DC LGBTQ+ Characters 2021 appreciation

[Robanker]

Harley and Ivy have been in team up stories since the animated series, and appart from the Harley's relationship with the Joker, both had never really another significant relationship.

Ivy's also, like the Joker, a dominating personality used to controlling everyone in the room. Harley tends to gravitate to those, and before they confirmed anything we saw Ivy take interest in women in some fashion. She ensnared Selina in Hush and kissed Supergirl in Superman/Batman...

Both written by Loeb, come to think of it. Also, wasn't Kara a minor in that story?

But yeah, it had been theorized for years and-- at most-- Ivy had some repressed feelings for Batman that didn't get touched on much. I still think it's strange that Ivy seemingly lets Harley do what she pleases and control the direction of their relationship given Ivy's entire publishing history saying she wouldn't, but that's what happens when you get turned from your own character into Harley's +1.

Regardless of the relationship, I have difficult thinking there's complete consent with Ivy involved without seeing that relationship hurdle cleared on panel. I don't see someone like her surrendering that much control to anyone, though I suppose the argument is that Harley's so battered perhaps Harls triggered a protective quality in Ivy that made something of an exception for her?

No matter the case, there was more precedent than some give them credit for. It wasn't just that they were both friends, female and that was enough. It bugs me when any two characters with significant relationships are shipped for no other reason than, well, because but with those two my only issue is the interesting thing about their dynamic got skipped so we can have a healthy bisexual relationship. There was a cool story there and I feel like we got robbed of it. Much like Harley's redemption arc, but that's another subject.

If you're a newer fan, especially post New 52, Ivy's always kind of just been a Harley Quinn supporting character and nebulously anti-hero so anything resembling a more classic approach would be looked at as character assassination. I think the ship has sailed for wanting to see them work out their differences and make it work. They just magically clicked I guess.

[Vordan]

The Superman Family has……Natasha Irons, and I guess that’s it.

Apollo and Middy will be on Superman’s Authority team, so I’m claiming them for the Superfamily! Also damn that team is going to be maybe the “gayest” team ever at DC? Apollo, Middy, and Natasha Irons all known LGBT+ and maybe more depending on the sexuality/gender identity of the rest.

[Magnito]

Apollo and Middy will be on Superman’s Authority team, so I’m claiming them for the Superfamily! Also damn that team is going to be maybe the “gayest” team ever at DC? Apollo, Middy, and Natasha Irons all known LGBT+ and maybe more depending on the sexuality/gender identity of the rest.

Besides this and today's Robin news, any other books with LGBT content these days? I'm out if touch with DC but maybe it's time I time back in and see what's happening.

[Digifiend]

Pick up the recent DC Pride one-shot, that'll show you some of DC's LGBTQ folks.

The Crush and Lobo mini has some lesbian relationship drama.

[Restingvoice]

But yeah, it had been theorized for years and-- at most-- Ivy had some repressed feelings for Batman that didn't get touched on much.

In her original appearance Ivy was attracted to Bruce as the man she couldn't conquer, but eventually that characterization changed or evolved, and I think they don't want to revisit that because it's too typical and sexist characterization with all the pretty female villains are attracted to the hero.

[Magnito]

Pick up the recent DC Pride one-shot, that'll show you some of DC's LGBTQ folks.

The Crush and Lobo mini has some lesbian relationship drama.

Oh, I did. I meant is there anyone else appearing in an ongoing at the moment that I should be aware of.

[Shimbo]

Oh, I did. I meant is there anyone else appearing in an ongoing at the moment that I should be aware of.

Midnighter has a back-up in Action Comics written by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad, who are also writing WW.

There's Crush and Lobo.

That's about it for the mainline, unless you count a few Bunker appearances in TT Academy.

Aqualad is getting a mini soon. And I guess Tim's story of exploration will continue in Urban Legends #10 in December lol.

And that's all, folx!

[The Invincible Beawulf]

Midnighter has a back-up in Action Comics written by Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad, who are also writing WW.

There's Crush and Lobo.

That's about it for the mainline, unless you count a few Bunker appearances in TT Academy.

Aqualad is getting a mini soon. And I guess Tim's story of exploration will continue in Urban Legends #10 in December lol.

And that's all, folx!

neat summary! I'd also add Superman and the Authority from Grant Morrison. In the first issue Superman has just started to assemble the new Authority, so Midnighter, Apollo, & Natasha Irons will probably join the team next issue (hopefully). According to Morrison, it'll be related to the current storyline (Warworld Rising I think) in Action Comics + to Midnighter's back-up story (also in Action Comics)

also there's Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour - it's related to the Harley Quinn animated series, it's a continuation of season 2.

[Will Evans]

Apollo and Middy will be on Superman’s Authority team, so I’m claiming them for the Superfamily! Also damn that team is going to be maybe the “gayest” team ever at DC? Apollo, Middy, and Natasha Irons all known LGBT+ and maybe more depending on the sexuality/gender identity of the rest.

To be fair, the original Authority had Midnighter, Apollo, Swift and Jenny Quantum.

[The Invincible Beawulf]

I was going through some threads reading about what posters think of Tim's LGBTQ+ status and of the place LGBTQ+ (male) characters occupy in superhero comics.

Some of the general ideas why it was a mistake to make Tim LGBTQ+... enjoy it!

- DC did this to make Tim more popular (- my comment here: so what?! DC is trying to be more appealing to gen Z, not long time fans; also DC is just trying to be more open towards non-straight communities)

- change is 'woke', and 'woke' is bad

- readers almost exclusively relate to characters that have the same characteristics in terms of race, gender & sexuality (- well i'm not so sure about that...)

- months & years of build-up is necessary for a fictional character to become non-straight

- changing the sexuality of characters has to be 'meaningful' in a story (- i have to admit i dunno what this means...)

- it's always about pandering to non-straight/female target audiences (- honestly, is it a problem if DC is attempting to do this? but i find the word 'pandering' distasteful)

- create new LGBTQ+ characters; don't change the sexuality of characters even if it's not stated clearly what the orientation of those characters is

- what the hell is sub-text & queer-coding in American superhero comics?

I'm sorta not surprised.

[Lucas 35]

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Written by ANDREW WHEELER, RICH BERNATOVECH, TEE FRANKLIN, TARA ROBERTS, PAUL DINI, ALAN BURNETT, BOBBY MOYNIHAN, and others
Art by MEGHAN HETRICK, TRAVIS MERCER, YANCEY LABAT, and others
Cover by JEN BARTEL
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Oh the weather outside is freezing, but these stories sure are pleasin'. So since you've no place to go, why not grab a sweater, pour a cup of hot cocoa, and stoke the fire…because these 10 tales are sure to lower the mercury! Join us as Harley Quinn and Blue Snowman ice out Hawkman, Batman fights the cold heart of Mr. Freeze, the JLQ don't stand a snowball's chance against Minister Blizzard, and the Flash and Superman team up to chill out Captain Cold. So warm your holiday heart with these freezin' feats of frosty fiction!

[Will Evans]

I don’t think I’ve seen Minister Blizzard since Allan Heinberg through every Wonder Woman villain at Diana at once.

[Psy-lock]

Still not a big fan of that name.

I don’t think I’ve seen Minister Blizzard since Allan Heinberg through every Wonder Woman villain at Diana’s at once.

I believe he appeared in some Batman book a couple of years ago, but that's pretty much it.

[Frontier]

I guess it's nice to think they'll be appearing in other books.

[marhawkman]

- DC did this to make Tim more popular (- my comment here: so what?! DC is trying to be more appealing to gen Z, not long time fans; also DC is just trying to be more open towards non-straight communities)

Enh.. the problem comes when those two goals conflict. Changing stuff to try to appeal to "new fans" often backfires and makes everyone mad.

- change is 'woke', and 'woke' is bad

The thing here is the idea of change for the sake of change.

- readers almost exclusively relate to characters that have the same characteristics in terms of race, gender & sexuality (- well i'm not so sure about that...)

people may or may not relate to a character for practically any reason.

- months & years of build-up is necessary for a fictional character to become non-straight

That's the basic gist of properly establishing ANY character trait. You have to use it in a story and not just say "X is Y" in out of universe material.

- changing the sexuality of characters has to be 'meaningful' in a story (- i have to admit i dunno what this means...)

See previous comment about actually using it. If it doesn't even come up in universe it didn't happen. If it's a minor throw-away line in a story... it's irrelevant. So.... why bother at all?

- it's always about pandering to non-straight/female target audiences (- honestly, is it a problem if DC is attempting to do this? but i find the word 'pandering' distasteful)

Pandering is there to describe marketing where the marketing isn't selling the actual product but making some appeal trying to sell that ISN'T directly based on the product. It's like that old thing with "blaxploitation" films. A lot of them were marketed in ways centered on the color of skin of the actors, and not other merits. It's seen as a bad thing because consumers see it as a way of pushing an inferior product.

- create new LGBTQ+ characters; don't change the sexuality of characters even if it's not stated clearly what the orientation of those characters is

Retcons are generally disliked. Exceptions exist, but... they're exceptions. It's different if it's actually unexplored aspects of a character.... IF....

- what the hell is sub-text & queer-coding in American superhero comics?

Honestly, while the idea is that it's the "subtle nuances" of how a story is written, in practice... it's often people reading between the lines and not actually what the story was written.