Hey kids! Spot the gay guy:
From JSA #3
(Hint: He's the only surviving child of a founding member of the JSA, in a storyline completely concerned with the descendants and family members of founding members of the JSA and other Golden Age heroes. And he's nowhere to be seen. )
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
The Myth of Diversity at DC Comics
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12 comments:
Why, he must be the guy who took the picture!
Seriously though, this is absurd.
To be a naive optimist, Obsidian is a guy whose powers are based around shadow and being unseen. And the Shade at least could teleport via shadow.
I'm not saying you're wrong, but he may have a good reason for not being in this "leaping into action" shot. (i.e. he's already gone, two panels before, or something, or he's deliberately keeping unseen for some reason)
Of course, it'd better be a damned good reason because otherwise this is beyond ridiculous.
(Though it occurs to me, Johns hasn't shied from writing Obsidian before. So it's possible that the fact that we haven't actually seen him directly will end up significant. Like a set up for a really climactic entrance. That could end up pretty cool.)
I noticed his conspicuous absence as well, but I'm giving Johns to the end of this first storyline to do more with Obsidian than a one-panel "security guard" gag.
I used to really like this book, but the relaunch is just annoying me left and right.
My comment is on my blog.
Thanks, Ray, for being ever so vigilant about the invisibility of gay people in comics.
I'd rather be crowing about the visibility of LGBT characters instead of watching them get shoved off-stage back into the shadows.
Obsidian has only appeared in two silent panels in this series so far. I fail to see how this is an improvement over his portrayal as a heroic gay man in Manhunter.
Thank goodness Johns and Ross rescued him from being further molested by Marc Andreyko.
//sarcasm off.
Eep! I realize when I said, "thank you for..." I meant vigilant about the VISIBILITY and not INVISIBILITY. It makes it sound that you're wanting gay characters to be INVISIBLE. Sorry about that!
I have to admit that I'm willing to give it a few issues because I do think Geoff Johns will use him. I don't know if anybody can write him as well as Marc Andreyko (WHY, OH, WHY IS MANHUNTER BEING CANCELLED AGAIN?!?!?!). So, like Kalinara, I'm willing to give it a chance. BUT, I am jarred by the fact that this panel is yet another key image coming out of DC that has NO diversity in it outside of being gender balanced.
Hey Loren - double eep - I just realized it looked like I was snarking at you, when my sarcasm was directed at the universe in general - or mostly at Alex Ross and Geoff Johns. I love your blog and its focus on over-all diversity in comics.
My blog is suppossed to be all about hot guys in tight costumes and underwear, but its hard for me not to notice when gay characters get marginalized imediately after they get some positive exposure. One step forward equals ten steps back at DC comics. I'm not even angry about it; just dissapointed. I really wanted to love the heck out of the new JSA but now its just distressing to see how they've sidelined Obsidian just to keep him from being written as gay.
(On a fashion-related note: that's one fugly costume that the tornado chick is wearing. yeesh.
I think there are actually two surviving children of JSA founders. Is there a reason Damage wouldn't count? Is he dead?
Just to be clear, I'm not saying this excuses Obsidian's absence in any way.
Nicolas
Hey Nicolas,
I was referring to a specific JSA founder - Green Lantern - whose daughter was recently killed-off in the latest DC Crisis (though I doubt it'll stick - she'll probably come back one way or another).
That's what is so odd about Obsidan being side-lined for this story; it deals with how the JSA handles a threat to their families and descendants (which is fast becoming a cliche storyline at DC), and Johns even went so far as to invent a kid for Wildcat, when Obsidan could have easily filled whatever story arc Johns has planned with that Father-Son sub-plot.
You'd think Alan Scott would be extremely protective - or at least a bit concerned - about his only remaining child so soon after the death of his daughter, but he's acting as if Todd doesn't even exist.
Thanks. "Spot the gay guy" is exactly the reason I keep visiting your blog.
To be fair (and/or naive) though, there's an article one newsarama.com (can't find the link right now) that's written from the villains perspective (supposedly by Johns, at least I hope so), which suggests that Todd's recent invisibilty is because
a) Alan being overprotective of his only remaining child or
b) Obsidian having a secret Agenda of his own,
so my hopes are still up for the future of this new JSA and I still (kind of sheepishly, I'll admit) hope for him to swoop in at the end of this arc to save the Justice Society (and my faith in DC's most recent attempt at Diversity).
Uh... since JSA 3 isn't out yet, how do we know they're not all on their way to assist obsidian in a fight? just a thought...
I just found your blog and now I am obsessed with it. Hot guy, amazing panels and the best - - postings like this.
I noticed this as well and I hope that there are plans for Obsidian in the NEAR future in the JSA. Having him "mind the store" will do nothing more than piss me off.
Thanks for the incredible blog!
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