Has Daken every said, explicitly, that he's bisexual?
ANOLE [Victor Borkowski]
BLING! [Roxanne ‘Roxy’ Washington]
CULLEN BLOODSTONE
DAKEN AKIHIRO
HULKLING [Theodore ‘Teddy’ Altman]
KARMA [Xi’an Coy Mahn]
KAROLINA DEAN
LOKI LAUFEYSON, God of Mischief
MOONDRAGON [Heather Douglas]
MYSTIQUE [Raven Darkholme]
NORTHSTAR [Jean-Paul Beaubier]
PRODIGY [David Alleyne]
RICTOR [Julio Esteban Ricter]
SHATTERSTAR [Gaveedra-7]
WICCAN [William ‘Billy’ Kaplan], the Demiurge
Has Daken every said, explicitly, that he's bisexual?
Thanks for taking up the time to create this thread, Kieran. LGBT heroes always deserve some love, and I long for the day when we can see a big name character come out of the closet.
Out of everyone on the poll, while it was a tough call to choose between Billy and Teddy.... yeah, I had to give my vote to Hulkling as my favorite. I've been out of comics for a few years, and while I've yet to pick up Kieron Gillen's Young Avengers run, I really felt for the guy, with everything he had to go through in Allan Heinberg's time writing him. Losing his Mom, feeling like a true outsider, realizing your life is a lie... I obviously can't fully relate in that aspect, but at the same time, he has such wonderful romantic chemistry with Wiccan. Definitely a fantastic written couple that gives me hope for other writers to introduce a sweet romance like that.
I'm inclined towards Death of the Author. Authorial intent matters less than what's on the page. I should not need to read supplemental interviews to get the full story. McKeever, Claremont, whoever - they can say what they want, but the fact remains that, using strictly what's been shown on-panel, it is not at all clear that Mystique is bisexual. She's never identified as such. She's shown sexual and romantic interest in countless men, but only ever in a single woman. Is she interested in other woman? Who the hell knows, at this point? We've never seen any indication, at all, ever, in any book, that she has even the slightest actual interest in other women. "Straight with an exception" is an orientation that exists along the spectrum, and right now, that is exactly as likely as her being bisexual.
Daken constantly flirted with Bullseye in Dark Avengers, and he hooked up with a couple guys in his own solo title. And he also slept with women, of course. Daken is definitely bisexual.
Somebody clue me in on Moondragon. Is she alive and is she still a dragon?
True enough, but it does indicate that Marvel's writers (or at least some of them) view her character as bisexual, in accordance with the intentions of her creator. Its not on-panel clarification, true, but its something.
I've always been a bit surprised at the level of backlash over that. I mean, yes, ABSOLUTELY it would have been preferable for Dumbledore's orientation to have been made clearer in the book. But when Rowling made that statement in the interview, I did not take that as new information--I took it as confirmation of subtext I had already felt was there when I was reading the book. When reading the stuff about Dumbledore's youth and friendship with Grindlewald, I had always felt she was implying something gay there, so I have always been surprised at how many people say it was something she made up after the fact. I realize it was subtle and would slip past a lot of readers....but I didn't think it was that subtle that people would deny that it was there once it was pointed out.
Stonewall, on the other hand, I agree had no hints or subtext--aside from his codename, which was unintentional on Hickman's part. Hopefully his alleged LGBT Avenger(s) will fare a bit better...either under him, or under Spencer in AVENGERS WORLD.
I agree with that, at least up to an extent. The on-panel, confirmed-in-continuity material is the ultimate bottom line. But the behind-the-scenes info is worth taking into consideration for what it does bring to the table. It shouldn't take the place of in-story content though.Originally Posted by Tiamatty
Boy.....hard vote. I placed Shatterstar number one for political reasons ( to annoy Rob Liefeld...I admit.) But, he (Shatterstar) is still pretty cool. Glad he got the haircut. Wiccan and Hulkling next and Richtor close 4th. Don't know what to think about Loki...super cool though.
Moondragon, ornery as she can be has always been a favorite. Mystique ....a favorite villain. Don't know if a shapeshifter like her and Hulking (awesome as they are)count though.
Yes, loved Peter Davids' rendering of Shatterstar and Longshots' relationship (and I do not mean romance)at the end of X-Factor last run.And his use of gay characters in general. Kudos to him.
I'm becoming doubtful it'll show up in World. Most of the new characters have already had their spotlight issues come and go. There's still Nightmask, but he comes across as being a bit above it all, so I'm not sure how likely he is to be gay or bisexual.
Starbrand and Hyperion struck me as the most likely candidates, but Starbrand's spotlight makes that feel less likely.
I'm still annoyed that, two years in, we still haven't actually gotten even a clue about who the LGBT character is. I honestly wonder if it's actually going to be revealed on-panel, or if Hickman's going to just leave it to be revealed in an interview again.
Out of curiosity, has Hickman ever had an openly LGBT character in any of his works? I haven't read his creator-owned stuff, so I don't know if he's had any LGBT characters in any of those.
Okay, I think this debate has gone on long enough; and truth be told something Dermie said really struck home: "it was a baby step." I think, in 2014, where we have openly LGBT characters in mainstream comics, main cast members in one of America's most popular comedy series are gay and adopted a child AND the series finale (and first ever 2-part episode) will be their Wedding, Ellen hosts THE definitive daytime chat show, many states have gay marriage, as do many countries (holla Britain!!!)... I think I've got spoilt. I think I have been forgetting how HUGE these achievements are, when back in 1991 there was an official policy at Marvel that said: NO GAYS!!! I forgot that when Queer as Folk first aired in the UK in 1995, despite being very late, it was still massively controversial. I forget that Ellen (now adored) faced career suicide after coming out in her show (my friends remember their moms not letting them watch it anymore).
And, if you look at media, nearly always the first step involves a female LGBT. I think it's more comfortable for people to start with that, I don't know? But lesbian (or female bisexual) characters nearly always began the major appearances in TV or film. Often it was coded, or vague... but it was a VITAL baby step. And whether I consider Mystique bisexual or not, she WAS in a very confirmed, loving relationship with a woman. LGBT means more than "lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender." It encompasses the whole spectrum; and Mystique DOES fall into that, even if only 1 on the Kinsey Scale.
So with that in mind: LIST TIME!!! Help me out, add what you want, I've already put this in the 2nd OP, and will add to it when others make suggestions.
LGBT ON-GOING SERIES
(2005) Mystique #1-24 [MARVEL'S FIRST LGBT ON-GOING]
(2009) Dark Wolverine vol. 1 #75-90
(2010) Daken: Dark Wolverine vol. 2 #1-23
(2014) Loki: Agent of Asgard #1-PRESENT
LGBT MINI-SERIES
(1994) Northstar #1-4
(1996) Sabertooth & Mystique #1-4
(2010) Avengers: Children's Crusade #1-12 [nom. 2011 GLAAD Media Award] [nom. 2012 GLAAD Media Award]
IMPORTANT LGBT COMICS
(2003) X-Statix #1-26 [nom. 2003 GLAAD Media Award]
(2005) Young Avengers vol. 1 #1-12 [AWARDED 2006 GLAAD MEDIA AWARD]
(2006) X-factor vol. 3 #43-50/200-259 [nom. 2010 GLAAD Media Award] [AWARDED 2011 GLAAD MEDIA AWARD] [nom. 2012 GLAAD Media Award]
(2012) Astonishing X-men #48-68 [nom. 2013 GLAAD Media Award]
(2013) Fearless Defenders #1-13 [nom. 2014 GLAAD Media Award]
(2013) Young Avengers vol. 2 #1-15 [AWARDED 2014 GLAAD MEDIA AWARD]
Last edited by Kieran_Frost; 06-13-2014 at 01:47 AM.