Even Reggie Mantle has standards

[skjam]

In my last post, we visited a potential future in which Kevin Keller can marry the man he loves and no one thought that was the least bit out of the ordinary.

But in the regular Archie comics, Mr. Keller must live in the eternal present. It's not quite as advanced a society....

Cover and four scans from Veronica Presents: Kevin Keller #4.



Previously, on Kevin Keller, our protagonist did well on Witmasters, a College Bowl-like TV show where he represented Riverdale. He's looking forward to a little less excitement.



Veronica has already entered Kevin in the race for class president. Reggie is already running himself, mainly to stroke his own ego. He's seen making extravagant promises he won't be able to keep.

The other front-runner is David Perkins, star quarterback and all-round popular fellow. Kevin doesn't see the point of having more than two strong contenders.

Betty, who is ineligible for class president as she's already held the job, explains that neither of the two other boys is really suitable for elective office. (Apparently she knows David better than we do.)

At home, Kevin's family and his buddy Jerry concur that he'd make a good class president.




I wonder who the disgruntled looking guy nominating Midge is?

Reggie is naturally displeased that he's out of the race thanks to golden boy Kevin, and initially David plays the statesman.




Even Reggie has standards. Lie, cheat, practical jokes, okay. Gay-bashing heck no.

The debate starts, and Kevin talks about equality and equity, while David pumps for a strong-man paternalistic leadership style. Soon, it's question time and the questions to Kevin take on a certain tone--"Do you have a girlfriend?" "What's your stance on 'Don't Ask Don't Tell?" "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?" "Do you have any dark secrets we should know about?"



David pretends gentlemanliness at the end of the debate, but inside he's seething.

Kevin's parents deal with homophobic remarks in the supermarket by other parents, and Archie does the same in the school hallway. (This being Archie Comics, they can't use some of the more offensive language, but most readers will get the point.)

Kevin spots one of David's "Hire a REAL MAN" posters, and asks David to express what's on his mind. As it turns out, David isn't just a cynical politician trying to use homophobia as an election tactic. He actually is confused and offended by gay people and their "agenda."

The final debate is open to the public (parents) and again David's shills try to hijack the audience question period. Colonel Keller speaks to his son's character.

While waiting for the election results at the Choklit Shoppe Kevin indulges in a brief fantasy about becoming U.S. President. He tries to hold a press conference about the budget conflict in Congress, but the reporters want to ask what it's like to be the first (openly) gay president, and the First Dog, and other matters. Oh, and there's still a war with American soldiers in the Middle East. :-( He meets briefly with the gang from Riverdale and affirms that their friendship means the world to him.

Back in "reality", Kevin wins the election, and David immediately demands a recount. For his first act as class president, Kevin Keller gets an ongoing series!




Your thoughts and comments?

SKJAM!

Comments

[shanejayell]

It's kinda sad that Archie of all companies is handling gay rights better than DC & Marvel. *lol*

[skjam]

The slightly more realistic setting helps there, I think. By not defaulting to using anti-mutant or anti-metahuman prejudice as a metaphor, Archie Comics has to be more straightforward.

[icon_uk]

Agreed, Archie is, even moreso than superhero comics, a soap opera... a very, very long form narrative. That makes it ideal for such things as introducing marginalised (if that's the proper word to use, I'm not sure) characters.

It was a UK medical soap which had the first inter-racial kiss on TV (Years before "Plato's Stepchildren" (Which wasn't even the first on on US TV, "The Man From UNCLE" had featured Ilya kissing an Asian woman two years beforehand))

Not sure about the US*, but in the UK, soap operas were amongst the first shows on TV (along with some somewhat... regrettable portrayals in sitcoms) to feature gay characters as ongoing characters. (Eastenders being something of a groundbreaker there)

* Though I have vague memories of the of the sons in "Dynasty" being gay

Also, some accidental googling suggests that the first scene of two men kissing on TV goes back to 1960 and included a young Sean Connery!

[stubbleupdate]

Was Beth Jordache in Brookie not before Eastenders? Or is the fact that her lesbianism was used more for titillation and less for actual story mean that they were less "characters"

Was Lindsey Corkhill a lesbian too, or am I imagining that?

[icon_uk]

Checking up (and doing more research on such a topic than I have done cumulatively in the past four decades), Brookside was indeed first, but not with Beth who didn't come along until 1992, but had teenage Gordon Willis come out as gay in 1985.

I believe though that Colin and Barry (and later Colin and Guido) were the first depiction of a gay couple AS a couple, who lived together and had the usual soap-like plots as straight couples (with the added "frisson" of Colin being under 21 when the relationship started (The age of consent for homosexuality wasn't lowered to be the same as heterosexuals at 16 until 2000) Also Colin and Guido were definitely the first same-sex, mouth on mouth kiss on primetime UK TV in 1989)

[blackruzsa]

The UK did a lot of 'first' things in media, but America gets to make bigger deals out of it because of the sheer amount of intolerance and stupidity present among some of its folk media coverage and Hollywood and such such.

It's fun to pretend you're groundbreaking, but it's still just pretend.

[raisedbymoogles]

I think they're the perfect company for the job, personally. Superhero comics have a "difficult to get into if you're not a Supernerd" rep working against them; Archie may not be as fancy or impressive, but anyone can pick up an Archie comic and enjoy it without having to consult Wikipedia to figure out what's going on. It can't be a bad thing for Kevin that he's not running around in tights or talking like an Asgardian or, I don't know, deploying Love Missiles or something. He looks and acts like a normal person, and that is something we need to see in media representation of gays. Any minorities, really.

Honestly, as bombastic as Marvel/DC can get, it'd be hard for them to introduce a gay character - or, for that matter, have an already-established character come out of the closet - without it looking like just another gimmick.

[jlbarnett]

very true. Basically anything superhero comics do is accused of being a gimmick

[raisedbymoogles]

To be fair, it's hard to not be gimmicky with costumed superhumans.

[auggie18]

...I want to be able to deploy Love Missiles.

[raisedbymoogles]

Don't we all. ;)

[icon_uk]

I've got yer love missile right h.. Oh, right, ahem, sorry... not that sort of forum.... ;)

[lilacsigil]

Honestly, as bombastic as Marvel/DC can get, it'd be hard for them to introduce a gay character - or, for that matter, have an already-established character come out of the closet - without it looking like just another gimmick.

I agree about an already-established character, but there's no reason why three or four of the kids in, say, Avengers Academy or any of the X-Men schools couldn't be queer. Then they can have exactly the same storylines as all the other characters.

[raisedbymoogles]

True, but - they wouldn't have their own title either. Although maybe one or more of the hypothetical gay kids could 'graduate' into a title of their own if there was enough fan support.

[auggie18]

Aren't they already sorta doing that? We've got Stryker and Lightspeed in AA and Anole and Greymalkin in WatX.


(And of course Wiccan and Hulkling in Young Avengers, Karma in New Mutants, Karoline and Xavin in the Runaways, etc.)

[salinea]

and Bling!

it's not quite 3-4; and they're not always the kids who are the most in the front light but it's not too bad. (and of course Young Avengers does too). Could still be better, I guess, the biggest problem with those sort of comics right now is that each series about a cast of kids can't seem to be able to stay more than a few years before falling to the way side while a new series about a cast kids.

But usually casts of teens tend to be the most diverse teams, on most fronts, out of superhero comics in general.

[lilacsigil]

That's sort of my point, though I'd like to see more in each large ensemble - it can be done with no great hype, just regular characterisation.

[leikomgwtfbbq]

It kind of is! XD

When the hell did Archie comics start being awesome?

[auggie18]

Good message! Neat story. Mediocre art. It isn't bad or anything, but it sorta makes me miss Dan Decarlo as the in-house style. Though I love David's "smug asshole" facial expressions.

Also kinda funny that Veronica is the one presenting him. I guess because he originated in her book?

[skjam]

Yep, Kevin is technically a Veronica spinoff. And she's clearly his biggest booster in the story. All the gang are his friends (Reggie being the token jerk friend), but Veronica is the one most invested in the friendship.

[pyrotwilight]

Y'know it's almost amusing just how close David and Kevin's look (outside of actual clothing anyway) both sporting wavy blond hair. Coincidental?

[drexer]

I noticed that too. Specially the panel where Kevin says "I can do the job just as good as David --make that better", the way his expression is drawn made me first think that was supposed to be some smug comment from David instead.

[stubbleupdate]

Be careful of what you hate, lest you become just like it.

[icon_uk]

David is going to go all Single White Female or appropriate alternative on Kevin?

[espanolbot]

Well, David beginning a revenge plot that involves crossdressing would definately be something people wouldn't be expecting.

[bradygirl_12]

Love Archie comics! With my superhero books, they were the ones I read most as a kid. :)

Talking about non-strictly straight characters in DC and Marvel, I'd love to see Dick show bisexuality openly. Perfect opportunity in this 'new' universe! He's had relationships with women but that doesn't mean he hasn't with men, too, or is just discovering that side of himself. Of all the characters in the DCU, he'd be plausible as coming out as bi, IMO.

Of course, they'll never do it, because despite DC trying to kill him off and otherwise treating him shabbily at times, he's still one of their most recognizable characters.

*sighs*

[icon_uk]

I imagine Reggie not taking advantage of a smear campaign like that would be for much the same reason as Doctor Doom; it'd be beneath him.

There are many worthwhile reasons for disliking someone, indeed hating them if their name is Reed Richards, but something like sexual orientation is not one of them from their POV.

[myhovercraftisfullofeels]

When Reggie Mantle finds your tactics deplorable, you really have to take a good long look at your life and your choices.

I always loved Archies when I was a kid, and now I remember why. Badasses to the core.

[darrylayo]

I'm irresponsibly biased about Archie Comics. I'm gonna go purchase this on Comixology right away/immediately.