Do we have a NEW bi superhero? (Title edited as "First" is evidently not appropriate)

[icon_uk]

Remember that unlettered page from Avengers Academy

CBR has the lettered version plus more









 

Comments

[drexer]

How can something start so well and then throw the gay=molestation trope at us? Why was that needed? Specially with the way he says 'this way'.

I might be overly critical though, this is really one of those situations where I'll probably have a flip through the whole issue at my LCS.

[nomadicwriter]

It's worth reading the attached article: Gage is clearly very aware of the trope and trying to tackle it head on and talk about how being an abuse survivor can complicate a teenager's relationship with their sexuality. Which is... brave, although I've got to say I'm nervous about how successfully it will come off.

Q: Were you at all nervous about taking Striker in this direction, especially after playing him as a shameless flirt for the last 20 issues? Do you fear any negative reader response?

Gage: I wasn't worried about a backlash for him being gay. I think it's pretty clear, if you go back and read issue #5, that this is something that's been part of his character all along, not something I did to draw attention to the book or pursue a political agenda or whatever. [...] The thing I did have a little bit of concern about was that no one mistakenly think I was implying that being abused as a child somehow "made" Striker gay. Quite the opposite -- if he hadn't been abused, he may well have figured this out a long time ago. But making that clear is on my shoulders. Hopefully, I got it across in the story.

[valtyr]

It seems like that's just Striker's worry talking, and Julie will knock that assumption down. I went and read the interview with Christos Gage at the link, and he talks about how being an abuse survivor can lead people, gay or straight, to struggle with their sexuality/who they're attracted to. It's the second from last question, might be worth checking it out if you're on the fence about looking at the comic.

[valtyr]

Aren't Rictor and Shatterstar bi?

I like this, though. It's nice to see them offering each other support.

[terrykun]

Oh Julie.... god I know what all that is like.*

"This is because you watched all that anime, isn't it?!" << Actual excerpt from my mother's reaction to me coming out as bi.




*Except for the getting super-powers from alien horses part. *envy*

[icon_uk]

I'm not sure how Rictor and Shatterstar self-identify, or if Shatterstar even has a relevant frame of reference for such things.

[drexer]

Yeah, I had first seen this and posted through my phone and I only read the full interview now. You're right, it does seem like most usual fears are unfounded and that Gage really is trying to fully work with the issue and all that surrounds it.

Like you said, it's a bold move, but I fear for his success.

[whitesycamore]

You think it started well? The sentiment is noble, but the whole thing reads in the most clunky, dorky, preachy way ever.

But judging from the interview the writer is actually trying to do the molestation = sexual confusion trope, which is a separate and legitimate thing for some people.

[manicferret]

Bi woman here, and yeah, I appreciate the sentiment that they're trying to get across but yeah, a bit preachy and clunky in the Special Episode kind of way. I won't pass judgement on the "molestation=gay" until I see the continuation, Julie's reaction and so on The writer does seem to be genuinely trying to be respectful at least if you go by the article

As for first bi characters, I think Mystique counts, as does Rictor and Shatterstar, and so does Daken. probably more as I remember having read a great blog post on the issue. I'll see if I can find it.

[icon_uk]

Mystique is an unusual case, being able to modfy her gender at will. She has had relationships with both genders and quite possible in all gender combinations possible (The only one I wouldn't be sure about would be male/male and that's only because I don't recall seeing it rather than it not being something she'd enjoy) and thus able to function as male or female as the mood takes her.

I'd forgotten about Rictor, who probably would identify as bi (but I couldn't tell you if he has so, wouldn't want to pigeonhole him that way), and Shatterstar quite possibly wouldn't understand the question.

Daken (and Mystique) also aren't superheroes in my assessment on them.

Making a hero bi has a different "feel" to it than making a villain bi IMHO, as it would be possible to imagine a writer (in a less enlightened time) simply making a villain bi to make them appear less "normal" and more "perverse" (and I hasten to distance myself from such a POV as you might imagine!)

[eyz]

Wasn't Grace bi as well? :P
(...Grace... Grace Choi remember? from the Outsiders - the good ones!)

She did swing both ways, she was with Arsneal for quite a while and then with Black Lightning's daughter Thunder.

Anyway, that's how I remember it~

[akodo_rokku]

Yes. Though as she put it, "I have sex with men. I have *relationships* with women."

[biod]

The Incredible Hercules is bi.

[terrykun]

"You make it sound so simple."
"It's really not."

[icon_uk]

Whilst you are correct that Grace did indeed "Have sex with men, but had relationships with women" (as I think she put it), I would disagree on one point, those were NOT the "good" Outsiders. The good Outsiders were the ones with Geo-Force, Halo, Katana, Metamorpho, Black Lightning and Looker! :P

[salinea]

I'm not sure how Rictor and Shatterstar self-identify
I don't think they do, but by that strict a standard, it's not exactly like she said she self identified yet either.

[salinea]

Isn't Black Cat bi, too?

Moondragon and Phyla-Vell, the wikipedia has them as Bisexual rather than Lesbian - are they right?

[eyz]

Lemme rephrase it in a way everybody will agree:
"the last good variation of the Outsiders"

[eyz]

Aww, I though her relationship with Roy was pretty sweet :/
It was also the last enjoyable stories where Roy was actually pretty well written.

[darkknightjrk]

I don't know if they've said it out-loud--I only have the first trade of this run--but from interviews I've seen, PAD's described Shatterstar sorta like a Jack Harkness, which makes bi a strong possibility, and I think I've seen him mention that Richtor's relationships with women like Rhane were valid, which could go either way.

[akodo_rokku]

Yeah I really enjoyed pretty much that entire Outsiders run. It was the first thing to turn me on to Judd Winnick. Who of course then turned out to be extremely dodgy, but still. Shift and Indigo? Most amazing tragic love story in comics.

[joasakura]

I *think* word of god has Rictor identifying as Bi. I might be getting it confused with fanon, but i'm pretty sure.

I think 'star is still working it out beyond "rictorsexual" (I know he's been described as being curious like Jack Harkness, which would really be more pansexual)

[flidgetjerome]

Starman Mikaal Tomas used to identify as bisexual, including a pretty nice scene where he gently corrected Jack Knight after Jack referred to him as "my gay blue brother".

It rather broke my heart when Robinson revised him to gay. "Bisexuals just haven't picked a side yet" is another trope that really needs to die.

[salinea]

"Bisexuals just haven't picked a side yet" is another trope that really needs to die.
Motto.

[eyz]

I still miss Indigo (and Shift) these days :(
Yeah it was the run that made me like Winnick's writing (unlike everything else he writes usually...)

Then One Year Later shaked the book, Batman comes out of nowhere to ruin the lineup of the team, book changes name, etc,etc.. -sigh-