Comic fandom call to...umm...lips?

Most of the wording borrowed, with permission, from

suyari @ LJ

It has finally happened.

http://www.shatteringtheearth.com/xfactor/45004.png

Why YES. That IS Star and Rictor kissing ON PANEL!

Marvel's finally allowed for it BUT typical of a comic company, they're gonna go with the majority. Whoever Yeas or Nays the most will decide whether we get to finally enjoy relationship equality in a medium that is way behind the times. The gay characters can finally do more than risk a way in the back, silhouetted hand hold. Or sitting next to each other a lot, and the random arm about the shoulders. We're not asking for much. We just want them to be allowed to visually express their feelings like anyone else.

So, this is a fandom call to arms. If you can just take 5 minutes to write a 'Good Job, Marvel. We'd really rather see relationship equality in comics' it'd be a big help. Because you know the homophobes will write in masses, without knowing a thing other than there are two male characters kissing. It will be enough for them. Why can't it be enough for us?

If you have the time, you can drop Marvel a line here: officex@marvel.com

Let the boys kiss too.

Thanks.

I personally admit that I've not actually seen the issue in question, only the scan. I don't have access to a comics shop, so I don't know for certain that this is up for a vote. But what I've heard is that if the Yeas win, Shatterstar stays in the title and they'll develop the relationship. If the Nays win, they'll find a way to write Shatterstar out of the title and there may even be a retcon of the kiss.

But even if it isn't, letting Marvel know that we're not afraid of two guys kissing in our comics is not a bad thing and giving PAD kudos for writing it? Well, it can't hurt. At all.

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	hallidae 2009-06-25 09:40 pm UTC (link)
	I'm in the Yay camp, sure, but why the hell is this even a voting issue? (Reply to this)(Thread)

yoritomo_reiko
2009-06-25 09:52 pm UTC (link)

I have no idea. Marvel's been really skittish about showing any signs of affection between homosexual couples. It might be their way of finding out if their customer base is willing to accept it.

Or it could be they're really skittish about it and want to be able to point to something and say, "See! This is why we haven't done this! Nobody wants it!"

...

Both of which are dumb, yes. I have no idea.

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hallidae
2009-06-25 10:06 pm UTC (link)

Marvel's tack annoys the shit out of me here. Part of the reason is the implications that Shatterstar would be written out if a one-panel kiss wasn't "accepted by the fanbase" (funny that Marvel actually gives a goddamn about what the fans think over this, after all the screaming over plot changes in the past years). After all the development he and Rictor have already been through when it comes to each other, this is insulting as fuck.

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wonderfish
2009-06-25 10:19 pm UTC (link)

I've not really seen it phrased elsewhere as a voting issue so much as "PAD says he'll keep Shatterstar around if people want him, but he doesn't have plans past issue 50". I don't think this is a bigger Marvel thing.

(Not that PAD isn't kind of a creepy dick, so who knows what his actual thoughts on the matter are.)

I remain cautiously optimistic as to how this will all play out. Lord knows it's taken long enough.

(delete/reposted for robust server and less sarcastic icon)

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obsidianwolf
2009-06-25 10:24 pm UTC (link)

Given some of the things Peter David has said about Rictor and Shatterstar in the past. Somethign to the effect of it was more fun to keep folks guessing than reveal Rictor's sexuality.

Not to mention some of his other past actions involving same sex couples (Captain Marvel Vol 3 don't get me started on that ending) and how he treats the straight couples in X-factor I don't think this is going to end well.

I also think you are right and this is Peter David's idea not Marvel's since given some of the flak Marvel has taken for their handling of other gay characters the company would have to be really stupid to do this.

Of course this is Marvel so they might actually be that stupid.

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	wonderfish 2009-06-25 10:31 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, exactly. I doubt it will be as simple or as pleasant as it looks, considering he's sworn up and down he'd never confirm anything. Of course he also swore he'd never put 'Star on the book... (I intend to enjoy it until he takes it apart, anyway. What can I say, I love my trilingual time traveller from another dimension with stupid hair.) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	obsidianwolf 2009-06-25 10:36 pm UTC (link)
	I agree I'll enjoy it from a distance as long as it last. (I refuse to buy any book Peter David is writing) I just can't help but wish a different writer was handling both this. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

wonderfish
2009-06-25 11:24 pm UTC (link)

I'm not sure there are a lot of writers I would trust to handle it. Fabian, maybe? PAD, I feel, is not so much a bad writer as a bad person. (And definitely not fond of happy endings. Which is fair enough, but that doesn't mean I have to encourage him.)

I'm not sure whether to write in or not. I feel weird about encouraging his ego, even if, y'know, Ric/'Star woooooo.

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obsidianwolf
2009-06-25 11:29 pm UTC (link)

I don't have any specific authors in mind it's just I keep picturing how Peter David handled the Rick/Margo/Moondragon/Phyla thing at the end of his run on Captain Marvel.

Peter David is kind of hit or miss as a writer to me. I mean Young Justice was brilliant but his Supergirl run was just bad and had some real wall banger moments other stuff like his Captain marvel run is a mixed bag.

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wonderfish
2009-06-26 12:03 am UTC (link)

Ah, I didn't ever read Captain Marvel. I will defer to your judgment on that one. (Considering his attitudes towards women and black people, it wouldn't surprise me if this is a weird condescending disaster, anyway.)

He definitely can be good, but he's a little too in love with his own importance to be reliable.

(Disclaimer: I have only read some Young Justice and early Madrox/X-Factor, so I have probably been too lucky to judge fairly.)

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obsidianwolf
2009-06-26 12:17 am UTC (link)

The big issue I had with Captain Marvel was how the endign was handled.

First Margo leaves Rick for Heather and for the most part they seem happy. Then in the final few issues when he's wrapping up everything cause the title is being cancelled he has Margo and Rick get back together. Heather lies and says she accidentally influenced Margo to be gay and Rick makes some smark ass comment amounting to thank god she wasn't really questioning her sexuality.

Then Phyla and Heather hook up out of nowhere in a clear cut example of your both lesbians you hook up so folks don't bitch at me for having Margo leave Heather all alone.

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	wonderfish 2009-06-27 04:40 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, that ... doesn't really surprise me. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	littlest_lurker 2009-06-27 04:12 am UTC (link)
	Jeff Parker! I mean, I don't know if he has any experience with the characters, but his writing is consistently awesome and is basically the only Marvel writer I'm following at the moment. I think I'm a couple issues behind on Agents of Atlas though. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonderfish 2009-06-27 04:39 am UTC (link)
	Oooh. Good thinking. I would also have accepted Joe Kelly (even though I think I've somehow managed to avoid all his superhero work; nobody who could make I Kill Giants could be bad). Or Paul Tobin! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	hallidae 2009-06-27 04:52 pm UTC (link)
	This, this, this! Jeff Parker can pretty much do no wrong these days. Though JMS is luring me back into Thor with the story of Kelda and Bill, Son of Bills (of course, as soon as I start liking it, he has to decide to leave the title. Bah!) And whoever's been doing Incredible Hercules is pretty good. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	anarchicq 2009-06-25 11:04 pm UTC (link)
	HOLY SHIT ROCK & RULE!! I mean...duh, Marvel! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	obsidianwolf 2009-06-25 11:07 pm UTC (link)
	I finally rewatched it on Youtube recently to make sure it was worth buying. (which I'm currently awaiting mail delivery on my DVD) I just had to do a couple of icons for it between it and Anamlympics my icon slots are over half really obscure animated movies. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anarchicq 2009-06-25 11:08 pm UTC (link)
	Let me just say that Mok is bad-ass. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	obsidianwolf 2009-06-25 11:12 pm UTC (link)
	If I had any Macro making skills I'd be all over some of his sneering facial expressions. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	rubymellon 2009-06-25 11:48 pm UTC (link)
	SEND LOVE THROOOOUGH I mean, um, yay for Rock & Rule. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	obsidianwolf 2009-06-25 11:54 pm UTC (link)
	Truly an underrated classic. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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