Marvel made headlines the other day by announcing that they were reviving an old comic book character, the Rawhide Kid. Okay, that's intersting enough, I suppose. I was curious what Marvel was going to do with the character, because Western comics have been making a small comeback lately. But that's not what was making the headlines. You see, not only were they going to bring back The Rawhide Kid, but it was announced that he was going to be gay! Shocking!
Now, I have no problem with gay characters in comics, per se. But what I do have a problem with is the fact that it seems that the character's sexuality is going to be the entire raison d'etre of the story.
Although shy with girls, the original Rawhide Kid was not intended to be gay. The new version uses double entendres and euphemisms to reveal his homosexuality without saying anything explicitly. Based on a blurb on Marvel's Web site, the tone may be campy.In a bubble in the first edition of the series, Rawhide Kid comments about the Lone Ranger: "I think that mask and the powder blue outfit are fantastic. I can certainly see why the Indian follows him around."
Just what the world needs--another campy gay retread of an old character. Way to get away from stereotypes and move into good storytelling, Marvel!
Look, here's the deal. Whether a character is gay, black, obsessed with disco, or whatever, it is death to storytelling to try and write about nothing but the one characteristic that you think "defines" the character. Nobody is "defined" by their sexuality--they're defined by their choices and actions. So if you want to have gay characters, have 'em--but don't revolve their lives around being gay. Make them real, accessible characters--because that's what gets people interested.
Article comments
1 - The Theory
good words. I agree with you 100%.
peace.
2 - Lunix
Sure you didn't like Tomb Rider, no? Or isn't it about placing a hyper hormonated erotic icon in front of her own regular comic book? Any difference here?
Come on, what`s the problem with letting us gay people have our own dosage of sexual enjoyment from a main character. I'm eagerly expecting this publishing, and waiting to have fun with this comic just as it is, a gay oriented fresh and funny product.
3 - Lunix
Sure you didn't like Tomb Rider, no? Or isn't it about placing a hyper hormonated erotic icon in front of her own regular comic book? Any difference here?
Come on, what`s the problem with letting us gay people have our own dosage of sexual enjoyment from a main character. I'm eagerly expecting this publishing, and waiting to have fun with this comic just as it is, a gay oriented fresh and funny product, aimed to get some pink bucks to Marvel.
4 - Lunix
8-( Sorry for posting twice and bad English. You can blame high latency for the first thing!
5 - Alex Knapp
I've got no beef with gay characters. I just have a problem with gay sterotypes, and I have a problem with selling any kind of story on the basis that the protagonist is gay, and not because it's a story worth telling.
6 - The Code
Action adventure about Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, encrypted messages from the Old Testament, a doomsday nuclear bomb and a gay hero.