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  1. #1
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    Default A History of Sex in DC Comics

    I decided to look into this, because it's a bit of a fascination for me. Comic books are well known as a medium that has evolved from childish to adult. Even though the psychadelic 1960s weren't exactly a squeaky clean time in history, comics were, because they were made for children. Tracking when comics got more "adult" is a bit of a fascination of mine. Certainly Gwen Stacey's death in 1973 is consistently referenced as a watershed.

    But there's the "risque" aspect of it. For instance, I know that from 1971-1975 Daredevil and Black Widow were both crime-fighting partners and in a relationship, and somewhere in that time frame they became the first comics couple to live together outside of wedlock. Whether you think that's a good or bad thing, it's certainly historic.

    As far as DC, I'm pretty sure neither Superman or Wonder Woman were ever shown as having sex until Superman got married, and Wonder Woman continued to not be so portrayed. Then, when Greg Rucka was writing her series (during which she had also gone without a serious love interest for over a decade) he introduced the love interest Trevor Barnes, and raised this big stink about how he was going to be the first to show Wonder Woman as having sex, presumably just by showing the two naked in bed together. However, looking up all of this info in news archives, it's all about how he SAID he was going to do it. There's nothing about it actually happening, so it seems like it never really did.

    Then, after the 2011 reboot, they showed Superman and Wonder Woman knocking boots with hats off.

    On a side note, the adaptations have their own timeline. Superman II famously showed Superman and Lois Lane post-coitus, but other adaptations kept it clean, and Lois & Clark (which used steamy promotion material of the pair scantily clad together), actually stated that Clark was a virgin (though Lois wasn't) and had the pair actively wait until marriage for sex. On TV in the 90s? That's crazy! So yeah, Smallville didn't do that.

    Other heroes, like Batman and Green Lantern, are well known as skirt chasers, but again, I'm wondering where this began, and when did comic writers/artists take that leap to actually showcase the act, or at least, heavily imply that the act had taken place?
    Last edited by Slimybug; 10-22-2019 at 02:24 PM.

  2. #2
    A Wearied Madness Vakanai's Avatar
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    Minorly off topic, but the title reminds me of that "Corruption of the Innocent" or whatever bullshit title that one book or article was called back in the 50s condemning comics and the whole Batman and Robin relationship as gay/pedophiliac or whatever, and the whole "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" thing back in the 80s or whenever.

    Not really sex in comics so much as thoughts of sex outside of comics but inspired by comics, but still...

  3. #3
    Ultimate Member j9ac9k's Avatar
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    I know there was sex in the 80's Vigilante series - it was aimed at more mature readers. I don't think they showed the act, just a woman getting naked then yada, yada...

    Pretty sure they did show Vic and Myrna while having sex in an issue of "The Question." (PG-13 though I think)

    In the 80's a few of the Legionnaires use to refer to their partners as "lover", but I don't recall seeing anyone in bed back then.

  4. #4
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    I think robert crumb, vaughan bode etc might disagree with that version of history of comics!

  5. #5
    Ultimate Member Lee Stone's Avatar
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    The Baxter Titans had some sexual themes, but it was aimed at comics shop readers, which was a bit more mature demographic at the time (and if newsstands/convenience store sales still existed today, the shops would probably still be the exclusive hub of comics' mature readers).
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by j9ac9k View Post
    I know there was sex in the 80's Vigilante series - it was aimed at more mature readers. I don't think they showed the act, just a woman getting naked then yada, yada...

    Pretty sure they did show Vic and Myrna while having sex in an issue of "The Question." (PG-13 though I think)

    In the 80's a few of the Legionnaires use to refer to their partners as "lover", but I don't recall seeing anyone in bed back then.
    Yeah, I think by the 80s it was pretty well-established.
    Last edited by Slimybug; 10-22-2019 at 03:22 PM.

  7. #7
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    Whoops, double post!
    Last edited by Slimybug; 10-22-2019 at 03:22 PM.

  8. #8
    DC/Collected Editions Mod The Darknight Detective's Avatar
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    Ollie and Dinah were sleeping together as early as '77, FWIW.
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  9. #9
    Extraordinary Member Güicho's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slimybug View Post
    I decided to look into this, because it's a bit of a fascination for me. Comic books are well known as a medium that has evolved from childish to adult. Even though the psychadelic 1960s weren't exactly a squeaky clean time in history, comics were, because they were made for children. Tracking when comics got more "adult" is a bit of a fascination of mine. Certainly Gwen Stacey's death in 1973 is consistently referenced as a watershed.
    Actually many were originally more inspired by, and invoking somewhere between the pulps and comic strips, which were read by both children and adults. And although "safe" by today's standards (nobody was (suposedly) having sex outside being married), they could be violent, scary, sexy, racy, full of innuendo.
    During the McCarthy era they were accused of corrupting children, and then most chose to be self "censored" and tone down the more pulp and adult aspects (for fear the stands would not carry them unless they had the self-instituted "Comics Code" stamp ), and this is when they became mostly children's fair.
    In your evolution "history" narrative you seem to ignore that whole era, and jump straight from their inception(which you somewhat miss-characterize) to the 60's.

    As to the notion that implicitly "shown" having sex equates with comics now being more "adult", that's debatable, arguably that might be when they settled into the more banal juvenile approach,
    For example while in 1968 still navigating the "comics code" without showing a thing, Steranko conveyed ...


    Last edited by Güicho; 04-11-2020 at 08:24 AM.

  10. #10
    Astonishing Member stargazer01's Avatar
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    Honestly, Superman has always had a lot of fun in the bedroom since Superman 2 at least. He has very steamy love scenes with Lois in the 90s TV show and in Smallville.

    In FOR TOMORROW he sleeps with Lois.. That's 2005.


  11. #11
    Ultimate Member SiegePerilous02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slimybug View Post
    As far as DC, I'm pretty sure neither Superman or Wonder Woman were ever shown as having sex until Superman got married, and Wonder Woman continued to not be so portrayed. Then, when Greg Rucka was writing her series (during which she had also gone without a serious love interest for over a decade) he introduced the love interest Trevor Barnes, and raised this big stink about how he was going to be the first to show Wonder Woman as having sex, presumably just by showing the two naked in bed together. However, looking up all of this info in news archives, it's all about how he SAID he was going to do it. There's nothing about it actually happening, so it seems like it never really did.
    Small quibble, but Barnes is Phil Jimenez's character, not Rucka's. He was killed off in between their runs.

    I don't know for sure if either of them said that quite about Diana and sex though. If Rucka intended it, it may have been about someone other than Barnes. He seemed to be pushing for Io but DC didn't let him go for it.

  12. #12
    Mighty Member LifeIsILL's Avatar
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    The only sex scene in DC history that actually means anything was Swamp Thing and Abby during the Alan Moore run.

  13. #13
    Astonishing Member Koriand'r's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slimybug View Post
    I decided to look into this, because it's a bit of a fascination for me. Comic books are well known as a medium that has evolved from childish to adult. Even though the psychadelic 1960s weren't exactly a squeaky clean time in history, comics were, because they were made for children. Tracking when comics got more "adult" is a bit of a fascination of mine. Certainly Gwen Stacey's death in 1973 is consistently referenced as a watershed.

    But there's the "risque" aspect of it. For instance, I know that from 1971-1975 Daredevil and Black Widow were both crime-fighting partners and in a relationship, and somewhere in that time frame they became the first comics couple to live together outside of wedlock. Whether you think that's a good or bad thing, it's certainly historic.

    As far as DC, I'm pretty sure neither Superman or Wonder Woman were ever shown as having sex until Superman got married, and Wonder Woman continued to not be so portrayed. Then, when Greg Rucka was writing her series (during which she had also gone without a serious love interest for over a decade) he introduced the love interest Trevor Barnes, and raised this big stink about how he was going to be the first to show Wonder Woman as having sex, presumably just by showing the two naked in bed together. However, looking up all of this info in news archives, it's all about how he SAID he was going to do it. There's nothing about it actually happening, so it seems like it never really did.

    Then, after the 2011 reboot, they showed Superman and Wonder Woman knocking boots with hats off.

    On a side note, the adaptations have their own timeline. Superman II famously showed Superman and Lois Lane post-coitus, but other adaptations kept it clean, and Lois & Clark (which used steamy promotion material of the pair scantily clad together), actually stated that Clark was a virgin (though Lois wasn't) and had the pair actively wait until marriage for sex. On TV in the 90s? That's crazy! So yeah, Smallville didn't do that.

    Other heroes, like Batman and Green Lantern, are well known as skirt chasers, but again, I'm wondering where this began, and when did comic writers/artists take that leap to actually showcase the act, or at least, heavily imply that the act had taken place?
    Phil Jimenez invented Trevor Barnes, not Greg Rucka. But yeah Wonder Woman was a virgin (at least implicitly) until the New 52 when she and Superman got together.

  14. #14
    Extraordinary Member Restingvoice's Avatar
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    if I'm not mistaken the first "on-screen" confirmation of someone definitely having sex in DC Comics was NTT Dick and Kori where the two shown waking up together naked in the same bed.
    or maybe it's specifically young people having sex out of wedlock. I forget.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Darknight Detective View Post
    Ollie and Dinah were sleeping together as early as '77, FWIW.
    Quote Originally Posted by Restingvoice View Post
    if I'm not mistaken the first "on-screen" confirmation of someone definitely having sex in DC Comics was NTT Dick and Kori where the two shown waking up together naked in the same bed.
    or maybe it's specifically young people having sex out of wedlock. I forget.
    Interesting. I wonder which of those is correct.

    Quote Originally Posted by SiegePerilous02 View Post
    Small quibble, but Barnes is Phil Jimenez's character, not Rucka's. He was killed off in between their runs.

    I don't know for sure if either of them said that quite about Diana and sex though. If Rucka intended it, it may have been about someone other than Barnes. He seemed to be pushing for Io but DC didn't let him go for it.
    You're right, I was confused. Jimenez created Barnes and was talking about how Diana was going to have sex, while Rucka was the one talking about how Diana would have had a saphic history on Paradise Island.
    Last edited by Slimybug; 10-22-2019 at 09:08 PM.

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