DC Comics will make a Prominent Character come Out

In a bold move (or to keep up with Marvel), DC Comics announced that one of its prominent characters' sexual orientation will change.

Here's the scoop:

One question asked at the DC panel today at Kapow, was about Dan’s interview with the Advocate in the USA. Specifically over the decision not to change any character’s sexual orientation when relaunching the DC Universe. At the time Dan stated they would introduce new LGBT characters rather than switch orientation, but the question asked why DC would switch race, size, age, all sorts of identifying features, but not orientation.

Surprisingly, DiDio stated that they had changed DC’s policy in this regard. And they are about to reintroduce a previously existing DC character who was previously straight and now will be “one of our most prominent gay characters.”

As Bob Wayne explained that, just like the President of the United States, the co-publisher’s policy on this “has evolved.”

Well, that's cute. But who will it be?

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Strange Lore Update: The Lovers - Jackson and Brandon

This is another drawing of my lead characters, Jackson and Brandon. This piece was created by Lindsay Ishihiro, a talented artist in Canada.

She really gave them so much life here. I love the way they look; Jackson is offering his heart and Brandon is willing to take it. You can also see Jackson's shadow powers as a smoky haze behind him.

When I created these characters, I wanted them to be something gay teens and adults would fall for.

Jackson is a charming country boy based from the guys I have "encountered" back home, or had major crushes on. He (and Brandon) is nothing like the gays we see on TV. In fact, I made sure they were no "Glee gays". I wanted to challenge the notion of what we think when it comes to gay youth. These guys are something different and hopefully, something exciting.

Brandon grew up in Chicago. So he's not a whiner and sulking heap of mess (no Bella). Brandon's a fighter and a nonsense guy, however he's still a kid. He drops his guard to those he trust and becomes vulnerable to the ones he deeply cares about. 

Jackson grew up in a mystical and magical world, yet he maintains a laid-back approach to things. He has learned to deal with being a supernatural being with the help of his father, Ken. Through Ken, Jackson has become a resilient young man. But if Jackson is pushed too far he could go dark. The last time that happened, people were slaughtered. So he has to keep it together, especially for Brandon's sake.

I get really excited talking about this project. I can't wait for this graphic novel to come together and I can get it out to the public. I really hope folks like it.

But before I close this post, please check out Lindsay's work and if you need some illustrated, let her know.

Gay Couple Hulkling & Wiccan Kiss in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #9

After 7 years together, we see their kiss

via CBM

Interesting Quote: J.J. Abrams

It’s interesting because we’ve actually given so much thought to some of the more broad strokes, little like story structure issues that are for me the defining issues to how the movie gets made and whether or not I’m directing it and all that kind of stuff.
There are many people who say there have been gay characters in the show all throughout. [laughs] I would say that it is, you know, something that I would love to do, but just the way I would be careful doing a story that would involve any of the characters and their personal lives. The balance is always, what how does that story relate to sort of the bad guy, which by the way is always going to be that critical thing, what are they up against? The question how do you get into literally these are personal sexual lives of these characters? Like what is that going to be about. I don’t know who’s assuming characters aren’t gay or are gay. You know what I’m saying? 

J.J. talks about gay characters in Star Trek

Interesting Quote: Joss Whedon

I have actually wanted to do a book. I have one in mind. It's not on the front burner. You write enough lesbians and you start to realize: This is just a guy. This isn't feminism. This is Cinemax. I think it's time for a little equal opportunity. Besides, who doesn't love cock?

Joss talking about writing a gay male lead character.

DC Comics talks about the LGBT characters in their Universe

DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan Didio talked to The Advocate about the LGBT heroes in their universe and what we will see in upcoming issues.


Check out the article's highlights:

Why did you choose to attach such a high-profile gay character to Batman as apposed to other characters like Superman or Wonder Woman?
There’s a lot more characters that inhabit Batman’s world. We knew we were interested in reintroducing the Batwoman character to his mythology and we also wanted to show a [different] point of view…because some of those characters without superpowers come from the same sense of grief in their past. Establishing [Batwoman] as a lesbian early on it givers her a different sensibility, a different point of view, and it also allows us to tell stories from a different angle that sets her apart from the other characters in Batman’s world.

In addition to Batwoman, Apollo and Midnighter, you’re also introducing a female bisexual African American superhero in Voodoo. Was it a conscious decision to introduce characters from across the LGBT spectrum? Yes. What we really wanted to do was show the diversity of our audience across the line of our books. Right now we have such a wide fan base and we wanted to create characters and stories that really reflected [that] fan base.

DC has several popular teenage heroes such as Robin, Wonder Girl, Superboy and the other Teen Titans. With gay teens becoming more visible in the media, can readers expect to see a teenaged gay superhero in the future?
One of the things we’re very focused on doing for these types of stories is rather than [change an existing] character, we want to make sure that this is the basis of who that character is right from the start. So if we’re going to introduce a gay character in Teen Titans, we want to make it a new character and make sure that is an iatrical part of who he is, or who she is, right from the start so we can really lean and grow with her or him.

Please continue to read this piece on DC LGBT universe.

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WATCH: Days of Our Lives' Gay Character - Sonny Kiriakis

This is a big deal for me. I grew up watching DOOL, even scheduled my college classes around the series.

To see a Gay Kiriakis is really something.

Gay Comic Character gets His Mini-Series

Archie's Kevin Keller gets his own 4 part mini-series.

The four-issue series shows how Keller arrived in Riverdale, where he's become close pals with Archie and the gang. But it will also deal with heavier fare than the typical "Archie" comic -- including how the character struggled with coming out to his parents, and bullying. 

If the title does as well as Archie co-CEO Jon Goldwater expects, it could lead to an ongoing series for the character, whose presence in the imaginary town would have been unthinkable not long ago. "This is the most important book this company has released in 70 years," Goldwater said. 

Sounds exciting, I hope these are good stories to read about.

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A Gay storyline in 'Days of Our Lives'?

This will be interesting. Apparently, there a gay storyline coming to DOOL; and it's about time, considering most of audience of 'Days' has been gays for the last 40 years.

EW.com reports

As Days of Our Lives celebrates its 45th anniversary in daytime, the traditionally conservative soap is about to get a lot more contemporary: EW has learned exclusively that a gay storyline may be in the works! From what we gather, it may involve a current cast member hooking up with someone new.


A show spokeswoman declined to comment.

Well, they should have a gay storyline. I mean, they have had: demon possessions, Hope and Roman look alikes, Sami and everything she's done for over 15 years, Stefano and his zombie-ish returns, psychics, Susan/Kristen/Sister Mary Moira/Penelope Kent, fake pregnancies, John Black (DOOL version of Wolverine), Victor Kiriakis and Dr. Marlena Evans, Melaswen and the quick pre-teen to adults growths. (And yes, I watched it all)

Yeah, it time for gay on gay action

Star Trek Producer talks about the Lack of Gay Characters

Star Trek Producer Brannon Braga told AfterElton that he regrets not having a single gay character on the entire ST run.

Here is a piece of that convo:

AE: I'm very much a fan of Star Trek but unfortunately none of the series ever included a gay character. You were involved with writing two of the movies and produced or executive produced for The Next Generation, Voyager and Enterprise. Can you speak to why that never happened?
BB: It was a shame for a lot of us that ... I’m talking about the Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and there was a constant back and forth about well how do we portray the spectrum of sexuality. There were people who felt very strongly that we should be showing casually, you know, just two guys together in the background in Ten Forward. At the time the decision was made not to do that and I think those same people would make a different decision now because I think, you know, that was 1989, well yeah about 89, 90, 91. I have no doubt that those same creative players wouldn’t feel so hesitant to have, you know, have been squeamish about a decision like that. 

AE: Why do you think science fiction, given that it’s so much forward looking, has done so poorly when it comes to being inclusive on American television?
BB: You know what’s funny is it was dealt with more metaphorically. Next Generation did a couple episodes you could say ... I worked on one for Deep Space Nine with Dax. I don’t know if I can speak to the whole genre of science fiction, certainly the Star Trek franchise as it existed at the time. 

AE: Do you think 20 years ago there was a reluctance to do it because science fiction, wrongly or rightly, is perceived as being for young straight males? Were you guys concerned about that?
BB: I think it was, not so much a young man’s [issue], it was a syndicated family show, showing at six o’clock, you know, in Salt Lake City, so you had to deal with each separate affiliate rather than one network. And things like that.
It was not a forward thinking decision. Knowing the players involved, knowing the decision makers, knowing it was that they felt reluctant about, you know, we’re not saying “yes,” we’re not saying “no,” we’re not just not going to touch that right now. 

Maybe more shows will follow through, or follow Torchwood.

GLAAD's Nominees for Outstanding Comic Book

GLAAD put out their list of nominees for the Media Awards!

The one I really, really care about is well, the Comic Books!

OUTSTANDING COMIC BOOK

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, by Scott Allie, Brad Meltzer, Joss Whedon (Dark Horse Comics)
Fogtown, by Andersen Gabrych (Vertigo/DC Comics)
Veronica, by Dan Parent (Archie Comics)
X-Factor, by Peter David (Marvel Comics)
Young Avengers: Children's Crusade, by Allan Heinberg (Marvel)

I have to say that Young Avengers should get it. Two of their lead characters are teen lovers and I think they send a great message to gay teenagers out there.

Gay Archie character will get his own Mini-Series

Since Kevin Keller came on the comic scene, Archie Comics have never been the same. And now we have more to look forward to... Kevin will get his own mini-series in 2011!

Feast of Fun has a great interview with Kevin's creator Dan Parent. Please check out their site, here.

Remember Alpha Flight #106 1992?

Northstar was the first superhero to come out

BBC gets criticized for the portrayal of LGBT people on TV

The BBC network conducted research of the portrayal of LGBT folks on TV and radio. This is what they found:

• The research found that 37% of the LGB respondents rated the BBC’s portrayal of LGB people as good or very good, but 24% rated it as poor.

• It also said that, while 44% of them agreed that the BBC’s portrayal was realistic, 37% thought it was stereotyped. Of the sample, 27% also thought the BBC’s portrayal was outdated, with 23% describing it as groundbreaking.

• BBC’s research found that half of the UK population is comfortable with LGB portrayal, but that 18% are not. Taking the heterosexual responses alone, 21% felt there was too much portrayal of gay men on television. From the LGB sample, 52% said there was too little portrayal of lesbians on TV, compared with just 11% of the heterosexual population.

• The results found that viewers want LGB characters to become more established before storylines around their sexuality are developed and feel that storylines should not just revolve around their sexuality. 

• Both LGB viewers and those heterosexual viewers who were found to be comfortable with LGB portrayal said that LGB characters should experience “more positive resolutions to storylines”.

• In comedy and entertainment, it was found that jokes at the expense of the LGB community were accepted if they came from within that community. The research found that humour with “apparently malicious intent and without an LGB person present to respond” was considered unchallenged homophobia.

Interesting... I always thought they were waaay ahead of us. For info, go here.

Gay teen sensation Kevin Keller gives Archie Comics their first Sold Out issue!

Gay sells. 

The introduction of Kevin Keller (the first gay character in Archie Comics) has sold out and will be the first EVER reprint in Archie Comic history!

To celebrate the SOLD-OUT first printing of Kevin Keller’s debut issue, Veronica #202, Archie Comics is going back to the press for a special limited edition variant cover print run of Veronica #202.

Already selling wildly back and forth on online auction sites like eBay, Kevin Keller’s debut issue has become highly coveted world-wide. The special limited edition variant cover print run of Veronica #202 will feature a remastered and recolored cover.

“We never thought Kevin Keller would become so hot so fast!” exclaimed Archie Comics Co-CEO Jon Goldwater.

“It’s been a thrill to see how well people have welcomed Kevin into their lives,” continues Goldwater. “His introduction was always just about keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive. It just made sense at the time and we couldn’t be happier to have such widespread and enthusiastic support behind Kevin’s continued presence at Archie Comics!”

This is great! Hopefully, teens are reading this issue. The timing of this news provides good news to us.