Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Superman: If he can fight for the south or be a communist, why can't he...

Page: (1)2

ZombieCulture

04:31 / 29.07.04

...be gay?

Honestly,Imagine a good writer tackling a Superman/Batman miniseries where at least one of the heroes has a strong attraction to the other?

There are a lot of possibilities here, but the real problem would be balancing the relationship with the plot - if it's too over-the-top, the series would be immediately rejected...but if it's too subtle the entire thing would be seen as a gimmick.

If they can make a Superman OGN where Supes was essentially a fictional character in the writer's autobiography, well, why can't they do this?

ORQWITH

05:02 / 29.07.04

obviously, you never read Worlds Finest #52 where supes and bats give in to their gay urges and do some serious lovin'.

bio k9

05:13 / 29.07.04

Off topic (but since when did I care?):

Can anyone tell me if Heros at the Backstreet is an annual event or a one time thing?

Also: (Probably Not Work Safe) Supergays

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

13:04 / 29.07.04

Technically, it could easily be done, and I can think of a fair few writers who could (I was gonna say "make a good fist of it", but thought better of it...) do a bloody good job of it.

I think your summary contains the answer- DC wouldn't have the balls. Bear in mind, this is a medium which, blockbuster movies aside, only gets in the national press when something REALLY "shocking"- ie gay superheroes- is attempted. And whose boards and fora consist to a great extent of fanboys calling each other "fags". Sad, but true.

I agree, though- it'd be wicked. Maybe one day.

gridley

13:26 / 29.07.04

Have to agree with Stoat. They'd feel like they were putting their hottest property at too great a risk. Newspapers all over the country would write articles about how Superman is now gay, barely mentioning that it's only in an "imaginary story" (I just love that term).

Regrettable Juvenilia

13:36 / 29.07.04

...Which of course is exactly what happened with Apollo & the Midnighter. DC in turn were rumoured to get very nervous about the prospect of more Authority unless that relationship was played down, but as far as I know it's still going...

Our Lady Has Left the Building

14:51 / 29.07.04

I heard that DC got nervous because Mark Millar wanted to change Apollo's costume so it had the insignia 'Big Fag' on the front while Midnighter would have 'So Gay' on his chest. The comic's name was going to be changed to 'Authority: Comprising Two Characters Who Have No Interesting Features Except that The Writer Continually Brings Up Their Sexuality'. That concerned DC a tad.

ZombieCulture

02:33 / 30.07.04

I just stole, I mean, worked out a great way to allow Superman to be gay without resorting to Kevin Smith (Kryptonite condom)logic - You make a special "Red Light" room that simulates the Kryptonian sun, thus stripping Superman of his powers and causing him to become, well, normal. Yea, I totally stole that idea from Red Son, but they were using it to trap him - I'm just using it so that he can bone whoever.

osymandus

08:42 / 30.07.04

Given Millars statment there, I would imagine the editors were more worried that theyed employed a less then complete writer who could only resort to sensationalism instead of character development ?

Enought thread rot ! An Elseworlds would indeed be brilliant , but whats the opssesion with pairing him up with Batman ? Emotionaly the guy is dead , they work well as friends (even if one were gay) I couldnt see anything in their characters that would develope ?

Now Oliver Queen maybe for Supes (name not intended as a pun).

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

09:08 / 30.07.04

Personally, I think it'd work best of all if he hooked up with a total nobody (after all, opposites attract, right? And the last thing you want in a relationship is to be reminded of your day job). It'd be a neat twist on the whole Clark/Lois thing of "does he reveal his secret identity" only with a whole "does he come out to Metropolis" riff as well.

I wish you hadn't started this thread. I now REALLY want to read this comic, and I know it will probably never exist.

...can you imagine a thread like this developing on Byrne's site? Or indeed anywhere else?

The Falcon

13:27 / 30.07.04

Lady made all that up, you know.

Lord Morgue

13:30 / 30.07.04

No way. You know Jimmy Olsen's his bitch. He gave him a watch and everything- they're practically engaged.

Cowboy Scientist

05:32 / 31.07.04

Or transform Lois into a man. "Louie Lane"

Lord Morgue

06:50 / 31.07.04

Jimmy's a tranny, at any rate. Remember that old story where he goes undercover as a gangster's moll, and he gets the chimp to kiss the mob boss in the dark? It was a three-way mafia-tranny-bestial furry orgy!

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:00 / 31.07.04

NotOriginally... I dares ya to post your original post on Byrne's site and Millarworld.

GWAAARRRRNNNN!!! It'd be funny.

I'd do it meself, but it's your idea. And it'd be ace.

DO IT!!!

Math is for suckers!

03:02 / 01.08.04

You really shouldn't encourage him like that. He'll do it, he'll get a reaction and then he'll take it too far. The fanboys will freak out, there will be a full scale riot, and the delicate comic book forum order of things will come crashing down around us all and it will be all your fault. Or it'll be the funniest damn thing I've seen in a while we'll all be entertained for days. Actually, ignore me. You're right, it will be funny. Do it, do it, do it.

The Falcon

11:38 / 01.08.04

I would very much like to see this. In fact, I'll post it at MW if you like.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:39 / 01.08.04

Please do, Duncan. I'd do it myself, but all the testosterone at MW scares me.

Michelle Gale

11:21 / 02.08.04

I dunno super-man being gay would just be a bit boring. Would it really add anything... More emphasis on Batmans sexuality on the other hand provides a hell of a lot of scope, mostly for kinky unsavory pvc/leather robin loving, which can only be a good thing.

gridley

13:17 / 02.08.04

Ok, if Superman is going to be gay, I think Captain Marvel should be his boyfriend. They're both big superstrong hunks who would look great laying around bed in their four-color nakedness, and think of the scandal and melodrama when Clark discovers that Cap is really a thirteen year old boy impersonating an adult!

osymandus

13:29 / 02.08.04

The above posting sounds v familar to a conversation I had with someone in my local comic shop over the weekend (hmmm)

Anyway we came to the same conculsion re the not really adding anything to the character. To be fair his supposed to be the ultimate samaritan re hero of his age (and beyond) his sexuality really would have little baring (IMHO) on how this is brought across.

Again with this batman thing, it would only be intresting if he started wearing false boobs and demanded being called the mistress (errrg maybe not or was that the reason Catwoman was invented !). Batman is suppsosed to be an emotionless incarnation of vengnece , that and a meaningful/unusal or downright bizzare relationship with any other senient entity just ant going to work !

"NotOriginally... I dares ya to post your original post on Byrne's site and Millarworld.

GWAAARRRRNNNN!!! It'd be funny.

I'd do it meself, but it's your idea. And it'd be ace.

DO IT!!!"

I'll post it. The only problem is, well, I don't know where those forums are. Could someone please link me to them?

Mr Tricks

21:50 / 02.08.04

http://www.millarworld.net/

Byrne Robotics

let us know how it goes....

ZombieCulture

21:57 / 02.08.04

Millarworld isn't very happy, or welcoming for that matter. Is it okay to post direct links to the threads?

what's the point of doing this if you won't post links to the threds? or at least cut & paste the reactions...

sleazenation

22:19 / 02.08.04

I think posting a similar topic with a link ti this thread could well be considered trolling and would not be a good thing. If you want to raise the question on another forum surely it is best to let it sinkl or swim on its own merits?

Mr Tricks

22:55 / 02.08.04

yeah I suppose that IS trolling...

the Fool

23:33 / 02.08.04

He would never be able to fight crime, because he would be thinking of witty ripostes to say to the villains, and he would probably give up superheroics and join 'Queer eye for the straight gay' - "oh red and blue is sooooo last year, darling"

Fuck the 'queer eye' metrofuckingsexual makeover. Shave his head, give him a nice beard. Superbear!!! One mean mudapharka!!! Now, I'd buy that for a dollar!!!

I am so predictable... *sigh*

ZombieCulture

02:35 / 03.08.04

haha, John Byrne himself commented on my idea - http://www.byrnerobotics.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1737&PN=1&TPN=1

Meanwhile, the Millarworld mods retitled my topic, using the dreaded "4" in lieu of "for" - http://www.millarworld.net/index.php?showtopic=34761

gridley

15:01 / 03.08.04

When Byrne ret-conned Krypton, didn't he make it so that men and women have virtually no contact with each other? They don't even meet for arranged breeding do they?

What if Kryptonians had a much higher rate of homosexuality than humans? What if some Kryptonian dictator created a system of mandatory test tube babies because he feared (wrongly or rightly) that mass homosexuality would lead to the race's extinction?

Warewullf

16:49 / 03.08.04

Shave his head, give him a nice beard. Superbear!!!

Excellent! And he's already got the hairy chest!

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:26 / 03.08.04

Nice one, NotOriginally... Byrne's forum at least attempted some decent discussion. Millarworld? Jesus. I remember now why I don't go there.

Although, among all the "it wouldn't add much to the character" malarkey... I guess it all depends what you want from the character. If it's just the big fighty fighty stuff, then it wouldn't. However, I kind of like the idea of adding a whole extra level of secrecy to both Clark AND Superman, as I've always found Clark a more interesting character than Superman himself.

I'm also amused by the "why not just create a new gay superhero" line of thinking... surely the whole point would be that IT'S SUPERMAN, goddammit!!!

If anyone has the balls to try running this one on that Celiberals site that Duncan found, I'll buy 'em a pint. (NotOriginally, I already owe you one). (I can imagine it now... "NOT JUST THE X-MEN... NOW SUPERMAN HIMSELF IS TRYING TO TURN OUR KIDS GAY!!!")

Lord Morgue

08:53 / 04.08.04

Strange argument that Byrne used, that Superman couldn't be gay in a what-if because homosexuality is genetic, while fighting for the south or being a communist are concious choices? So, he wouldn't do a what-if where Clark was black, or asian, or furry, or whatever? And when someone points out that a genetic basis for gender-preference in sexuality is a theory, his defense is that it's a theory he chooses to believe? Dang, for the guy who spent years trying to sneak gay and lesbian characters into mainstream comics (Northstar in Alpha Flight, Maggie Sawyer in Superman, Headhunter in Namor), the shutters came down pretty quickly.
What-ifs don't apply to D.N.A.. That's gonna take some mulling over.

Page: (1)2

Add Your Reply