to introduce (Batwoman and Batgirl had already come and been dismissed) reintroduce a female character so one can be featured in the show, and so Barbara Gordon made her debut as Batgirl.  The character was then portrayed on the small screen by Yvonne Craig.

Spider-Man

What was it about those hip people in the '60s?  They sure knew how to write a catchy jingle back then.  To get the neurons firing in an effort to recollect this show, here's the Spider-Man theme song.

And for no reason except that I like it, here's the song sung by Michael Buble.

As for the show, which debuted in 1967, the key highlights are:

• Decent acting talent
• A lot of shots of Spider-Man web-swinging and sticking to walls (to save money, shots were reused over and over again, like the background scenes of any episode of The Flintsones)
• A decline in using villains from the comic book after season one
• Footage from the show Rocket Robin Hood was reused in this show (no joke, check it out yourself)

Nevertheless, Spider-Man proved to be a big hit, and helped forever popularize the character.

All that Glitters isn't-- Silver?

Once again, superheroes took the lead in comic books, and made further mainstream leaps into television, radio, and film.  They had survived being the scapegoat of allegations by a mad doctor, and the onslaught that then ensued from the United States government.

The publishers themselves, however, may have become their own worst enemies, as the creation (however necessary) of the Comics Code Authority implemented stringent rules dictating the do's and don'ts of publishing a comic book.  The revitalization of superheroes sprang from this initial change, but ultimately altered the course of many heroes, forcing superhero comic books to become campy, silly versions of their prior incarnations.  Previously seen characters like Batman no longer tackled crooks and crime but now fought intergalactic beings, and carried shark repellent bat spray.  "And how come Batman doesn't dance anymore?  Remember the Batusi?"  Other heroes, like Superman, now had Krypto the Superdog, Streaky the Supercat, Comet the Super-Horse, and Beppo the Supermonkey.  Together, they formed the [*sigh*] Legion of Super-Pets.

While superheroes embarked on lighter antics than in the past, what was it that took the polish off the Silver, and ushered in the Bronze Age of Comics?  Like all other periods throughout history, no one person dictated the timeline of each era, so opinions vary depending on historians.

One historian and comics scholar, however, argues that the Bronze Age of Comics didn't get ushered in with a boom of lightning like the Silver Age, but instead appeared by a subtle, quiet "snap"...

[Stay tuned for my entry on The Bronze Age of Comics!]

Friday Fun-day!

I've been slowly compiling another historical piece to branch off from my initial piece, The Golden Age of Comics, but because it won't be finished today, I decided to let a little bit of the Joker out and go for inappropriate laughs!  Be sure to click on the images to enlarge them to read the text - usually key points, though sometimes the images themselves tell it all.

Mom & Dad, probably want to shut it down now.  If you read on, remember, I didn't draw these up.

ALL of these pictures have been lifted from superdickery.com - so a special thanks to them for brightening up our day.  The website started showcasing examples of Superman being, well, a dick, and evolved into a variety of humourous material, from scenes with unintentional homosexual undertones to scenes taken wildly out of context.  Nothing is off-limits.  With that, I bring you a few highlights - go to superdickery.com for more.

If you think I'm taking other people's work and putting my own comments on it, you'd be exactly right.  But this is a one time thing, I don't plan on making a career out of it.

Like I'd just take stuff from the Internet and jack it as my own material.

Who do you think I am, Daniel Tosh or something?

Green Lantern

I bet Ryan Reynolds asks to have this line put in "Green Lantern 2"

Superman

Nothing sketchy here!

Best leave this one alone.

...

Such confidence...

"Why won't Bruce return my calls...?"

Marvel Comics

The title says it all!

"Hulk... confused...?"

Wow.  Just wow.

Easy, Spider-Man!  That statement is exactly what got Sean Avery in trouble!

Hey!  What did I just say!

"Now, now, Thor's got enough mighty Mjolnir for everyone."

Looks like the Hulk's anger isn't the only thing raging!

Subtle Scenes...

I got your key to mystery, RIGHT HERE!

I don't know what comic this is from, but "Toni Gay?"  "Butch  Dykeman?"

Archie Comics

Read Betty's "offer" at the top right...

...

Interesting tactic to get the girl...

Batman

...

"Of the Year??"

This caption was placed here by design, not by accident.
I mean, somebody had to judge "Of the Year."

...

In the words of Archer, "Phrasing!"

Fredric Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent

Really?  Everybody thinks of their wife, you mention Robin??

...

If Batman and/or Robin are outed this June,
let's call this "precedence."

Hope you enjoyed a laugh!  Again, thanks to superdickery.com!  See you back here next week!

A New Gay Hero in DC Comics - Who is it?

Before you read, let me put this disclaimer in now:  I am a straight, married man, so I may not be able to properly represent the GLBT community.
However, I have gay family members, gay friends, and I love them all dearly.  So going forward and reading the following comments/arguments, if I have offended you, please let me know.  All comments are welcome, and I encourage you to comment on facebook.com/asvengersassemble with your perspective, or to privately message me with any concerns or comments.  I am doing my best to be respectful of everyone in this article.  Other times, unfortunately, I feel I may be realistic, which may contradict some views.  This may oppose your view, but my intent isn't to offend anyone.  That said [deep breath], here we go....

In September 2011, DC Comics made a bold move: to "soft-boot" the DC Universe, and start from scratch under the moniker The New 52, reflecting the new 52 titles published.

The idea of retroactive continuity, or "retcon," isn't new.  Both Marvel and DC have done this move many times, with many characters, usually updating an origin story or changing some aspect of a character's life (ie did Batman catch Joe Chill, the criminal that killed his parents, or did he even solve who the murderer was?).  While these aspects changed, the core elements (Bruce Wayne's parents are murdered) remains the same, yet new plot points can be derived from either scenario.

But last September, DC decided to start from scratch, and take away years and years of continuity.

This move was considered both good and bad.  For lifelong fans (and fanboys) of the characters, it became a little more critical.  Elements and past storylines no longer existed, so what you read six months back may no longer carry any bearing in the character you enjoy reading.  Imagine reading the last Harry Potter book, and by then the first five books of Harry's time at Hogwarts were completely irrelevant and didn't happen.

For many fans, including those that are casual readers or those that are completely new, it was an opportunity to buy comics and get on board.  Who are these guys?  Why do they hate each other?  Without having to know about some epic battle that took place in 1987 between Superman and Lex Luthor, things were fresh.  And for the fanboy that was strict on continuity, if a new story contradicted said epic battle from 1987, fanboys would go to the Internet and freak out.

With new beginnings and still in the early stages, DC made a new announcement this week:  One of their prominent heroes will be gay.

Initially, DC announced that it was going to feature a gay character in comics.  This idea isn't new.  There have been numerous gay & lesbian characters in comics.  Obsidian (Todd Rice), son of the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott), came out in the early-2000s.  In 2006, DC introduced the new Batwoman, Kate Kane, as a lesbian, and her and the new Question, Renee Montoya, were described as having a past relationship.  Maggie Sawyer of the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) is currently dating Kate Kane, unaware of her secret identity.  And currently in the DC Universe, heroes Apollo and Midnighter, themselves obvious parallels of Superman and Batman (Apollo derives his power from the sun, Midnighter a street-fighter of sorts), are openly gay heroes and eventually got married (though I believe the marriage was retconned in The New 52).

To see a more detailed list of gay & lesbian characters published by DC Comics, follow this link.

Follow the link and you will see, well, not many characters you recognize.  In fact, even I, your window into the comic book world, have a tough time recognizing many characters after the first page.

Perhaps that is the point of this move - to take an already well-established character and have him/her represent gay people, as opposed to introducing a new character and hoping the character gains popularity.

Can This Work?


Gay & lesbian characters in comics haven't really yet ascended into the "A-List" characters, in either DC or Marvel comics.  I'm not saying they can't, or shouldn't, they just haven't yet.  But discussing why a gay character can't become an A-list hero is like discussing why Blue Beetle or Tempest aren't A-List heroes; it is a manner of public opinion, personal likability, and comic book sales that will ultimately determine a book's introduction or cancellation, or whether or not they make a movie about the character.

So maybe it is just easier to take an already established character and make them gay instead of, as mentioned, begin with a new character and hope the character takes off, in order to have a high-profile gay hero in your franchise.

Also, is there a distinct list?  Here are some of the major names a non- to mild-comic book reader may recognize:

• Batman
• Robin
• Superman
• Wonder Woman
• Aquaman
• Flash
• Green Lantern
• Catwoman

But how much bigger can the list be?  There are other major characters in comics, but outside of the average reader, do many people know Nightwing?  Martian Manhunter?  Cyborg?  Speedy?  Even Green Arrow?

Will This Work?


It's a bold move, to say the least.  I read an argument already (this news was just announced Monday) that said that making someone like Wonder Woman a lesbian will be less of a point in the right direction, but more readily establish fanboy male fantasies.  I may have to agree on that one.  That being said, maybe a lesbian woman would see the most prominent female superheroine of them all, and be proud to have Diana, princess of Themyscira, represent lesbian women everywhere.

Also, but believe it or not, there are homophobic people out there.  Will making Superman gay empower the gay community, or will it cause a fallout?  God forbid somebody does something stupid if this is the case, but I'm willing to bet there's some sort of online protest or even picketing.  At the very least, a drop in sales may not be surprising depending on the readers' level of acceptance.


Is This Necessary?


I understand that gay people and the gay community are underrepresented in comic books.  In 2010, Archie Comics introduced gay character Kevin Keller to Riverdale, to much praise.  He got married in an "adult" version of the comic in 2012 (not adult as in R-rating, but adult as in future version).

However, as I stated above, I can't readily think of any A-List superheroes in comic books.

Unfortunately, some see this as a publicity stunt - and more unfortunate, they're likely right.  DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan Didio stated his opinion has evolved, much like Barack Obama's on gay marriage.

More so, Marvel Comics character Northstar of Alpha Flight (the Canadian super-team Wolverine is sometimes associated with), who came out as a gay superhero back in 1992, will be getting married in Astonishing X-Men #51 this June - coincidentally, the same month DC will "out" their hero.

Who Will It Be?



Whether or not you agree with the notion of DC Comics changing one of their hero's sexual orientation, it's going to happen.  So who will it be?

• Wonder Woman?  An icon, arguably the biggest superheroine of them all, coming from an island populated only by women.... But no, it's not her.  In fact, not any woman.  In an interview with ABC News, Courtney Simmons, DC Entertainment's senior vice president of publicity, said, "One of the major iconic DC characters will reveal that he is gay in a storyline in June."  Emphasis on "he."  At this point, no further reason to speculate any of the other female leads in the DC Universe.
  
• Superman?  The New 52 rebooted Superman as well, and dissolved his relationship with Lois Lane (they aren't divorced - they haven't started dating yet).  Will Clark be interested in Jimmy Olsen instead?  This is possible, but with Apollo (mentioned above) also in the DC Universe, it may be redundant.
  
• Flash (Barry Allen) married Iris West Allen.  DC just brought Barry back from the dead, so did he come back gay?  It seems unlikely here, as Barry is the grandfather of Bart Allen, aka Impulse/Kid Flash II/Flash IV, and unless they did some clever maneuvering, making Barry gay would eliminate Bart from continuity altogether.  Bart is Kid Flash in the new continuity.
  
  Flash III/Kid Flash I (Wally West) was shown to get married and have twin children - both with superpowers - before the retcon.  Wally's current status?  He's been benched for now, and not part of The New 52.  Will he reappear gay?
  
• Green Lantern (Hal Jordan - Ryan Reynold's character from the Green Lantern movie) has a longtime relationship with Carol Ferris (Blake Lively's character).  When not with Carol, Hal Jordan has been shown many times over finding girlfriends and alien girlfriends - think of him like DC's Captain James Tiberius Kirk.  There's no particular reason why he couldn't be gay, but I doubt Warner Bros will allow it considering there's already an established movie, and having a gay Green Lantern in comics and a straight one in the movies will, in their likely opinion, cause fan's minds to explode.  To read my rant on Warner Bros and their media divisions and why I dislike them, read my earlier article.
  However, besides Hal Jordan, Earth has three other Green Lanterns protecting the space sector, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Guy Gardner, and any of these three could be depicted as gay in the comics and featured in the upcoming movie(s).
  
• Aquaman was reintroduced in The New 52 with his wife, Mera, so it seems unlikely here.  He did, however, give up his throne to be a superhero, only to find the world finds him irrelevant and thinks his powers are useless.  But they're not, and you can read about how awesome Aquaman is here.
  
• Batman?  Well, this one actually has a lot of possibility.  Despite his previous girlfriends and flirtations like Catwoman or Vicki Vale, Batman never settles down with a woman.  His reasoning for this, however, has always been believable and sound: If a criminal were to discover his secret identity, than the love of his life will be the first target.  Sure, Superman worried of the same thing and married Lois Lane, but he's invulnerable and faster than a speeding bullet, so she doesn't have much to worry about.  Also, like I mentioned regarding Superman/Apollo, having Batman/Midnighter as gay superheroes with similar abilities may be redundant.
  The only real problem I have with a gay Batman is it will affirm Fredric Wertham's ideas in Seduction of the Innocent, that Batman & Robin are gay.
  Wertham being right about this aspect isn't problematic on its own, but Seduction of the Innocent really put comic books on the decline, and the Comics Code Authority was created to restrict what was printed, limiting creative expression.
  Wertham also suggested  comic books also made kids aggressive and violent (much like how TV and video games are the culprits of today), Wonder Woman was a lesbian because of her strength and independence, and that Superman was un-American and a fascist.  There are plenty of things I disagree with that Wertham posited, so if he ends up being right about this, it's personally a loss for me.
  
• Robin - which one?  Dick Grayson (yes, Dick, grow-up) was the original Robin, who has grown up to be a hero on his own, Nightwing.  Jason Todd was Robin II, who died at the hands of the Joker.  He has returned from the grave (of course, it's comics), but is now an anti-hero.  Robin III, Tim Drake, now acts independently as Batman's ally, Red Robin.  Robin V, the current Robin, is Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne's biological son with Talia al Ghul.
  
  Nightwing/Dick Grayson - Possible, but making Dick gay.... Well, how can I finish that without snickering myself?  But seriously, making Dick Grayson gay puts another win in the Wertham column in my opinion, as he was the Robin in question during Wertham's publication of Seduction of the Innocent.
  
  Red Hood/Jason Todd - This one seems unlikely, as in The New 52 it has been established that Jason has had relations with Starfire, one of DC's primary eye-candy characters (Starfire was also at one point almost the wife of Dick Grayson).  Making Jason Todd gay at this point makes him either one who experiments, or bisexual.
  
  Red Robin/Tim Drake - Again, possible.  Tim had a few girlfriends, notably Stephanie Brown, aka Robin IV/Spoiler/Batgirl, but a list can be seen here.  In Tim's case, however, I don't think it has yet been established if he's gay or straight in this new universe.
  
  Robin IV/Damian Wayne - The current Robin, this one is also possible.  Damian, however, is only 10 years old, so perhaps it's too early to designate his orientation.  For that reason, Damian has not really been designated any sexual orientation in previous stories (at least none I'm aware of at this moment).
  
• It has to be said, but what if it's not a superhero?  Well, this will make this whole article and most of its points moot, but it's possible.  Even the statement above Courtney Simmons said, "...major iconic DC character....", so this could include Alfred Pennyworth, Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon, or other supportive cast.

Final Thoughts


I will agree that GLBT people are under-represented in comic books.


However, 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.


For this reason, I do not believe that taking a long-established character and making them suddenly gay is necessarily the best tactic to insert gay people into the comic book community.  In fact, taking somebody popular and making them now gay seems like a gimmick, in my opinion.  If they weren't going for gimmick, let me ask you this:  If DC Comics is so interested in inserting minority characters, why would they take Barbara Gordon, one of the few disabled superheroes as Oracle, and retcon her to be able to walk again as Batgirl in The New 52?

If you design a character and make them interesting enough on their own accord, and they happen to be gay, I would read the comic book.  But by taking an established character and now having them come out runs the risk of what happened to the Ellen TV show - not just indicating the lead character is gay, but beating you over the head with it every week thereafter (the view that Chastity Bono, GLAAD media director, carried).  Eventually what elements that made the comic (or show) enjoyable begin to disappear altogether, and the focus is completely shifted.

Would it be any more relevant to make James Bond gay in the next few movies, just to bring a prominent gay character to the big screen (James Bond in... Cock of the Walk)?  Or what about a gay Tarzan movie?  Gay Sherlock Holmes?  I don't see how sexual orientation necessarily improves on any of these story aspects, it just changes them.  If I were gay, I think I'd be more inherently proud of a gay character, like Marvel's Northstar (mentioned above), instead of DC's new version of a character, which for all we know will be retconned again next year as straight.

Whatever hero decides to come out, just know this: I'm here for you, buddy, and I love you all the same.

Great Weddings!

Over the weekend, I was fortunate to stand in my dear friends's wedding, carrying the distinguished title of best man.  I was truly honoured.  Thank you.

In the spirit of true love and great weddings, I would like to highlight a few of the big weddings to hit comic books.

Green Arrow & Black Canary

Couples that play together, stay together.

Bruce Wayne always has to uphold the image of "billionaire playboy" as a front to keep suspicious people from deducing that he and Batman are the same person.  At times, his persona may include that of over-partying, womanizing, and making some ill-advised business choices.

Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, doesn't fake the playboy icon - he is the playboy icon.

Although initially living a dubious lifestyle, one woman continued to keep Oliver grounded - florist Dinah Lance - better known by her alias Black Canary.

They literally went through it all, and engaged in an on-again-off-again relationship for years.

After years of Oliver and Dinah fighting injustice, they decided they would quit fighting their love for each other.  In 2007, the couple tied the knot.

At last, the couple finds peace together...

Of course, because of comic book's awesomeness, the ceremony was abruptly shortened by a melee.

I'd say the ushers dropped the ball on this one.

In the end, the ceremony proved true, and Oliver and Dinah were now husband and wife.

Of all the arrows he owns,
Cupid's arrow proved to be the most powerful.

Peter Parker & Mary Jane Watson-Parker

After losing an uncle, multiple jobs (including a sweet wrestling career), and battling acne and supervillains, Peter Parker thought his life was tough.

When he lost his first love, Gwen Stacy, it seemed as though Parker was to stand alone for all time.  Then, Peter Parker started dating Mary Jane Watson.

One of the most famous couples in comics of all-time, Mary Jane (affectionately known as MJ) was first hinted at in 1965.  Shown off panel in a few shots, Peter avoided MJ at all costs, as she was the girl next door his Aunt May was trying to set him up with. Peter didn't meet her until 1966, when MJ confronted him at the door, and stunned Parker in the famous panel drawn by John Romita, Sr.:

"With great red hair, comes great boasting."

Peter and MJ dated for a brief period until he resumed his relationship with Gwen Stacy.  Upon Gwen's death, however, Peter would pull himself away from relationships and love altogether.

MJ, however, wouldn't let him mourn forever, and stood by him in his time of need, proving that love conquers all.  In 1987, Peter and Mary-Jane walked down the aisle together.

The Wedding!

John Romita, Sr. once again drew a beautiful MJ on this cover - but what's really interesting is that MJ's wedding dress was actually designed by real-life designer Willi Smith.

The marriage of Peter & MJ was also printed the same day in the Spider-Man newspaper comic strip.  In Spider-Man 3, Peter and Mary-Jane reconcile their relationship and get engaged.  Finally, the wedding was later shown in the Fox Kids! TV show, Spider-Man.

Clark Kent & Lois Lane

Carry over the threshold?  How about over the city?

The big one!  The couple that started it all!  They say that behind every great man is a great woman.  Well, then behind every Superman is a Super-woman too!  Right from the first comic, 1938's Action Comics #1, mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent meets Lois Lane, and the Lois-Clark-Superman dynamic began.

In the Modern Age of Comics (see my Golden Age of Comics entry here), Lois & Clark met as reporters, though Lois would not develop romantic feelings for Clark for years after Clark scooped her on a Superman article.

Friendly competition aside, Lois & Clark soon became partners, and from this partnership love developed.

Clark proposed to Lois, and she accepted.  Once he was able to affirm her love and devotion, Clark then decided to share his big secret: He and Superman were the same person.

Wow!  Lois Lane, arguably the Daily Planet's top reporter, now sitting on the biggest story of the century!  Although it may seem logical for Clark to get Lois to commit to him before dropping that bomb - preventing her from publishing the Superman identity story immediately - there were obviously some trust issues after this revelation.

Ultimately, Lois believed their love was able to conquer this mistrust, and she would willing to take on the responsibility of being Mrs. Superman, and they were wed.

"Do you take this Superman  man to be your husband?"

In real-time, the wedding of the comic book coincided with the wedding of Teri Hatcher & Dean Cain in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.  The marriage of Lois & Clark would once again be seen in Smallville in the series finale.

Final Thoughts


Love is truly one of the greatest gifts we have.

In comic books, in the lives of these characters above, having somebody to love makes our hero(es) stronger.

Having love in our lives, too, makes us stronger, and helps us strive to be better people.

Congratulations to the happy couple!  Wishing you all the best in your Super-lives together!