LGBT+ Marvel Characters Discussion

[Dermie]

Yeah I’d also like to see more LGBTQ+ characters integrated onto team rosters. It often feels like certain creators hold all the weight for representation and fill their rosters with queer characters while other books have none. Once those creators leave we end up back at square 1 representation.

I’d also like to be done with subtext, but that’s likely overly ambitious. Ewing and Howard have both spoken about needing to use subtext when handling queer characters and it’s TIRED. Other media has evolved to the point where they’re either LGBTQ+ rep or not. Comics need to catch up.

Its not like comics requires the LGBTQ content to be subtext anymore anyway. Those days are long past -- we have characters who openly and explicitly LGBTQ; we have on-panel same-sex kisses and even on-panel same-sex bed scenes, on occasion. We have an actual PRIDE one-shot.

I don't mind a bit of subtext here and there. Sometimes it can be fun to hint and tease towards something before eventually coming right out with it. But I agree with you that in some cases there has been a bit too much subtext that hasn't been getting paid off with actual text in the end. I love Ewing's work and he has certainly give us a LOT to work with for LGBT inclusion and representation...but particularly in X-MEN RED it was starting to feel like at least half the cast was implied to be queer but only Kobak was actually coming out and confirming it.

It gets frustrating since although in most cases we can pretty clearly tell what the message between the lines is, there are always going to be those in the fandom who will argue and deny it unless it gets made explicitly clear. Deadpool's pansexuality is mostly accepted as fact at this point, there are still some people who will dismiss it as "just Wade making jokes".

Some subtext is fine, but sooner or later it does need to get paid off with more explicit confirmation, otherwise all the work the writer did with their subtext is at the risk of being ignored or dismissed as people "just reading too much into it" or "gays wanting to think every character is gay".

[Crimz]

I just want the same thing I want every year, for Marvel to finally let Johnny Storm come out.

Finding out that it was Slott’s initial plan frustrates me to no end. It was so close, and would have been great to have a queer character on a team that never permanently changes its roster and is unlikely to be cancelled.

[legion_quest]

I just want the same thing I want every year, for Marvel to finally let Johnny Storm come out.

Finding out that it was Slott’s initial plan frustrates me to no end. It was so close, and would have been great to have a queer character on a team that never permanently changes its roster and is unlikely to be cancelled.

Still think the best bet for some LGBT rep in the FF is to have Franklin be gay

[Crimz]

Still think the best bet for some LGBT rep in the FF is to have Franklin be gay

Probably, but my worry is that it’s pretty easy to shove the kids into the background. You can go entire runs with them only saying a sentence or two.

[Dermie]

The Week In Gay:

13 new books released this week!

Black Panther #8 - Beisa appears in this issue

Guardians Of The Galaxy #10 - Star-Lord is on the team and Moondragon has a cameo

White Widow #3 of 4 - Yelena herself has been implied to be asexual. Supporting cast member Griffin is non-binary.

And for the digital comics....

Alligator Loki Infinity Comic #32 - Loki has a cameo

Marvel's Voices Infinity Comic #86 - Marlo Chandler makes her first appearance since becoming the new Mistress Death. Nico Minoru also appears.

That's it for new stuff this week (unless I missed something - if so, please chime in), but it was also announced that there will be a new Web-Weaver story in an upcoming issue of the current EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE miniseries.

[Lucas 35]

What are your thoughts on Shatterstar's new look/beard?

[Rift]

I'm not feeling his hair. Flop era. But I like the beard because it makes him look like D-Man.

[Dermie]

The Week In Gay:

10 new books this week.

Immortal Thor #6 - Loki is part of the supporting cast

Power Pack : Into The Storm #1 of 5 - Julie Power is in this, but it is a flashback mini set years before she later comes out as bisexual.

X-Force #48 - Northstar has a cameo appearance.

And for the digital comics....

Alligator Loki Infinity Comic #33 - Loki appears.

Marvel's Voices Infinity Comic #87 - the A-Force arc continues. Nico Minoru and Marlo Chandler-Jones appear.

X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #123 - Shatterstar and Captain Britain (Betsy) both join the story.

[witchboy]

I just want the same thing I want every year, for Marvel to finally let Johnny Storm come out.

Finding out that it was Slott’s initial plan frustrates me to no end. It was so close, and would have been great to have a queer character on a team that never permanently changes its roster and is unlikely to be cancelled.

Marjorie Lui even confirmed that Johnny and Daken had a thing, which was pretty well implied and everyone just ignores that it happened.

[witchboy]

I really dislike the new Shatterstar look. It ages him too much.

[Dermie]

Marjorie Lui even confirmed that Johnny and Daken had a thing, which was pretty well implied and everyone just ignores that it happened.

Exactly. Although Marvel has not yet allowed anyone to make Johnny explicitly bisexual on-panel there have already been examples of writers writing him that way. The Daken thing was probably the closest we've come to it being made explicit, followed by Dan Slott's attempt. But there have also been other moments throughout the years where it was at least toyed with in a gay-coded way.

Still think the best bet for some LGBT rep in the FF is to have Franklin be gay

That would probably get less pushback from some readers than outing Johnny as bi...but there would undoubtedly still be some flak over it due to the Franklin/Rachel romance in "Days Of Future Past". There were some people who cited that romance as an objection when the Rachel/Besty same-sex romance became official a year or so ago.

[Dermie]

I really dislike the new Shatterstar look. It ages him too much.

I don't dislike it, but I agree the beard does make him look older. I think it suits him in the current "Fall Of X" climate, but I would prefer him to eventually shave it off.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Marjorie Lui even confirmed that Johnny and Daken had a thing, which was pretty well implied and everyone just ignores that it happened.

I'm pro-anything that keeps Johnny away from Stereotypical depraved bi-sexual Daken, personally.

[Dermie]

I'm pro-anything that keeps Johnny away from Stereotypical depraved bi-sexual Daken, personally.

Daken has had some character growth since then and seems to be past his "depraved" stage now. He's also involved in a serious relationship, so I don't think you need to worry too much about Johnny and Daken resuming the "with benefits" part of their friendship.

[Dermie]

The Week In Gay:

12 new books released this week.

Avengers Inc #5 - sadly this is the series finale for Al Ewing's latest Avengers book. Nadia Van Dyne makes an appearance.

Dead X-Men #1 of 4 - Prodigy is on this timeline-hopping team, and Askani (Rachel Summers) is the one guiding them.

Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld #3 of 4 - Iceman appears in this flashback miniseries set between pages of the original SECRET WARS series. Since it is a flashback this is long before Bobby came out of the closet.

Spider-Boy #3 - Hercules has a tiny background cameo in this issue.

Wolverine #42 - Northstar guest stars.

Marvel's Voices: Legends #1 (2024) - no LGBT content in the stories, but one of the bonus materials is a spotlight on artist Matt Baker.

And for the digital comics...

Alligator Loki Infinity Comic #34 - Loki and Scout appear.

Marvel's Voices Infinity Comic #88 - the "A-Force" arc continues. Nico Minoru has an appearance and Dazzler goes in search for Starfox.

X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #124 - Shatterstar and Somnus both appear, and Rictor has a cameo. Gay-adjacent character Multiple Man is also in the cast.

I think that's everything for this week, but please let me know if I missed something.