Follow

    Alan Scott

    Character » Alan Scott appears in 2016 issues.

    Alan Scott, the bearer of the mystical Starheart, is the original Golden Age Green Lantern and a founding member of the Justice Society of America. An all-time great, Alan continues to fight for truth, justice and freedom well into old age as a member of the Justice Society. He has now been introduced as an iconic gay character in DC's new reboot, Infinite Frontier.

    How Alan Scott became my biggest inspiration

    Avatar image for avengers_4everxx
    Avengers_4everXX

    175

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    Edited By Avengers_4everXX

    Okay. This is a topic that has been covered by many, but I would like to put my two cents in. And here's why. Surfing all the blog posts on CV about Alan Scott being gay in the DCnU, I've seen posts that praise it, posts that demonize it, and everywhere in between. Overall, I was appalled at the amount of ignorance I saw in the comments. So, as a member of the LGBT community, and more importantly, as a gay teenager, I would like to share with you just why this is one of the best things to come out of the DC reboot.

    Growing up, I never had a gay role model. I didn't have someone to look up to, who had been through what I was going through. There were no A-list LGBT comic book heroes. Now, I have always been very self-assured in who I was, but for those who aren't, look at what they had to work with. There was Northstar, who wasn't getting near the amount of attention he is now when I was twelve and thirteen. There was Batwoman, but for a gay boy trying to discover himself, a lesbian superhero wasn't really a great inspiration. To my mind, that just reinforced the idea that it was okay to be a lesbian, but not okay to be a gay man. When Wiccan and Hulkling finally came out in Young Avengers, it was great, but it was still about troubled gay teens. Never had I seen a confident, successful gay man portrayed in comics. Then the DC reboot happened, and it was announced that Alan Scott would be recreated as the late-twenties head of GBC, as well as the leader of the Earth 2 heroes as the Green Lantern. Oh, and he would be gay.

    To all of you who think that DC is doing this to just be "gayer" than Marvel, I have a question. Did you ever think about how much it would mean to all the young gay readers out there, struggling to find themselves, to open a comic book and see someone handsome and successful, who was also the leader of his world's heroes, be gay? Did you think about what kind of message that would send? I did. And the message that sends to young, confused readers is that you can be successful, and you can be a leader, whether you're gay or not. Even as someone who has been comfortably out for three years, it inspires me to see DC have a gay character lead one of its premiere super-teams. That's what Alan Scott can be to readers who are struggling with their sexuality: an inspiration, and a symbol that you can achieve anything, no matter who you are.

    To all those who complain about DC altering a character with such a long history, I have several things to say. First, it's a reboot. That history doesn't exist anymore. Which means anything goes. Sorry. For all you who wish DC had just made new characters who were gay, they did. His name is Bunker. But besides that, I fully believe that to have the kind of impact that I see Alan Scott having, a character has to be iconic. Do you know how long it takes for a character to become iconic? It can take decades. Do you know when all of DC's iconic characters were created? During the 1940's. When being gay was illegal. If DC wanted a gay character who could also be a gay icon, it needed to be someone who already existed, and whose name had weight in the DC universe. I commend them for taking the risk of making Alan Scott gay, and I commend Robinson for trying to diversify the very white, very straight cast of the JSA.

    To everyone who only care that Jade and Obsidian don't exist now... really? It's a reboot. They wouldn't have existed anyway because Alan is twenty something now. And by the way, gay people are perfectly capable of having kids. I know plenty of gay men and women who have kids. And Robinson has a plan for them. Don't worry, you'll get them back. Just not right away.

    That's really all I have to say on the matter. I want people to know how this looks to the eyes of a gay teenager. I hope you all will read this and begin to truly appreciate how commendable Robinson's, and by extension, DC's, decision is. Hopefully you will read this and stop looking at the situation as a publicity stunt, and start seeing it as a genuine attempt to diversify the DC universe and give young, gay readers a hero to look up to.

    Avatar image for avenging_x_bolt
    Avenging-X-Bolt

    18529

    Forum Posts

    15715

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 138

    #1  Edited By Avenging-X-Bolt

    Awesome post. Everyone needs a hero. And Alan being gay doesn't take away from the character in the same sense that the Cyborg/Martian Manhunter switch does.

    Avatar image for doom_doom_doom
    DoomDoomDoom

    4405

    Forum Posts

    33212

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 9

    User Lists: 10

    #2  Edited By DoomDoomDoom

    @Avenging-X-Bolt said:

    Awesome post. Everyone needs a hero.

    This, and the real world is a cruel place so let's try and make fictional ones a bit more understanding.

    Avatar image for razzatazz
    RazzaTazz

    11948

    Forum Posts

    234582

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1887

    User Lists: 79

    #3  Edited By RazzaTazz

    Well said, and Jade/Obsidian will be back no matter what.  They are too valuable of properties to leave languishing

    Avatar image for superguy0009e
    Superguy0009e

    2404

    Forum Posts

    2663

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 2

    User Lists: 0

    #4  Edited By Superguy0009e

    I admit, I was one of those people that dreaded the new gay character announcement, I honestly thought that it was just some stupid attempt to make it look like Dc comics was diverse. I picked up Earth 2 and was proven wrong. Alan was a strong and likeable character, way different (like you said) than characters like Hulking and Wiccan who just seem to whine. While I may not be the biggest supporter of things like gay marriage, gay people and gay characters need to be treated with the utmost respect. Seeing that this character is, I have gained a little more faith in DC.

    Avatar image for icon
    Icon

    2253

    Forum Posts

    10408

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 5

    #5  Edited By Icon

    Agreed, this is an awesome post. I can relate and I'm glad this character and story spoke to you. I also agree about your points about the reboot.

    Avatar image for jointron33
    jointron33

    2107

    Forum Posts

    69

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 3

    User Lists: 12

    #6  Edited By jointron33

    So to relate to someone a man has to swap spit with another man?

    Avatar image for fodigg
    fodigg

    6244

    Forum Posts

    2603

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 7

    #7  Edited By fodigg

    @jointron33: That's not at all what he was implying. Saying that he appreciates having a role model who is gay is in no way the same as saying that someone must be gay in order for him to consider them a role model.

    Avatar image for avengers_4everxx
    Avengers_4everXX

    175

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #8  Edited By Avengers_4everXX

    @jointron33: are you gay? I'm going to assume based on the ignorance of your comment that you aren't. The new Alan Scott can be related to for tons of reasons besides the fact that he's gay. Being gay doesn't make him relatable, it makes him inspirational

    Avatar image for twentyfive
    Twentyfive

    3057

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #9  Edited By Twentyfive

    @Avengers_4everXX: You have my respect, sir. You have explained my growing pains every time I look at the comment sections of various websites, including this one. While I'm not gay, my demographic is hardly catered to in comics to this day. The main problem people are having with this reboot is something that I see as destructive towards the comic industry today. Even though the whole universe has started anew, people expect to see the same exact things over and over again. This will continue to the point that DC will give in to these stupid demands, and no progress will be made after years and years. It has happened before with DC.

    I am glad you exposed these guys' ignorance with your post. They need to wake up. This is the real world. There is more than one kind of person in this world, and the publishers are taking notice of that fact. I am glad that DC has a prominent gay character, because that is what comics need, instead of the same character in 5 different books. We need something different that can be just as compelling. But instead, all the comic readership wants to read is the same crap they have read with the same characters. Do you see all the hate that Cyborg suddenly got on this website because he is a founding member of the JL? Listen man. I am 100% on your side. Just know that the majority of people complaining on this, and many other websites are angry old fools who are afraid of change.

    Don't worry about narrow minds; Just worry about trying to encounter more and more open ones.

    Avatar image for smart_dork_dude
    Smart_Dork_Dude

    3366

    Forum Posts

    95

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 8

    #10  Edited By Smart_Dork_Dude

    I'll be the first to admit I didn't like it. It felt like DC was basically saying

    "Hey! We've got a gay Green Lantern! We're relevant now!"

    This bothered me a lot because I am a fan of the original Alan Scott. Alan Scott has been around for 72 years, and has managed to maintain a fanbase of both young who might have discovered by going through their grandparents old comics(Me) and old that was growing up when those old comics where new.

    However I've come to terms with him being gay, I don't care at this point. My MAJOR problem was the fact they totally removed the Starheart lantern from his origin!!!!! Without a lantern being in his origin there is NO basis for him to be called Green Lantern and doesn't make sense!! The fact that Alan is basically playing second banana to Superman and the Starheart being from Earth is why I dropped this book. I like how the other characters are being done, but the fact they feel the need to constantly bring such drastic changes to Alan's character is too much for this Alan Scott fan. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON GRUNDY!!!!

    Avatar image for baberaham_lincoln
    Baberaham_Lincoln

    960

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 1

    Nice post, and respect.

    Avatar image for fanofultraman
    FanofUltraman

    159

    Forum Posts

    2330

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #12  Edited By FanofUltraman

    Now everyone has to fear the next DC reboot because they might come back gay. xD

    Avatar image for cobramorph
    COBRAMORPH

    1884

    Forum Posts

    650

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #13  Edited By COBRAMORPH

    Wouldnt it have been better to have placed Apollo & Midnighter on Earth-2 & lead their heros as not only gay, but an actual gay couple? Or would they be too similar to Batman & Superman? So they pick an not well known version of a second teir character, to show, "hey we are trying, we just dont want to hurt our cash-cows." Wouldnt Hal Jordan been a better choice, he could not only been gay but omnisexual, like Captain Jack, he could hit on Ganthet, Mogo, & maybe his rivalry with Sinestro could be a little more heartbreaking.

    My only probelm with them making Alan Scott gay is that, sure its a reboot, but they are still 99% the same characters, so its more a modernizing relaunching. They are still mostly the same characters. You want Alan Scott gay, introduce the Earth-10 version as being gay.

    But hey, I guess a version of Alan Scott without powers can still exist on the main Earth, & his lesbian daughter Jade, & straight son Obsidian might show up with the rest of Infinity Inc.

    Avatar image for avengers_4everxx
    Avengers_4everXX

    175

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #14  Edited By Avengers_4everXX

    @COBRAMORPH: The thing is, Apollo and Midnighter are in no way part of the Golden Age, and Robinson is only using characters who are traditionally associated with the JSA, who all come from that era of comics. And he really isn't the same character he was before the reboot. The old Alan was very much a father figure and a leader everyone liked and respected, and it was very important to him to keep the legacy of the JSA alive. As all of us who have been reading Earth 2 know, the new Alan is much more A-type and kind of a jerk, who doesn't have any interest in being part of a team. Even his origin is different. He used to be a railroad engineer, now he's a CEO who was chosen by the Earth to be the Green Lantern, as opposed to finding a magical lantern completely by accident. Hal Jordan wouldn't have been a better choice for two reasons. One, the reason Alan is gay is because Robinson wanted the leader of Earth 2 to be gay(it's also because he couldn't use Obsidian, and it seemed like the natural conclusion to make Alan gay instead). Two, Hal is a more mainstream character, and this was very much an experimental idea for DC, so it was a safer choice to make their secondary Green Lantern gay.

    This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Comic Vine users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.