From a a BBC article titled Batwoman hero returns as lesbian: "Comic book heroine Batwoman is to make a comeback as a 'lipstick lesbian' who moonlights as a crime fighter, a DC Comics spokesman has confirmed."
I don't object at all to the inclusion of ethnic minorities in comics, but could we leave the Judd Winnick gender-blendering out of the picture? It's not like sexual ambiguity is actually novel in Batman comics, after all, so DC doesn't need to covertly pat itself on the back for doing it.
The hilarious thing about this is that every time a DC writer manages to insert some gay-friendly bit of retcon into a comic book, it winds up in the press despite the absence of a press release from DC Comics. It suggests that somebody is running his own PR operation not under the control of DC or Time Warner which, for those of you who have never worked for a big company, is considered a bad thing. I doubt if it's in the best interests of a comic book company to be perceived as GLBT propaganda. I sure wouldn't let my kids read it.
So let me get this straight Lingster. Its okay for them to read a comic where people frequently engage in violence, but not if their exposed to the fact that some people are gay and some are straight? Seems like a bit of a strange double standard. Hmm... I just realized this is the first time I've posted on here after being a member for years and years, wish I had something more friendly to say. Oh well. C'est la vie.
Lingster
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Hey...
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70.88.191.xxx
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2006-05-30 18:02:54
If pissing you off got you to post, it's all good.
Delmo
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Thanks for filling me in...
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206.15.108.xxx
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2006-05-30 18:31:03
I first heard about this in Dial B for Blog, and was waiting for some kind of confirmation. I made the deductive leap that she might be Renee Montoya, who is a central character in 52, not Montoya's girlfriend.
Kathy Kane is back, but this time she's gay? Interesting, considering that once upon a time Renee Montoya was straight, too.
Let's see how long her character lasts. That asian gal who became the new Batgirl has hung up her cape & cowl, and is now a villain.
Fett
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81.153.94.xxx
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2006-05-30 18:42:33
I'm agree with both lingster and peirrotlunaire. I can't stand, "Let's make 'em gay" as if somehow that makes them 'different' and 'progressive'. It's counterproductive to say "See? Gays are just like you. That's why we make a big deal about putting them in a comic, because they're so different from you." Whatever.
But I'm also of the belief that if a comic can depict a rape or, in the case of 52, supervillains who tear people in half so that their entrails land on a watching crowd, I'm okay with depictions of homosexual acts, or (dare I say it) teenage sex.
Seriously, it's a fucked up world when it's more controversial to have two 15 year olds have a loving, consensual, sexual relationship than it is to have a graphic depiction of a rape and murder.
Holiday
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58.69.181.xxx
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2006-05-30 20:04:11
Don't worry about your kids, Lingster. These comics are no longer written for children anymore. Who would let kids read stuff like Identity Crisis knowing they would later by the comics that were promoted througout most of the its own story? Dr. Light is a rapist? Aw hell no! And what kid would want to make sense of all the history since the original Crisis?
But rewritting Kathy Kane seems to be the least of DC's latest ideas. At least they're not relaunching her character as an abused Asian girl. Cassandra was raised to not speak or read. So I think Batwoman is an improvement! I like how fit she appears in some pages.
masschine
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69.22.222.xxx
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2006-05-30 22:54:32
I liked the Batgirl character when they first introduced her. It was interesting to see the challenge of portraying someone who could only express herself with facial expressions and her fists.
A lot of characters have been abused. It makes for a more interesting character, or at least a character easier to make interesting as a rather stable person has to have more effort into them in order to keep them interesting.
Delmo
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Alex Ross designed this outfit
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206.15.108.xxx
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2006-05-31 00:33:29
I could've designed this outfit in my sleep.
zeiger
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71.203.207.xxx
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2006-05-31 13:08:01
I mean honestly, does it really matter? I have yet to read a mainstream Marvel/DC comic where the sexual orientation of a character has had any meaningful impact on plot or character development.
Quote:
I liked the Batgirl character when they first introduced her. It was interesting to see the challenge of portraying someone who could only express herself with facial expressions and her fists.
Except that whoever handled that book had nowhere the talent or capacity of George Perez (ie his run with Jericho from the Teen Titans), so they had to make her talk in the end. It suckered me in too, but then it just got bad.
petechons
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64.108.201.xxx
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2006-05-31 16:10:46
Lingster, I had no idea you felt this way! :p
Lingster
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Hm
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141.152.15.xxx
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2006-05-31 22:44:44
If you're being sarcastic I'm going to have to kill you.
Tara_Cross
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Hrrrm
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68.34.110.xxx
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2006-06-18 13:17:49
I have to admit I am not liking the fact that her sexuality is used as a novelty. If shes a lesbian so what so am i but, well i already said it so what?
