Bendis On Iceman's Outing, Says "I'm Not Done With This Story Yet"

[CBR News]

Brian Michael Bendis speaks with CBR News about the revelation that the time-displaced, original X-Man Bobby Drake is gay.


Full article here.

[DocSpin]

Congratulations on a very unique and heartfelt coming out tale, Brian! Can wait to read more!

[Viteh]

It really feels like a copout to blame the "scans". I read about this in an Outhouse article, that mentioned 4chan as its source. I went there to confirm it, and saw all of the scans, and they weren't blurry at all. It's honestly a little insulting for Bendis to imply that people didn't read it correctly.

There are real people that have problems with that story, not because Bobby is gay, but because of how it was handled. It perpetuates bi erasure, it violates gay men's privacy, and it justifies someone else dictating what your sexuality should be. Those are real issues.

A simple "we recognize there were problems with it, we'll do better" would have sufficed.

[poneley]

It really feels like a copout to blame the "scans". I read about this in an Outhouse article, that mentioned 4chan as its source. I went there to confirm it, and saw all of the scans, and they weren't blurry at all. It's honestly a little insulting for Bendis to imply that people didn't read it correctly.

There are real people that have problems with that story, not because Bobby is gay, but because of how it was handled. It perpetuates bi erasure, it violates gay men's privacy, and it justifies someone else dictating what your sexuality should be. Those are real issues.

A simple "we recognize there were problems with it, we'll do better" would have sufficed.

I don't know what scans you saw. The ones I saw only showed bits and pieces of the "coming out" story. It wasn't until I read the entire issue that I really appreciated the work Bendis did. Maybe you saw more scans but the scans I saw were incomplete. Bendis wrote a really good "coming out" scene for Bobby and Jean.

I agree with Bendis that this bit of storytelling was ruined by the early scans. It got sensationalized and it lost a bit of its "regular day" and "everydayness". Most people who come out don't have it announced on twitter, tumbler and etc the day before they do it. So yeah, the scans ruined that aspect of it. I personally wish it hadn't been spoiled it... Even knowing that someone was going to "come out" was a huge spoiler. Oh well.

[Viteh]

I don't know what scans you saw. The ones I saw only showed bits and pieces of the "coming out" story. It wasn't until I read the entire issue that I really appreciated the work Bendis did. Maybe you saw more scans but the scans I saw were incomplete. Bendis wrote a really good "coming out" scene for Bobby and Jean.

I agree with Bendis that this bit of storytelling was ruined by the early scans. It got sensationalized and it lost a bit of its "regular day" and "everydayness". Most people who come out don't have it announced on twitter, tumbler and etc the day before they do it. So yeah, the scans ruined that aspect of it. I personally wish it hadn't been spoiled it... Even knowing that someone was going to "come out" was a huge spoiler. Oh well.

Probably someone took the scans and divided them into pieces, the ones I saw were full page scans.

I would hardly call it a good "coming out" scene. Particularly since it wasn't even Bobby who decided to come out. Jean invaded his mind and forced him to admit it. That's the same as someone reading your diary, phone, email, and forcing you to admit to them that you are gay. That's not a good coming out story.

[PretenderNX01]

It really feels like a copout to blame the "scans". I read about this in an Outhouse article, that mentioned 4chan as its source. I went there to confirm it, and saw all of the scans, and they weren't blurry at all. It's honestly a little insulting for Bendis to imply that people didn't read it correctly.

I saw it on a link to Tumblr with only 2 pages. Later I saw it with 6 pages so I get it he wanted it seen in context. I didn't think it was blurry though, looked good to me.

There is no more evidence that Iceman is gay than that the Golden Age Batman and Robin were gay.

Well, there was a whole Inquisition about that...

I've always thought Bobby wasn't completely straight, and now... it feels kinda weird for it to be finally out
Can't wait to see what the story offers for my favorite X-Man. Although i'm just happy Bobby is finally getting a story line after being so neglected!

Agreed. Thought it, can't believe they confirmed it but now maybe we'll see something with some sort of depth to him.

[poneley]

Probably someone took the scans and divided them into pieces, the ones I saw were full page scans.

I would hardly call it a good "coming out" scene. Particularly since it wasn't even Bobby who decided to come out. Jean invaded his mind and forced him to admit it. That's the same as someone reading your diary, phone, email, and forcing you to admit to them that you are gay. That's not a good coming out story.

It's good because that's what sometimes happens, so in a way, it was an "authentic" coming out story because sometimes gay individuals aren't given the choice to come out or not.

What Jean did was wrong but it made perfect sense. Since day one Bendis had been writing Young Jean as an impulsive busybody who is not worried about breaking the rules and respecting other people's privacy. Those are not "good" traits but it makes her immensely more interesting. She's kind of a terrible person. Forcing Bobby to come out was terrible and wonderful.

I thought the "messy" conversation Bobby and Jean was good, it felt authentic.

[DocSpin]

Probably someone took the scans and divided them into pieces, the ones I saw were full page scans.

I would hardly call it a good "coming out" scene. Particularly since it wasn't even Bobby who decided to come out. Jean invaded his mind and forced him to admit it. That's the same as someone reading your diary, phone, email, and forcing you to admit to them that you are gay. That's not a good coming out story.

More than a few people disagree with that very subjective interpretation. But then like any coming out, people are only responsible for their individual truth and you will never find a consensus of truth among true individuals.

[somebody]

Probably someone took the scans and divided them into pieces, the ones I saw were full page scans.

I would hardly call it a good "coming out" scene. Particularly since it wasn't even Bobby who decided to come out. Jean invaded his mind and forced him to admit it. That's the same as someone reading your diary, phone, email, and forcing you to admit to them that you are gay. That's not a good coming out story.

I agree. What did Jean call him, fully gay? That's a pretty lousy thing for someone to say, especially when someone is just coming to grips with their sexuality. Bendis made Jean come off like a fag hag. I didn't think it was super distasteful, but for someone who's so progressive he sure couldn't stop the trainwreck of funnies come a-crashin' in during what should have been a more somber moment.

But that's Bendis's writing. Everything is a quippy joke or sight-gag. It truly takes away from moments, and I hope someone brings this point up to him. He made what could have easily been one of the most defining moments in comic history a back-and-forth joke, skirting emotion for sight-gags and basic dialogue.

I laughed through that entire scene. It felt more like a FU mic drop moment then it did harbor any real emotion. And yeah, I read the entire, drawn out issue on 4chan like everyone else. Tryk-clops. LOLZ!

[Bunai]

"Full Agree" with Viteh.
Having Jean decide Bobby's sexuality for him is not sincere nor progressive, it's rude.
When Bobby brought up bisexuality, I became a tad hopeful in that sense of development, but nope, Bendis [may have] blew it here.

[Spacedog2]

"Full Agree" with Viteh.
Having Jean decide Bobby's sexuality for him is not sincere nor progressive, it's rude.
When Bobby brought up bisexuality, I became a tad hopeful in that sense of development, but nope, Bendis [may have] blew it here.

I did not read it as her deciding his sexuality. She told him what she saw in his mind, and he agreed. At best, she was guilty of being a nosy bitch, which he called her out on.

[fandumb]

Wasn't this a Family Guy joke?

[He-Kal]

For the people who keep saying it's about time this was revealed--can evidence be given where Bobbi ever showed these tendencies?
From everything I have seen he has only shown interest for females and I have never seen an instance contrary to this.
(Trying to be open minded here, but would like to see more concrete evidence).

[Bunai]

I did not read it as her deciding his sexuality. She told him what she saw in his mind, and he agreed. At best, she was guilty of being a nosy bitch, which he called her out on.

As I commented before you replied: The current context of it is just awkward. [/no harm done]

The dialog reads like it is from the 90s, when writers had no idea what being gay meant. Seriously... "Full Gay".
So unless Young!Jean can see the future, to me, it does come off as if she is deciding Bobby's sexuality based on what she reads in passing thought rather than letting him figure this out on his own.

[zachalia]

"Full Agree" with Viteh.
Having Jean decide Bobby's sexuality for him is not sincere nor progressive, it's rude.
When Bobby brought up bisexuality, I became a tad hopeful in that sense of development, but nope, Bendis [may have] blew it here.

Yeah, I would have been completely fine with this if it wasn't done in such a ham-handed way the reeked of bi erasure and bi-phobia. How is it progressive to have a gay character bullied into labelling himself gay when he is clearly still questioning his orientation and flat out vocalizes the thought that he's bi only to be smacked down and corrected by an obnoxiously written Jean... very disappointed.