Green Lantern relaunched as brave, mighty and gay
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Green Lantern, one of DC Comics' oldest and most enduring heroes, is serving as a beacon for the publisher again, this time as a proud, mighty and openly gay hero.
The change is revealed in the pages of the second issue of "Earth 2" out next week, and comes on the heels of what has been an expansive year for gay and lesbian characters in the pages of comic books from Archie to Marvel and others.
But purists and fans note: This Green Lantern is not the emerald galactic space cop Hal Jordan who was, and is, part of the Justice League and has had a history rich in triumph and tragedy.
Instead, he's a parallel earth Green Lantern. James Robinson, who writes the new series, said Alan Scott is the retooled version of the classic Lantern whose first appearance came in the pages of "All-American Comics" No. 16 in July 1940.
And his being gay is not part of some wider story line meant to be exploited or undone down the road, either.
"This was my idea," Robinson explained this week, noting that before DC relaunched all its titles last summer, Alan Scott had a son who was gay.
But given "Earth 2" features retooled and rebooted characters, Scott is not old enough to have a grown son.
"By making him younger, that son was not going to exist anymore," Robinson said.
"He doesn't come out. He's gay when we see him in issue two," which is due out Wednesday. "He's fearless and he's honest to the point where he realized he was gay and he said 'I'm gay.'"
It's another example of gay and lesbian characters taking more prominent roles in the medium.
In May, Marvel Entertainment said super speedster Northstar will marry his longtime boyfriend in the pages of "Astonishing X-Men." DC comics has other gay characters, too, including Kate Kane, the current Batwoman, The Question, and married characters Apollo and the Midnighter.
And in the pages of Archie Comics, Kevin Keller is one of the gang at Riverdale High School and gay, too.
DC has been a leader in incorporating gay characters into its comics — they had one of the first male gay kisses back in 1988.
Since then, numerous comic book heroes and villains have been written as gay, lesbian or transgender — from Batwoman to Hulkling and Wiccan in the pages of "Young Avengers."
Green Lantern would be the highest-profile openly gay hero — even the parallel earth version.
"It was just meant to be — Alan Scott being a gay member of the team, the Justice Society, that I'll be forming in the pages of 'Earth 2,'" Robinson said. "He's just meant to be part of this big tapestry of characters."
Some groups have protested the inclusion of gay characters, but Robinson isn't discouraged, noting that being gay is just one aspect to Scott.
"This guy, he's a media mogul, a hero, a dynamic type-A personality and he's gay," Robinson said. "He's a complex character."
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Online:
DC Comics: http://www.dccomics.com/
http://news.yahoo.com/green-lantern-relaunched-brave-mighty-gay-070052544.html
Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~Ernest Gaines
Quoting JessicaN27:I'm sure it was his idea. That's not the point. They're not making a gay character, they're changing an existing character as a stunt.James Robinson may be in charge of the book now, but that doesn't make it his character. The character first appeared in 1940, and was created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell. This is not a natural progression for the character, this is a publicity stunt. You're quote even supports it. He just wanted to have a gay character, because 'gay is in right now'. Not because it was right for the character.
Quoting Arroree:James Robinson, who writes the new series, "This was my idea," Robinson explained this week,
The writer says that it was his idea, i'm inclined to believe him. He stated that originally it was the characters son that he was going to have gay but he decided to make the Lantern gay instead. So yeah, that's the issue here.
Quoting JessicaN27:This is not an artist/writer making his own creation gay, this is executives saying "the whole gay thing is big right now, lets make a big character gay" so that they can make money off of it. If a character is gay, a character is gay. That's not the issue here. The issue is DC Comics abusing an issue to make money.
Quoting Arroree:
Quoting JessicaN27:Personally, I find this offensive
Easilly solved, don't read the comic.
Please explain how this artist/writer deciding to make his own creation gay, in his own comic book, that has absolutely nothing to do with you, that you have zero compulsion to buy or even look at, something you'll probably never actually see, has personally offended you?
Quoting JessicaN27:Personally, I find this offensive
I was thinking that as well...I mean they still sell here, but the comics that sell are the ones that have been around for years.
Graphic novels and manga are bigger, at least where I am, than comic books.
Quoting activitymode:
Terrible move. Comics don't sell anymore anyway, this will just make it more so. I'm not homophobic, I believe in gay rights.
Sexuality in a comic book, especially an established character shouldn't be changed.
I know that this is how the business works. That's what's offensive. Changing an existing character as a publicity stunt, solely because having a gay character will get attention. That's disgusting.
Quoting Arroree:It's semantics at this point. He might not have been the characters original creator but it's his character now and this is what he wanted to do with it. That's how this business works. New artists/writers taking over a set always make changes, some the fans like, some they don't. That's just how it goes in the world of comics.
Quoting JessicaN27:I'm sure it was his idea. That's not the point. They're not making a gay character, they're changing an existing character as a stunt.James Robinson may be in charge of the book now, but that doesn't make it his character. The character first appeared in 1940, and was created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell. This is not a natural progression for the character, this is a publicity stunt. You're quote even supports it. He just wanted to have a gay character, because 'gay is in right now'. Not because it was right for the character.
Quoting Arroree:James Robinson, who writes the new series, "This was my idea," Robinson explained this week,
The writer says that it was his idea, i'm inclined to believe him. He stated that originally it was the characters son that he was going to have gay but he decided to make the Lantern gay instead. So yeah, that's the issue here.
Quoting JessicaN27:This is not an artist/writer making his own creation gay, this is executives saying "the whole gay thing is big right now, lets make a big character gay" so that they can make money off of it. If a character is gay, a character is gay. That's not the issue here. The issue is DC Comics abusing an issue to make money.
Quoting Arroree:
Quoting JessicaN27:Personally, I find this offensive
Easilly solved, don't read the comic.
Please explain how this artist/writer deciding to make his own creation gay, in his own comic book, that has absolutely nothing to do with you, that you have zero compulsion to buy or even look at, something you'll probably never actually see, has personally offended you?
That's not at all what I meant, I really should have worded it differently. I meant that I find changing a character to be gay as a publicity stunt solely to get attention is offensive to me. Trust me, I'm not offended by anyone being gay.
Quoting Piskie:
What can you find offensive about someone being gay?
Quoting JessicaN27:Personally, I find this offensive
Comic books aren't JUST for kids, there any many of them with very grown up themes of violence, relationships, and concepts that some kids can not grasp.
Not to mention, comic books already deal with sexual preference, since almost all of the heroes have SO's or spouses...some have many spouses. Sexuality, blatant sexuality even, is not a new concept in comics...so it's no shock that homosexuality has it's place in comics. I don't know if changing a beloved character around totally is the best way to do it, but regardless, relationships have, and will always be, a part of comic books.
Quoting bookmommy:I'm all for gay rights, but I think superheroes sexual preference should be left out of comics. Kids don't really need to think about that kind of thing yet IMHO..
It's not disgusting, it's just how it is. ALL comics do this in one form or another. Nothing out of the ordinary. Marvel and DC are practically famous for this stuff, they constantly completely change their characters, backstories, etc.
Quoting JessicaN27:I know that this is how the business works. That's what's offensive. Changing an existing character as a publicity stunt, solely because having a gay character will get attention. That's disgusting.
Quoting Arroree:It's semantics at this point. He might not have been the characters original creator but it's his character now and this is what he wanted to do with it. That's how this business works. New artists/writers taking over a set always make changes, some the fans like, some they don't. That's just how it goes in the world of comics.
Quoting JessicaN27:I'm sure it was his idea. That's not the point. They're not making a gay character, they're changing an existing character as a stunt.James Robinson may be in charge of the book now, but that doesn't make it his character. The character first appeared in 1940, and was created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell. This is not a natural progression for the character, this is a publicity stunt. You're quote even supports it. He just wanted to have a gay character, because 'gay is in right now'. Not because it was right for the character.
Quoting Arroree:James Robinson, who writes the new series, "This was my idea," Robinson explained this week,
The writer says that it was his idea, i'm inclined to believe him. He stated that originally it was the characters son that he was going to have gay but he decided to make the Lantern gay instead. So yeah, that's the issue here.
Quoting JessicaN27:This is not an artist/writer making his own creation gay, this is executives saying "the whole gay thing is big right now, lets make a big character gay" so that they can make money off of it. If a character is gay, a character is gay. That's not the issue here. The issue is DC Comics abusing an issue to make money.
Quoting Arroree:
Quoting JessicaN27:Personally, I find this offensive
Easilly solved, don't read the comic.
Please explain how this artist/writer deciding to make his own creation gay, in his own comic book, that has absolutely nothing to do with you, that you have zero compulsion to buy or even look at, something you'll probably never actually see, has personally offended you?
I'm not offended, but I do agree that it has a publicity stunt feel. Even a couple of my gay buddies say that exact same thing...that it doesn't feel like they're trying to reach out to the gay community, but that they are just trying to LOOK as though they are.
Quoting JessicaN27:That's not at all what I meant, I really should have worded it differently. I meant that I find changing a character to be gay as a publicity stunt solely to get attention is offensive to me. Trust me, I'm not offended by anyone being gay.
Quoting Piskie:
What can you find offensive about someone being gay?
Quoting JessicaN27:Personally, I find this offensive
The fact its still such a huge deal is why it should be done.....
It shouldn't matter.
Quoting JessicaN27:That's not at all what I meant, I really should have worded it differently. I meant that I find changing a character to be gay as a publicity stunt solely to get attention is offensive to me. Trust me, I'm not offended by anyone being gay.
Quoting Piskie:
What can you find offensive about someone being gay?
Quoting JessicaN27:Personally, I find this offensive
And it drives me crazy!!! GAH
Quoting Arroree:It's not disgusting, it's just how it is. ALL comics do this in one form or another. Nothing out of the ordinary. Marvel and DC are practically famous for this stuff, they constantly completely change their characters, backstories, etc.
Who would you save?
- tuplamama
on Jun. 1, 2012 at 12:55 PM