Issue 9- Super Pride
Pride month is in full swing and I figured that I’d celebrate it by throwing up a few of my favorite LGBT characters. This won't be in any particular order and I’ll include a list of honorable mentions at the bottom but these are the heroes of the queer persuasion that I always love to read about.
Wonder Woman - Wondy shows up a lot on my lists but that’s only because she’s that powerful of a character.
Considering that she came from an island full of Amazon’s, you’d think that it would just be an accepted truth that queer love would be a fact of life but it took years for that to even be slightly acknowledged outside of a random hint here or there. We don't count the Golden Age version, mainly because wile it wasn't explicit, there were many other matters to contend with there.
Heck, even Diana’s classic catch phrase, Suffering Sappho hearkens back to the Greek poet Sappho who herself came from the island of Lesbos where the word lesbian originates. It wasn’t until more recently however, for that truth to be accepted and acknowledged with Greg Rucka calling it a foregone conclusion that the Princess is bisexual.
(Aw, unfortunately she has yet to truly return… in the current run for now.)
I’m hoping to see Diana take a few dates with some other strong women of the DC universe. I wonder if Black Lightning's daughter is free in Rebirth… or if she still exists. DAMN IT NEW 52!
Wiccan - The Young Avengers is a great read, but it’s not exactly for newcomers to the comic world. Almost each character has an innate connection to the original Avengers, and some of the ties can get comic book levels of insane. But we’re not here for that, we’re here to celebrate Billy Kaplan and the insanity that is his life.
As I stated, Billy’s “history” is a complex web of insanity but he’s also one of the most prominent gay characters of the Marvel universe. While his power set is tricky, sometimes being defined as mage, mutant, and anything in between, what isn’t is his love for his teammate, Hulkling.
The original series showed very early on that these two heroes were together, and even delivered a hilarious coming out scene. When Billy and Hulking were about to tell his parents about their super-heroics, they got confused and just thought their son was announcing that he was together with Teddy aka Hulking.
Unfortunately it took a few different series to come and go before we got an actual full on gay kiss, but they finally got there. Eventually.
(Sooo sweet, and Carol, STOP SPYING! Let them have their moment you perv! We waited this long!)
So here’s to Billy! May you and Hulkling never get pulled apart because of editorial mandate… like every other couple eventually.
Harley Quinn - I’ve got to admit, Although Harley has some major issues, I love how her characters has grown beyond her roots. Introduced in the Batman The Animated series by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini as just a throw away henchwoman to the Joker, her role has since ballooned in the actual comics, finally starring in her own, ongoing series. And even then there were hints of her relationship with Poison Ivy being something more than just good friends.
It took years of Harley being the abused girlfriend at the beck and call of an unstable sociopath for her to finally break away and end that relationship. Speaking of which, anyone who believes their relationship is something to aspire too really needs to see how harmful it truly was, but that's another story.
So fast forward a few painful years, and worse costumes, until Quinn finally gets her own, admittedly odd but fun, series. In Harley Quinn # 25 her and Ivy finally get to share the kiss that’s a long time coming.
(We didn't need the guy in the back enjoying it! GET A ROOM WITH CAROL YOU PERV!)
I love a happy ending, at least until some writer wants to regress her character again. I’m watching you DC!
America Chavez - Why are most of my picks from Marvel full of baggage, and I don’t mean horrible tragic baggage. America Chavez is an amazing heroine. She’s super strong, fast, can fly, Latina, and bisexual. Unfortunately she also can open up whole into the multiverse which is where things can become so complicated that I’m not even going to try and explain.
Still, just being a bisexual Latina taking the name Ms. America is something to admire even if her backstory is extremely complicated.
(America cuts through you!)
Ms. Chavez, you’re brash, you’re bold, you’re strong, and you are a good representation of what America should be.
Honorable Mentions
While these four represent my favorite LGBT heroes, there are plenty of others that just don’t make the list either for personal reasons, story-line issues, or just a lack of appearances.
Deadpool (While he’s pan, he’s never had a full on male relationship.), Wanda , Hulkling, Anole, Iceman, Obsidian, Cheetah, Etta Candy, Poison Ivy .
Coming up next week, we’re skipping Hollywood goggles for a week and starting a on and off again retrospective on Neil Gaiman’s, The Sandman.
Sources
http://www.comicosity.com/exclusive-interview-greg-rucka-on-queer-narrative-and-wonder-woman/
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