LGBT+ Marvel Characters Discussion

[Wiccan615]

Lol @ the pandering argument, I've heard that so many times, usually from homophobes who don't want equal representation at all. It's a weak argument because pandering is subjective and isn't inherently a bad thing.You call it pandering, I call it representing, bad pandering is when they go out of their way for a certain demo for no reason besides political. This would be a good move because it could actually work with the character AND represent a minority; it works from a storytelling perspective and represents a minority. If that's pandering, again not seeing how it's a bad thing. I disagree with you but I'm not going to repeat myself again. Let's just agree to disagree.

[wonderlad]

Much as I'd like to see it happen I don't see Marvel outing Iceman anytime soon. With regard to Karma I guess the main reason she's not used that often is her powers are generic - mutant psychic/mind power - and with Betsy, Rachel, Jeen, the Cuckoos, Emma around, writers have put her on the bottom of that list.

[BroHomo]

Lol @ the pandering argument, I've heard that so many times, usually from homophobes who don't want equal representation at all. It's a weak argument because pandering is subjective and isn't inherently a bad thing.You call it pandering, I call it representing, bad pandering is when they go out of their way for a certain demo for no reason besides political. This would be a good move because it could actually work with the character AND represent a minority; it works from a storytelling perspective and represents a minority. If that's pandering, again not seeing how it's a bad thing. I disagree with you but I'm not going to repeat myself again. Let's just agree to disagree.

As a gay dude i kinda take offense to being called a homophobe.

Much as I'd like to see it happen I don't see Marvel outing Iceman anytime soon. With regard to Karma I guess the main reason she's not used that often is her powers are generic - mutant psychic/mind power - and with Betsy, Rachel, Jeen, the Cuckoos, Emma around, writers have put her on the bottom of that list.

yeah I don't get that, Her power is possession, in the New Mutants: Truth or Dare mini Xavier commented that her control over this aspect rivals his own, but that is def getting ignored. ever single one of those ladies perform all these feats, but the one powered up minority telepath is reduced to Librarian status.

[Wiccan615]

GOD I'd love to have Daken again take over Wolverine's solo series. Failing that... I reaaaaaally think he'd be brilliant to join Cyclops' team. He can "play nice", and he can be more an anti-hero than villain. Maybe (to justify it) after Logan's death, Scott takes Daken under his wing to redeem him, out of respect for his father?

I would LOVE that, I've heard rumours of Daken having some role in TDOW, it'll be interesting to see how he reacts to his father's death.

[Kieran_Frost]

Much as I'd like to see it happen I don't see Marvel outing Iceman anytime soon. With regard to Karma I guess the main reason she's not used that often is her powers are generic - mutant psychic/mind power - and with Betsy, Rachel, Jeen, the Cuckoos, Emma around, writers have put her on the bottom of that list.

Telepaths attract two things - sexuality and Scott Summers

I would LOVE that, I've heard rumours of Daken having some role in TDOW, it'll be interesting to see how he reacts to his father's death.

Right now my major hope is Remender doesn't kill him (again) at the end of Uncanny Avengers. REALLY want him back in the X-verse. It's always good drama to have a "less trusted" person on the cast (esp. one who is snarky and wonderfully manipulative). It would be like when Emma first joined in New x-men.

[Tiamatty]

Yeah I feel the same way about Iceman AND Prodigy. Making Teen Iceman gay would make even less sense and throw out everything (albeit little) Iceman has ever said/done in past relationships. Let's start my creating compelling LGBT characters from scratch not just adding sexuality to them to make them "hip and cool"

That's the worst kinda pandering. It's like making Xander gay in the Buffy series just cause they needed something for him to do.

I actually like Prodigy. I think he's neat.

[Kieran_Frost]

Also, forgot to mention how THRILLED I am that Wiccan is hands down the winner of the poll. I'm unsurprised the glorious Demiurge is the most loved LGBT character - visually stunning costume, awesome powers, connections to the most bad-ass family (Maximoff/Lensherr) in the MU... and to boot he has the world's best boyfriend who he loves with all his heart... awwww, bless!

WICCAN WINS!!!!

[Kieran_Frost]

While I understand why X-men: Days of Future Past (2014) used Quicksilver (to get in before the Avengers films), anyone a little sad it wasn't Northstar? The story wouldn't have changed at all (and Logan knowing him would make sense - Alpha Flight). I'm surprised Bryan Singer (and openly gay director), who rightly makes the X-films a metaphor for gay rights, has still not had any openly LGBT characters (and therefore the MU films remain without ever having an openly LGBT character)

[BroHomo]

While I understand why X-men: Days of Future Past (2014) used Quicksilver (to get in before the Avengers films), anyone a little sad it wasn't Northstar? The story wouldn't have changed at all (and Logan knowing him would make sense - Alpha Flight). I'm surprised Bryan Singer (and openly gay director), who rightly makes the X-films a metaphor for gay rights, has still not had any openly LGBT characters (and therefore the MU films remain without ever having an openly LGBT character)

Well not sure about the metaphor for gay rights, seemed to me it was about civil rights in general but whatever....but just cause singer is gay doesn't make him more inclined to use northstar. i mean quicksilver is down with the mutant cause for a while. Northstar was "in the closet" about being a mutant for a while. wolverine knowing him wouldn't have made much sense, Since his memory is so jacked up, and you would have to explain to the audience who or what alpha flight is. And you wouldn't have the funny scene with Quicksilver and Magneto

[Kieran_Frost]

On the topic of Northstar's missed opportunity in the MU films, quick question for all the LGBT fans here...

QUESTION: which character would you like to see as openly LGBT in the MU films?

[Sutekh]

Looking at the characters listed, it was a choice between Rictor, Karolina Dean and Northstar, for me. Each of those three has dealt with some relationship issues that weren't handwaved away or just flat out ignored. Karolina had to deal with the doubts about Xavin's sexuality, which didn't seem to be as fluid as Xavin claimed (since 'he' defaulted to male form, when not consciously choosing to be female). Rictor had to deal with his friend Guido not dealing with it gracefully, with an ex-girlfriend wondering if she'd done something wrong and with Shatterstar's own sexuality being less 'gay' or 'bi' and more 'yes, please, and more, and again!' Northstar's journey has been a bit of a jumble, and had more than it's fair share of after-school-special moments, but he deserves mention for being the first out of the closet, and to have had the most storylines and history.

Other characters on the list are either gay or bi because they said so once, and have never been / will never be seen in a relationship ('safe' gay), or seem predatory and asexual, only using sex with either gender as part of an agenda, or might be gay, but since other characters seem to be forbidden to ever react in any way to their sexuality, aren't really representative of anything other than 'people who live in a magical fantasy land where everyone in the world is 100% accepting and none of their friends or family have any awkward questions or feelings or doubts.'

which character would you like to see as openly LGBT in the MU films?

The X-peeps are out of the question, as Marvel can't touch them. No Daken or Karma or Rictor or Shatterstar or Bling! or Anole.

Moondragon would have been a logical choice for GotG, but isn't being used in the first movie, as far as I know. She could still appear in a second movie, if it does well enough to warrant a second movie...

I've heard somewhere that Marvel has optioned the names for both Alpha Flight and the Runaways. That doesn't mean bupkiss, in the way of a promise of a future movie, but if those are in the running, then both Northstar and Karolina Dean shoot to the top of the list.

I haven't heard anything about a Young Avengers movie consideration (or even an animated film option), so Wiccan and Hulkling don't seem to be likely any time soon.

Loki already exists in cinematic universe continuity, but doesn't seem terribly interested in playing those reindeer games, with either gender. (Even the comic book version, who once said something gay-friendly, also once said he was Tyrion Lannister, so I'd take his 'gay' with a mountain of salt... The dude lies. He's actually known for it!)

Cullen Bloodstone is about as likely to be have a live-action onscreen presence as Medusa's hair-dryer*. He's been in, what, eighteen issues, tops? Stryker made it for thirty-nine issues, and he's in limbo. Julie Power has been around crazy amounts longer than both of them (even if only more recently outed), and I'm not seeing her on the big screen any time soon either (certainly not as a gay teen. At best she'd appear in a Power Pack cartoon as an eight-year old...).

[Kieran_Frost]

Looking at the characters listed, it was a choice between Rictor, Karolina Dean and Northstar, for me. Each of those three has dealt with some relationship issues that weren't handwaved away or just flat out ignored. Karolina had to deal with the doubts about Xavin's sexuality, which didn't seem to be as fluid as Xavin claimed (since 'he' defaulted to male form, when not consciously choosing to be female). Rictor had to deal with his friend Guido not dealing with it gracefully, with an ex-girlfriend wondering if she'd done something wrong and with Shatterstar's own sexuality being less 'gay' or 'bi' and more 'yes, please, and more, and again!' Northstar's journey has been a bit of a jumble, and had more than it's fair share of after-school-special moments, but he deserves mention for being the first out of the closet, and to have had the most storylines and history.

Other characters on the list are either gay or bi because they said so once, and have never been / will never be seen in a relationship ('safe' gay), or seem predatory and asexual, only using sex with either gender as part of an agenda, or might be gay, but since other characters seem to be forbidden to ever react in any way to their sexuality, aren't really representative of anything other than 'people who live in a magical fantasy land where everyone in the world is 100% accepting and none of their friends or family have any awkward questions or feelings or doubts.'

I agree we have too many LGBT characters without any form of romantic life (and that should change). Your passion is infectious. I'd add Wiccan/Hulkling to your list of "non: predatory/asexual/'safe' gay"

The X-peeps are out of the question, as Marvel can't touch them. No Daken or Karma or Rictor or Shatterstar or Bling! or Anole.

Sadly true... but even in the Fox films, still no LGBT mutants either.

Moondragon would have been a logical choice for GotG, but isn't being used in the first movie, as far as I know. She could still appear in a second movie, if it does well enough to warrant a second movie...

Agreed, HUGE missed opportunity...

I've heard somewhere that Marvel has optioned the names for both Alpha Flight and the Runaways. That doesn't mean bupkiss, in the way of a promise of a future movie, but if those are in the running, then both Northstar and Karolina Dean shoot to the top of the list.

Would Alpha Flight fall under Fox's banner?

I haven't heard anything about a Young Avengers movie consideration (or even an animated film option), so Wiccan and Hulkling don't seem to be likely any time soon.

I (sadly) truly believe the ONLY reason we haven't had an Young Avengers cartoon is because the network's a) don't want to be seen to "promote" a positive LGBT romance to kids b) don't want to be seen NOT mentioning Wiccan/Hulkling relationship (is ANY character had any love interest and these two remained sexless, there would be such a huge outrage over it).

Loki already exists in cinematic universe continuity, but doesn't seem terribly interested in playing those reindeer games, with either gender. (Even the comic book version, who once said something gay-friendly, also once said he was Tyrion Lannister, so I'd take his 'gay' with a mountain of salt... The dude lies. He's actually known for it!)

Young Avengers confirmed he was bisexual, and it was genuine (as "genuine" as Loki can be )

Cullen Bloodstone is about as likely to be have a live-action onscreen presence as Medusa's hair-dryer*. He's been in, what, eighteen issues, tops? Stryker made it for thirty-nine issues, and he's in limbo. Julie Power has been around crazy amounts longer than both of them (even if only more recently outed), and I'm not seeing her on the big screen any time soon either (certainly not as a gay teen. At best she'd appear in a Power Pack cartoon as an eight-year old...).

It's sad that Cullen or Stryker are the "best bet" right now (both awesome, but still... we have plenty of more famous/more prominent LGBT characters, it seems silly that ALL of them are off the table). *sigh*

[BroHomo]

Why all of a sudden do you discount Mystique and Storm for that matter?

[Sutekh]

You know bling! had a big storyline about her liking Mystique as Foxx, and recently got punched by Mercury for trying to kiss her soooo.

I have never actually read a comic with Bling! in it, other than her being in the background and not saying anything in various old issues of New X-Men (Match, Wolf Cub and Indra got a few words of actual dialogue in that run, by comparison), so I have no idea how her story has been presented. I do love her powerset, 'though, being like Rockslide, a 'tank' with a 'blast,' although, unlike Santo, looking cooler, IMO, and having a neater visual (I like the crystal shards much better than the 'rocket-fist').

Would Alpha Flight fall under Fox's banner?

You would think, with the introduction of Alpha in X-Men, and the strong Wolverine tie, but the films have gone out of their way to downplay that, so perhaps they left wiggle room for Marvel to snatch up Alpha Flight, in the process. Or perhaps it's a squishy shared area, like with Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch.

In any event, Northstar being actively an X-Man could lead to even an Alpha Flight movie being Northstar-less (with a larger focus on Aurora, instead), which, from the stance of this discussion (a Marvel movie LGBT character), would be sad.

[BroHomo]

I think Alpha flight being apart of Wolverines backstory means that fox owns them.