PLAYING CARDS
Today I was reading the latest edition of Living in the Gutters at Comic Book Resources (comicbookresources.com), and there was mention of DC releasing a Batwoman series. For those not in the know, Batwoman is Kate Kane, and Kendra Kane is a lesbian. But, that’s not what pissed me off; it was this…
“The resulting coverage of the new Batwoman character over the last week has been surprising to some. Not so much the coverage, but the generally positive tone. Aside from a few cracks like the above title, criticism of pandering and a small minority of bigoted commentary, the coverage has been generally positive and welcoming. Some have seen this as indicative of a sea change, especially in American society. It's certainly different from the mauling Marvel received over "Rawhide Kid" which made them rather risk-averse in this area.”
“Small minority of bigoted commentary”, huh? Gee, how objective of Mr. Johnston.
Is it “bigoted” not to wave rainbow flags, pin red bows to our chests, and see DC’s latest shocker for what it is? I’ve made my feelings known when it comes to this orientation, but as a seeker of truth my argument is never one of hate, but honesty. Cut the bullshit out and put the real deal on the table. Don’t make us swallow it if we don’t want to, no one has to like or accept everything. Most of the world’s problems come from this need to make people accept one another. My motto is: Fuck acceptance, just don’t fuck with my shit or me and we’re cool.
Making that clear, it’s not bigoted commentary to stand against DC’s decision to use lesbianism to make a profit. And, if if you're swallowing DC's bullshit, then ask yourself why there aren’t more gay and lesbian characters in comics in their universe or any other? Probably the only time this maneuver was daring, and perhaps sincere, was the first time it happened with Marvel’s Northstar, but now it’s just a publicity move. This is the third time DC has played a gay card. The first was in Green Lantern. The second was giving Green Arrow’s sidekick the “gay disease.” Now this, a lesbian Batwoman, made all the worse by hiring a bisexual Devin Grayson to steer the course. Grayson destroyed Nightwing, and now she’s being given a high profile book - I wonder why? Since when has DC ever staffed a book according to the best person for the job? How many white writers wrote for black characters? By their past experience, DC should have hired a heterosexual man to write the book. I guess anyone can write for a black man, but not a gay person. Unless you knew one that died, right? Then you can write a graphic novel, do interviews, and write a major comci book series, but don't forget to play that gay card every now and then. After all, it’s not about the character’s sexuality, but their heroism that should take center stage, right?
It’s really pissing me off that ethnicities and sexualities that are shunned are being played for creativity when it’s nothing more than popularization and marketing. What’s really infuriating is the desperation of these interests groups for any kind of recognition. Doesn’t matter how obvious the ploy, anything with gay, lesbian, black, etc is automatically rewarded. Greed wins out and no one cares about the fallout. No one cares that, when you popularize something, it gets misused, misjudged, and mistreated.
When Fresh Prince of Bel Air hit the scene, everyone fell in love with it and rap went mainstream. It wasn’t until then that white America youth really went niggarish with hip-hop. 21 Jump Street and Booker put motorcycle jackets on the map. Michael Jordan sells shoes, and Melrose Place changed Melrose boulevard from edgy underground rock to preppy pop culture. So what happens when Dawson’s Creek, Will & Grace, and Queer as Folk took center stage?
I was on a bus heading to work and two girls no older than sixteen were sitting in front of me. I thought they were friends, until one got off the bus, and the other screamed out the window: “You better be a good girl, bitch! You’re my woman!” Now, I know with every generation the window of innocence shrinks, but I’ve yet to see when sixteen year olds have amassed enough self knowledge and discovery to determine their sexual orientation. Television and music has replaced the aged, but oh so young at heart physical education coach that initiates your boys and girls into alternative sexual lifestyles.
The inside joke about all of this is these shows do nothing, but promote the stereotypes. They don’t further understanding and acceptance. They give the truly fucked an excuse to become even more fucked. If gay men were obnoxious, they became more so thanks to Will & Grace's Jack because it became what was expected. They became impersonations. Worse, it made it easier to discriminate because they ceased being people and became television personas, caricatured versus paintings and portraits.
Don’t even get me started on pornography becoming mainstream, the ever-increasing number of young and beautiful girls who see it as an acceptable alternative to a legitimate career thanks to Jenna Jameson. They see Jenna as the norm and not the exception. They think if the become a centerfold will bring fame and glory. If I’ve learned anything watching Actor bounce from playmate to centerfold, it’s that Playboy only leads to the grotto and some 40-something actors’ lists of conquest. Better that than the ignorant females who gangbang liquor store attendants and rapers of Brazilian ass thinking it’ll lead to co-hosting gig on E’s Wild On.
I’m not against comic book characters being gay, I just want publishers to either be honest about their intentions, which they’ll never do, so they can just stay quite, or do it for the right reasons. Marvel not only has Northstar as a gay man in the regular comics, but in the Ultimate universe, and it’s never a big deal, but it should be. Because, while I’m not a big Marvel fan, the character is more sincere than anything I’ve seen to date. Where’s the article on Colossus being gay in Ultimate X-Men? Nowhere in the book does Peter come out and say I’m G-A-Y, but it’s mentioned, obvious, and true to that incarnation of the character. In fact, it raises a good point because Nightcrawler, the guy with blue fur and a tail, is homophobic and their already butting heads.
If DC is really all about being diverse, how about making one of their big moneymakers an example? What about Wonder Woman, that’s true to character. She was raised on an island of amazons, after all. How about having Tim Drake experiment in high school or question his sexuality. He’s at that age when boys and girls start to wonder, but not necessarily commit. How about an openly gay villain, or exploring the male victims of rape by either sex? Hey, Superman isn’t even human, shouldn’t he be a little “open” about his preferences? And Martian Manhunter can and has been anyone. If he’s been a woman, shouldn’t he be a little feminine at times? Not flaming, but able to “girl talk.” What about Green Arrow? He's a big ladies man. Used to be those were they ones who use dot get busy with the same sex behind closed doors. How about putting Steel or Black Lightening on the downlow? Hey, I can do this all day - Wonder Girl just had her boyfriend, perhaps her first serious love who she slept with, die. That usually sends girls screaming to the "carpet." And look at Raven, with an origin story like hers, you'd think she'd be put of by men. What about the Legion, all those planets and their all heterosexual? How much better would ID Crisis have been if the big secret wasn't the classic victimization of a woman, but the death of a hero who was killed because he or she was gay and a villain (or villains) found out? How cool would it have been to see the majors stunned to find out the secret this character hid for years and choosing sides between keepeing the secret hidden or exposing the truth , bringing them all under speculation. Plus, they have to catch the bad guy(s).
You’ll never see any of these because it’s all about money. If a publisher won’t take risks, put their dicks on the chopping block as it were, then how can you trust their sincerity? Answer: You can’t. Sure it's all about money to them, but don't stand on the soapbox if that's the reason. And for god sakes, all you bleeding heart, desperate utopeans,like Mr. Johnston, stop putting them on one. Let them be they are and say, "Gay folks, not black folks, equal book sales."
In almost everything I’ve ever written, there’s been at least one gay character in it because it’s been a major part of my life, negatively and positively. In Lazarus, my villain is gay and it’s part of his character. It’s part of his self-degradation and continuing sexual trauma. And, it’s never mentioned once. He's gay at the beginning, and he'll be gay at the end of the stroy. It’s true. It’s sincere. It’s real. I didn’t do it for the money; I did it to say something. It’s not about money. It’s about having something to say.
And that’s the end of today’s bigoted commentary.
JPG.
“The resulting coverage of the new Batwoman character over the last week has been surprising to some. Not so much the coverage, but the generally positive tone. Aside from a few cracks like the above title, criticism of pandering and a small minority of bigoted commentary, the coverage has been generally positive and welcoming. Some have seen this as indicative of a sea change, especially in American society. It's certainly different from the mauling Marvel received over "Rawhide Kid" which made them rather risk-averse in this area.”
“Small minority of bigoted commentary”, huh? Gee, how objective of Mr. Johnston.
Is it “bigoted” not to wave rainbow flags, pin red bows to our chests, and see DC’s latest shocker for what it is? I’ve made my feelings known when it comes to this orientation, but as a seeker of truth my argument is never one of hate, but honesty. Cut the bullshit out and put the real deal on the table. Don’t make us swallow it if we don’t want to, no one has to like or accept everything. Most of the world’s problems come from this need to make people accept one another. My motto is: Fuck acceptance, just don’t fuck with my shit or me and we’re cool.
Making that clear, it’s not bigoted commentary to stand against DC’s decision to use lesbianism to make a profit. And, if if you're swallowing DC's bullshit, then ask yourself why there aren’t more gay and lesbian characters in comics in their universe or any other? Probably the only time this maneuver was daring, and perhaps sincere, was the first time it happened with Marvel’s Northstar, but now it’s just a publicity move. This is the third time DC has played a gay card. The first was in Green Lantern. The second was giving Green Arrow’s sidekick the “gay disease.” Now this, a lesbian Batwoman, made all the worse by hiring a bisexual Devin Grayson to steer the course. Grayson destroyed Nightwing, and now she’s being given a high profile book - I wonder why? Since when has DC ever staffed a book according to the best person for the job? How many white writers wrote for black characters? By their past experience, DC should have hired a heterosexual man to write the book. I guess anyone can write for a black man, but not a gay person. Unless you knew one that died, right? Then you can write a graphic novel, do interviews, and write a major comci book series, but don't forget to play that gay card every now and then. After all, it’s not about the character’s sexuality, but their heroism that should take center stage, right?
It’s really pissing me off that ethnicities and sexualities that are shunned are being played for creativity when it’s nothing more than popularization and marketing. What’s really infuriating is the desperation of these interests groups for any kind of recognition. Doesn’t matter how obvious the ploy, anything with gay, lesbian, black, etc is automatically rewarded. Greed wins out and no one cares about the fallout. No one cares that, when you popularize something, it gets misused, misjudged, and mistreated.
When Fresh Prince of Bel Air hit the scene, everyone fell in love with it and rap went mainstream. It wasn’t until then that white America youth really went niggarish with hip-hop. 21 Jump Street and Booker put motorcycle jackets on the map. Michael Jordan sells shoes, and Melrose Place changed Melrose boulevard from edgy underground rock to preppy pop culture. So what happens when Dawson’s Creek, Will & Grace, and Queer as Folk took center stage?
I was on a bus heading to work and two girls no older than sixteen were sitting in front of me. I thought they were friends, until one got off the bus, and the other screamed out the window: “You better be a good girl, bitch! You’re my woman!” Now, I know with every generation the window of innocence shrinks, but I’ve yet to see when sixteen year olds have amassed enough self knowledge and discovery to determine their sexual orientation. Television and music has replaced the aged, but oh so young at heart physical education coach that initiates your boys and girls into alternative sexual lifestyles.
The inside joke about all of this is these shows do nothing, but promote the stereotypes. They don’t further understanding and acceptance. They give the truly fucked an excuse to become even more fucked. If gay men were obnoxious, they became more so thanks to Will & Grace's Jack because it became what was expected. They became impersonations. Worse, it made it easier to discriminate because they ceased being people and became television personas, caricatured versus paintings and portraits.
Don’t even get me started on pornography becoming mainstream, the ever-increasing number of young and beautiful girls who see it as an acceptable alternative to a legitimate career thanks to Jenna Jameson. They see Jenna as the norm and not the exception. They think if the become a centerfold will bring fame and glory. If I’ve learned anything watching Actor bounce from playmate to centerfold, it’s that Playboy only leads to the grotto and some 40-something actors’ lists of conquest. Better that than the ignorant females who gangbang liquor store attendants and rapers of Brazilian ass thinking it’ll lead to co-hosting gig on E’s Wild On.
I’m not against comic book characters being gay, I just want publishers to either be honest about their intentions, which they’ll never do, so they can just stay quite, or do it for the right reasons. Marvel not only has Northstar as a gay man in the regular comics, but in the Ultimate universe, and it’s never a big deal, but it should be. Because, while I’m not a big Marvel fan, the character is more sincere than anything I’ve seen to date. Where’s the article on Colossus being gay in Ultimate X-Men? Nowhere in the book does Peter come out and say I’m G-A-Y, but it’s mentioned, obvious, and true to that incarnation of the character. In fact, it raises a good point because Nightcrawler, the guy with blue fur and a tail, is homophobic and their already butting heads.
If DC is really all about being diverse, how about making one of their big moneymakers an example? What about Wonder Woman, that’s true to character. She was raised on an island of amazons, after all. How about having Tim Drake experiment in high school or question his sexuality. He’s at that age when boys and girls start to wonder, but not necessarily commit. How about an openly gay villain, or exploring the male victims of rape by either sex? Hey, Superman isn’t even human, shouldn’t he be a little “open” about his preferences? And Martian Manhunter can and has been anyone. If he’s been a woman, shouldn’t he be a little feminine at times? Not flaming, but able to “girl talk.” What about Green Arrow? He's a big ladies man. Used to be those were they ones who use dot get busy with the same sex behind closed doors. How about putting Steel or Black Lightening on the downlow? Hey, I can do this all day - Wonder Girl just had her boyfriend, perhaps her first serious love who she slept with, die. That usually sends girls screaming to the "carpet." And look at Raven, with an origin story like hers, you'd think she'd be put of by men. What about the Legion, all those planets and their all heterosexual? How much better would ID Crisis have been if the big secret wasn't the classic victimization of a woman, but the death of a hero who was killed because he or she was gay and a villain (or villains) found out? How cool would it have been to see the majors stunned to find out the secret this character hid for years and choosing sides between keepeing the secret hidden or exposing the truth , bringing them all under speculation. Plus, they have to catch the bad guy(s).
You’ll never see any of these because it’s all about money. If a publisher won’t take risks, put their dicks on the chopping block as it were, then how can you trust their sincerity? Answer: You can’t. Sure it's all about money to them, but don't stand on the soapbox if that's the reason. And for god sakes, all you bleeding heart, desperate utopeans,like Mr. Johnston, stop putting them on one. Let them be they are and say, "Gay folks, not black folks, equal book sales."
In almost everything I’ve ever written, there’s been at least one gay character in it because it’s been a major part of my life, negatively and positively. In Lazarus, my villain is gay and it’s part of his character. It’s part of his self-degradation and continuing sexual trauma. And, it’s never mentioned once. He's gay at the beginning, and he'll be gay at the end of the stroy. It’s true. It’s sincere. It’s real. I didn’t do it for the money; I did it to say something. It’s not about money. It’s about having something to say.
And that’s the end of today’s bigoted commentary.
JPG.
posted by QABBAL at 12:53 AM
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