DC pride anthology 2022 Discussion/Spoilers

[sifighter]

I want to open this by saying something kind of odd…I’m a generic straight white male in my mid to late 20’s. I think it’s odd to start the Pride book off that way but I do it for two reasons.

1. There may be some stories I may not connect with because it’s not my personal experience, but I understand that this will mean the world to that person who does identify themselves. That comics are for everyone and that there is a hero out there for all, big and small.

2. That as someone who does come from a different perspective of those in this book I do care and connect, because they were good stories. Some fun, some very emotional. That maybe I don’t 100% connect but I can empathize and understand.

So yeah let’s talk about a really fun comic. Because you really do get a lot for your money with a lot of big characters involved.

We see Jon Kent at his first pride parade with his boyfriend Jay, his best friend Damian, and the Legion of Superheroes.

We get Nubia telling her girlfriend about how she wrestled with Big Barda against Giganta (literally)

Connor Hawke is coming out to his mom as asexual, talking about how he turned down Ollie’s attempts at surprise dates, while he fights Music Meister from Batman Brave and the bold. Personal favorite story just for music meister honestly

We get the return of New 52 Batgirl character Alysia Yeoh who reunited with modern Barbara as Batgirl and gets in costume to whoop killer moth

We get Jackson Hyde showing his underwater boyfriend the desert town he grew up in that his mother hid him away in.

We have Jo Muellin post Far Sector on a classic detective style romp that plays with colors very well

We get the return of Steve Orlando JLA with The Ray learning to be more open with his boyfriend

We got Batwoman as she rescues her dad and talks about their relationship

We get Tim Drake swinging through the city fighting crime to take a cake to his boyfriend Bernard that he made himself

We get a neat Harley and Ivy story about love conquering evil versions of yourselves.

We get a prequel to the teen justice mini with Kid Quick fighting the Earth-11 version of the Fearsome Five

And finally but most impactful we get a short biography of Kevin Conroy’s life which is all drama as he tries to land the role of the Batman for the first time.

Honestly it’s a lot of laughs and tears throughout this entire issue, but I think it’s worth it and is a lot of fun and is very genuine and earnest in what it does. I think lots of people will enjoy this.

[Digifiend]

Dreamer was in the Superman story as well - she actually got a selfie with her descendent Dream Girl! Nia didn't actually meet Jon though, so it doesn't contradict her upcoming appearance in Son of Kal-El.

[Starter Set]

I want to open this by saying something kind of odd…I’m a generic straight white male in my mid to late 20’s

How dare you?!!!

[ZuLuLu]

Overall the issue was enjoyable, but Kevin Conroy's story "Finding Batman" was outstanding .

[Lucas 35]

I've seen a lot of praise for Kevin Conroy and Connor's stories, but a lot of people hated Jon and Jo's stories, how did they think Jo's has a biphobia message, with a bad image of bisexuals and how many people hated the conversation of Jon and Damian, how did they not like what they both said and acted, was it that bad?

[Restingvoice]

I've seen a lot of praise for Kevin Conroy and Connor's stories, but a lot of people hated Jon and Jo's stories, how did they think Jo's has a biphobia message, with a bad image of bisexuals and how many people hated the conversation of Jon and Damian, how did they not like what they both said and acted, was it that bad?

Damian thought that Pride started as a riot (he was thinking Stonewall) there will be riot so he's preparing crowd control and dispersal measures like gas and net. People don't like it because he sounds like a cop... and homophobic because he's trying to stop Pride... and ignorant of Pride just because he's not from America and has to be taught by Jon... and therefore that depiction is racist because it's a white guy educating an Arab guy on something he should already know because he's been living in America for years

The way Damian act if he's someone who doesn't know about Pride is adorable in his crazy preparedness (even after he knows it's a parade, he's worrying about the security, from Scarecrow gas in the floats to Killer Croc in the sewers) but the idea that he knows nothing about Pride is weird since he's so well-read and keeps his eyes on the news as a crimefighter

[gonnagiveittoya]

There's also the "Pride has been a party for decades" line from Jon which is...pretty empirically not the case. Like not even for the immediate past decade

[Psy-lock]

Is it just me or are they actually making Tim gay instead of bisexual? I don't know, it read like a gay man's story to me.

Also, really disappointed there was no Apollo/Midnighter story. Why does DC hate its best gay couple?

[Frontier]

Is it just me or are they actually making Tim gay instead of bisexual? I don't know, it read like a gay man's story to me.

Also, really disappointed there was no Apollo/Midnighter story. Why does DC hate its best gay couple?

I feel like people have been assuming he's Bi (even though the breakup with Steph was handled so badly) but they haven't explicitly confirmed it on-page one way or another.

[Psy-lock]

I feel like people have been assuming he's Bi (even though the breakup with Steph was handled so badly) but they haven't explicitly confirmed it on-page one way or another.

Yeah, maybe they're still undecided themselves. But the only way his recent developments make sense to me is if he's gay.

[Top Hat]

I've seen a lot of praise for Kevin Conroy and Connor's stories, but a lot of people hated Jon and Jo's stories, how did they think Jo's has a biphobia message, with a bad image of bisexuals and how many people hated the conversation of Jon and Damian, how did they not like what they both said and acted, was it that bad?

Who are these people who hated these stories?

The Kevin Conroy story was the best thing in it.

[Frontier]

Yeah, maybe they're still undecided themselves. But the only way his recent developments make sense to me is if he's gay.

I don't disagree, but I don't think even DC has the guts to make Tim's most significant and developed relationship into a Beard (even if they had no problem unceremoniously ending it for this storyline).

[The Invincible Beawulf]

Also, really disappointed there was no Apollo/Midnighter story. Why does DC hate its best gay couple?

Same

Even the Pride-themed variant cover for AC #1044 features Jon Kent - not Clark's current Authority team, which has quite a few queer members on it (Middy, Apollo, Steel/Natasha Irons, OMAC, and Lightray/Lia Nelson).

[sifighter]

Is it just me or are they actually making Tim gay instead of bisexual? I don't know, it read like a gay man's story to me.

Also, really disappointed there was no Apollo/Midnighter story. Why does DC hate its best gay couple?

I would have loved to see Apollo and Midnighter, but I’m also not going to look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak

[Primal Slayer]

Having Apollo/Midnighter in there for some adult gay fun was sorely missed. Them being mentors to the up and coming youth would've made a lot sense.