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Interview: James Robinson Reveals DC's Latest LGBT Character

SPOILER ALERT: The writer discusses the decision to make the leader of the EARTH 2 Justice Society an LGBT character and why that doesn't really matter.

Some writers, like James Robinson, are familiar with writing LGBT characters. Perhaps this is why the decision to re-introduce one of DC's oldest characters as an LGBT character in the New 52 came so easily for the man who wrote the first kiss shared between two gay characters in a comic book. We had the chance to catch up with James and talk to him about the decision, ask him why it was (and wasn't) an important decision, and what readers can expect out of his EARTH 2 series.

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We also get a look at two pages from EARTH 2 #2, the upcoming issue of his ongoing DC title. Finally, due to the time constraint we were unable to ask all the questions we wanted to ask. We also know there are a lot of questions many of you might have about the decision and the series overall which is why we have invited James to join us for next Friday's podcast (Friday, June 8th 2012). Please submit your questions and comments for James to podcast@comicvine.com. If you don't mind the spoiler before the release of EARTH 2 issue #2, check out the full interview below.

== TEASER ==
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Comic Vine: Why Alan Scott? Was this your choice? Was it an Editorial decision and how and when did the decision come about?

James Robinson: It came about 8 months ago when I was first putting the team together. One of the things that bothered me about the reboot and about the Justice Society being young again was that there were some characters that would no longer exist. One of those characters is Obsidian, Alan Scott's gay son. So from then on I started to think about it and it seemed like a logical leap to make Alan Scott gay. And the idea that the leader of the Justice Society, the most honorable, dynamic and gallant hero on Earth 2 would be a gay man just seemed like a really cool and interesting direction for the character.

So it was my idea, but to be fair Dan DiDio, when he heard about the idea, there wasn't a moment of hesitation on his part. He thought it was a great idea

CV: My next question is actually about Obsidian and Jade. Pre-New 52 Alan Scott had had a romantic relationship with Rose Canton and the two characters had twin babies, Obsidian and Jade. Now that Scott has been reintroduced into the DC Universe as a gay character, does that mean neither of these characters (Obsidian and Jade) ever existed? Does that mean Scott and Rose never had a relationship?

JR: Remember, this is a reboot. Not a relaunch. There are sweeping changes that were made in the DC Universe and one of those is that Jade and Obsidian couldn't exist because Alan Scott is just too young -- he's about 27 years old now. So, they couldn't exist in that way but because they were popular characters I have been thinking of a way that they could exist that I might try and implement in the future, but that won't be for a while yet.

CV: As a writer, is it important to make Alan Scott a gay character or is this sort of a "non issue"? How do you see it?

JR: Well, it's not like "ooh, we've got a gay character" -- that's sort of been manufactured by fans, really. I think anyway. We've had this idea running for months and months and I didn't think it was a big deal, honestly. I really didn't think it was a big deal. I mean you should have them. Just like there are LGBT people in all aspects of society, it makes sense that there would be gay characters in comic books as well. And when Dan DiDio made that announcement he wasn't being cryptic, he was just making an off-handed comment. He feels the same way honestly. It's just the reality of life and it's not a big deal. I guess it is to some people and as a result there's been this wave of interest in the subject on the internet and in the media.

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CV: Alan Scott is a Golden Age character, which means he has a lot of history. Did you worry about any negative reactions from long time fans of the character? Is this something you are anticipating? Or has the feedback so far been mainly positive?

JR: Well it's been mixed. Most people have been very positive and of course there are some people that have…I mean, yes he appeared in a few pages of EARTH 2 #1, but they haven't really gotten to know the character yet. I think there is a rush to pre judge from audiences online, but something I want to stress is that what I want to do with all the EARTH 2 characters is not…I'm not trying to change them in any radical way. In fact I think I am being very faithful to the characters and their origins from the 1940's. These characters have aged…the continuity for Alan Scott, for example, if you follow it is very strange and convoluted. He was an engineer, then a news reader, then he owned the radio station, then he lost his job and became a scientist, then he somehow got back his radio station…So, there's a lot of stuff that's been lead on the character and all I am doing is stripping a lot of that away [getting back to his roots]. What was he back in the day? He was this young, gallant, dynamic take-charge, type A personality, very brave and very caring -- he wanted to protect the world. He was the big powerhouse of the Golden Age characters, in a way. All of that hasn't changed. All that's changed is that the media that he is the master of is the internet media. He's just moving with the times. And in a way he's just moving with the times again. In every way he's the same dynamic, likable Alan Scott that he was before -- all I've really changed is his sexuality; which to me is just one factor of him and it isn't that big of a deal in the first place.

CV: Romantic relationships, will we be seeing any?

JR: At first I'm setting up the team and dealing with threats to the world and everything, but there will be breather moments where we do see what people get up to outside of being a superhero. So yes, you will see romantic relationships.

CV: Are you excited?

JR: I've grown more excited as people have grown excited and interested in it. I was more concerned with other aspects of EARTH 2, Alan Scott's sexuality was just a small part of it but the fact that people have responded so mostly favorably, I am very happy that this have been given the reception that it has been given.

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CV: Now, this isn't the first time you've written a gay character in comics, you've actually written a gay character in the past, right?

JR: I actually believe I wrote the first gay kiss -- male gay kiss -- in a comic book back in STARMAN #45. So, I've been doing this sort of thing for a while and it isn't that I have any kind of agenda or anything, it's just that when it suits the story and when it makes sense for that character it's just a realistic depiction of present day society.

CV: In your eyes do you feel it's important to have the leader of the EARTH 2 Justice Society be a gay male?

JR: Well, is it important? Not necessarily. But I think it's cool and it makes a change. I mean one of the things that can happen with gay characters is that when they are on a team they sometimes get pushed aside and their whole identity is wrapped up in this "oh that's the gay character." But when you meet Alan Scott you will find that there are so many [other things that define who he is] different aspects to his life, who he is as a person. I mean, I live in San Francisco, I have plenty of gay friends and their sexuality is just a part of who they are. Obviously there's a whole lot more to all of them and Alan Scott is the same way. By making him the team leader there really is no way that I can't show that aspect of a gay person through him being so at the forefront of the team, and that has to be a good thing. This character is going to be very likable, very brave and he will be someone that a lot of people like. I mean, if there are teenage kids and they like Alan Scott and he is kid is going though his or her own feelings about being LGBT…if it helps him or her in any little way, or if a kid reads Alan Scott and he really likes the character and that makes him think twice about bullying a kid, you know, that's a fantastic plus to the character being the leader of the team.

CV: What can we expect in issue #2 of EARTH 2?

JR: The book -- based on the cover -- is sort of apparent. It really focuses a lot on the origin of Jay Garrick and how he becomes the Flash and his origin as the Flash and why he becomes the Flash. What you will also see is the first appearance of Mr. Terrific from his own comic, and you will meet a major villain in the EARTH 2 universe that Mr. Terrific will encounter. That will be a huge part of the second arc. You will also see more of Alan Scott, who he is and what kind of a person he is and some of his origin will be played out in issue #2 and that will be picked up in issue #3 and by issue #3 he will be the Green Lantern.

Issue #2 of EARTH 2 hits stores on June 6th, 2012. We were lucky enough to have the chance to ask James all these questions about EARTH 2, Alan Scott and what we can anticipate in his ongoing series -- but we also want to give you a chance to ask James questions as well. Mr. Robinson will be joining us on our podcast next Friday, June 8th 2012 to discuss the release of issue #2 and anything else you want to talk to him about. Email your questions and comments to podcast@comicvine.com. You can also follow James on Twitter @JamesdRobinson. What do you think of the news?

312 Comments

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InnerVenom123

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Edited By InnerVenom123

So, bleeding cool was right.

It's all according to plan.

Can't wait for the fun that will surely devolop in this thread.

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leokearon

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Edited By leokearon

I thought they said it was going to be a major character? Also seems a bit of a cop-out that it's an alternate reality character

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The Black Hood

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Edited By The Black Hood

Hmmm well this wasn't anywhere near as gimmicky as I feared it would be. I had this fear that it would be a character who was already re-introduced but quickly changed to fit into the role as "Gay Flagship Character". The was this is being done really does sort of make sense. I like that the new JSA feel so far and Earth 2 is shaping up to be a cool book.

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Redberry

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Edited By Redberry

I feel a bit disappointed that he's an alternative universe character, but he seems to be the leader of the new 52, so it's kinda groundbreaking. I think I actually like it. :)

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ThanosIsMad

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Edited By ThanosIsMad

As long as this doesn't negate the possibility of Jade and Obsidian appearing, then they can do whatever.

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sentryman555

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Edited By sentryman555

I really hope the helmet Jay has on is just a prototype or something and not his permanent one. I really liked his old helmet.

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The Black Hood

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Edited By The Black Hood

@leokearon said:

I thought they said it was going to be a major character? Also seems a bit of a cop-out that it's an alternate reality character

I wouldn't really call it an "alternate reality character" because this is the ONLY version of Allen Scott in DC. It isn't like they simply made earth 2116 Wolverine gay, this is the only version of this character.

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JamDamage

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Edited By JamDamage

stupid

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KainScion

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Edited By KainScion

@ThanosIsMad: do you know how to read?

One of the things that bothered me about the reboot and about the Justice Society being young again was that there were some characters that would no longer exist. One of those characters is Obsidian, Alan Scott's gay son.

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htb106

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Edited By htb106

I don't have a problem with this change to Alan Scott, I just think it'll take some time for people to accept it.

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NlGHTCRAWLER

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Edited By NlGHTCRAWLER

I just feel like this is a little forced, but i'm not going to judge the quality of the book as a whole based on the little gimmicks. He could be gay all he wants, just don't preach about it in every single issue. I'm sure they won't, but ive seen it done a lot. The sexuality of the character shouldn't be what defines them.

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saoakden

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Edited By saoakden

Well this is interesting. I wasnt to sure about reading Earth 2 since its the Justice Society and never really read any of their comics, been thinking about it though. I'll pick up this series to see were this goes.

Well Alan Scott is a major character. The name Alan Scott was the name of the original Green Lantern which eventually to being revamped or benooted into the Green Lantern Corps.

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Redberry

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Edited By Redberry

@KainScion said:

@ThanosIsMad: do you know how to read?

One of the things that bothered me about the reboot and about the Justice Society being young again was that there were some characters that would no longer exist. One of those characters is Obsidian, Alan Scott's gay son.

I was just about to post that, but I guess between Alan Scott and Obsidian, his dad is more important in this universe since he will be the leader of Earth-2. James probably has more story to tell about Alan than Obsidian. However, James didn't rule out the possibility that it may happen later on if there is a demand for Obsidian and Jade.

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TrueIlluminatus

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Edited By TrueIlluminatus

Oh, Christ. This thread will soon be overflowing with ignorance and intolerance.

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Redberry

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Edited By Redberry

@saoakden said:

Well this is interesting. I wasnt to sure about reading Earth 2 since its the Justice Society and never really read any of their comics, been thinking about it though. I'll pick up this series to see were this goes.

Well Alan Scott is a major character. The name Alan Scott was the name of the original Green Lantern which eventually to being revamped or benooted into the Green Lantern Corps.

You should. I tried the first one. It's really good. There were so much actions going on in that issue.

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Redberry

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Edited By Redberry

@Illuminatus said:

Oh, Christ. This thread will soon be overflowing with ignorance and intolerance.

I agree, I wish people who don't like it just move on. No need to waste time on things they enjoy.

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Zabilac

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Edited By Zabilac

I don't mind Alan being gay, in fact sounds like fun. Looking forward to this issue even more now!

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Redberry

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Edited By Redberry

I find it progressive that the writer himself is straight and married.

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_Black

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Edited By _Black

@KainScion: Robinson stated that he was thinking about reintroducing Jade and Obsidian in a different way. Those characters can still appear, but he said it would be a while.

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UltimateSMfan

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Edited By UltimateSMfan

i was expecting the blow to be a bit bigger since this is THE original Green Lantern(right?) but since this is a reboot and not exactly the same character its pretty cool to see how this plays out.

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RScottH08

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Edited By RScottH08

Well, this is quite interesting as many have said before. Alan Scott is one of my favorite golden age characters and honestly I kinda don't mind this I guess. At first I had a mixed to negative reaction, but now I guess as long as it's written right and all that, then I don't see much of a problem other than how it will affect some of his more important history down the line, such as his kids and all, but only time will tell.

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sethysquare

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Edited By sethysquare

@Illuminatus said:

Oh, Christ. This thread will soon be overflowing with ignorance and intolerance.

Sigh. The internet is filled with people who have no idea what they are talking about.

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TrueIlluminatus

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Edited By TrueIlluminatus

@sethysquare said:

@Illuminatus said:

Oh, Christ. This thread will soon be overflowing with ignorance and intolerance.

Sigh. The internet is filled with people who have no idea what they are talking about.

'Tis an unfortunate but true fact.

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dernman

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Edited By dernman

Nice. I just read another interview and Alan Scott is not going to wear a ring. Nor will he have a lantern. He is he a living lantern.

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sethysquare

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Edited By sethysquare

Anyhows its apparent now that Alan Scott would be the masculine one. His boyfriend looks like the feminine one.

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sweetesttoaster

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Edited By sweetesttoaster

@leokearon: It's kind of a cop out, but you have to look at it this way. If DC changed an existing character from Earth Prime it would feel as though they were trying to force it. Imagine if they suddenly changed, say Batman, into a gay character. It would totally affect the character in a major way that rewrites history and all that stuff. This way, since they are reintroducing these characters anyway, it can feel more fluid and natural. If they did that with an established, existing character, it would probably cause a negative backlash, depending on the character.

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frochez

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Edited By frochez

I feel kind of conflicted about this. On the one hand, a new LGBT character in comic books can only be a good thing if it raises awareness etc., all the more so if, as Robinson says, the character's sexuality is just one aspect of their personality, rather than a defining characteristic.

On the other hand, I don't see why they had to alter an established heterosexual character. Couldn't they have just created a new one, or used an already LGBT character as the leader of the team? And saying 'Oh, Obsidian was gay, so it's logical that his dad could be, too' sounds like a bit of a stretch to me.

Still, like the man said, there's no point judging until we get the issue itself.

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UltimateSMfan

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Edited By UltimateSMfan

@NlGHTCRAWLER: Agreed, i like how its done in teen titans,they have a gay character but that just expands on his personality i think in 10 issues its mentioned only abt twice,though here the GL seems to be in a relationship so dont kno how much it'll be addressed.

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sethysquare

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@ThanosIsMad said:

As long as this doesn't negate the possibility of Jade and Obsidian appearing, then they can do whatever.

Whether he is gay or not, Jade and Obsidian still wont be around. Infact, now that he is gay, Jade and Obsidian has higher chances of appearing perhaps as a foster child or adopted child. Since Alan Scott is like 20+ Its impossible to let him get married and have kids. So you can look at it in another way.

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leejunfan83

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Edited By leejunfan83

Lol

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NightFang3

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Edited By NightFang3  Online

I'm okay with Alan being gay, but he should still have his kids even if their in daycare.

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Hawkeye446

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Edited By Hawkeye446

@KainScion said:

@ThanosIsMad: do you know how to read?

One of the things that bothered me about the reboot and about the Justice Society being young again was that there were some characters that would no longer exist. One of those characters is Obsidian, Alan Scott's gay son.

Awkward for you... In the article, you know, the one that apparently Thanos did not read, James states that he hopes to introduce the characters anyway, eventually.

So... Uhmm...I'm not going to ask you if you know how to read, because if you can't you won't even understand the question initially, rendering the sentence moot.

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TheMess1428

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Edited By TheMess1428

@leokearon said:

I thought they said it was going to be a major character? Also seems a bit of a cop-out that it's an alternate reality character

To be fair, Alan Scott was in the original universe before Hal Jordan was. lol

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Redberry

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@frochez said:

I feel kind of conflicted about this. On the one hand, a new LGBT character in comic books can only be a good thing if it raises awareness etc., all the more so if, as Robinson says, the character's sexuality is just one aspect of their personality, rather than a defining characteristic.

On the other hand, I don't see why they had to alter an established heterosexual character. Couldn't they have just created a new one, or used an already LGBT character as the leader of the team? And saying 'Oh, Obsidian was gay, so it's logical that his dad could be, too' sounds like a bit of a stretch to me.

Still, like the man said, there's no point judging until we get the issue itself.

I don't think he said that just because Obsidian is gay, his dad could be gay as well. It's more along the line of a tradeoff since Obsidian wouldn't exist due to Alan's age.

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KainScion

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Edited By KainScion

@Hawkeye446: first he says they wont exist. then that they will but not as we know them. you judge *pulls off an awesome save*

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Bestostero

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Edited By Bestostero

meh. should've figured it would've been an earth 2 type character.

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thechessclub

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@Hawkeye446 said:

So... Uhmm...I'm not going to ask you if you know how to read, because if you can't you won't even understand the question initially, rendering the sentence moot.

My LOL's...they're to the walls right now=P

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Redberry

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Edited By Redberry

Wouldn't this be the first time in comic history that a gay man lead a group in a mainstream title? Just saying. DC loves claiming first. :p

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sethysquare

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@Hawkeye446 said:

Awkward for you... In the article, you know, the one that apparently Thanos did not read, James states that he hopes to introduce the characters anyway, eventually.

So... Uhmm...I'm not going to ask you if you know how to read, because if you can't you won't even understand the question initially, rendering the sentence moot.

Its true though. In fact, I think making Alan Scott gay would have higher chances of Jade and Obsidian appearing. If he isn't gay we still got to wait for him to fall in love and get married then have kids and for then wait for 20 years for them to grow up.

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dangermart

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Edited By dangermart

Looks great! I didn't doubt that this being James, Alan's gayness is a point in the story rather than the point of the story. And top art from Nicola and co!

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Redberry

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Edited By Redberry

@sethysquare said:

@Hawkeye446 said:

Awkward for you... In the article, you know, the one that apparently Thanos did not read, James states that he hopes to introduce the characters anyway, eventually.

So... Uhmm...I'm not going to ask you if you know how to read, because if you can't you won't even understand the question initially, rendering the sentence moot.

Its true though. In fact, I think making Alan Scott gay would have higher chances of Jade and Obsidian appearing. If he isn't gay we still got to wait for him to fall in love and get married then have kids and for then wait for 20 years for them to grow up.

How long do 20 years in RL's time?

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CircularLogic

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Edited By CircularLogic

@UltimateSMfan said:

@NlGHTCRAWLER: Agreed, i like how its done in teen titans,they have a gay character but that just expands on his personality i think in 10 issues its mentioned only abt twice,though here the GL seems to be in a relationship so dont kno how much it'll be addressed.

I don't know what you were reading, but Bunker is such a huge gay stereotype it's not even funny. All the women trust him implicitly, skitter is attracted to him before realizing he's gay, he speaks in a saucy latino accent, he's a quip machine he's all in purple? Sure, it's all well and good that they only really brought it up in the dialogue once or twice, but he's still a horrible example of a Gay Best Friend, and is little more than a cardboard cutout.

Patton Oswalt says it better than me. This is what he is, and it's not good

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FoxxFireArt

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Edited By FoxxFireArt

I certainly don't object to the idea. Who cares how people live out their personal lives if they aren't forcing or hurting someone? I've just never known how to felt about taking preexisting character to later "make gay". Seems more appropriate that a character should be designed as such. Though, this reboot does give a strong enough justification for major changes. James makes a good argument for it.

I remember there was a lot of outcry about Sarah Rainmaker being revealed as gay. They got tons of angry letters demanding they "change her back". The creators responded by saying that she was always gay. The other members of the team just didn't realize it. What was Sarah suppose to do when they met each other, give her name then also mention her sexual preference? Though, later writers would come in and make Sarah bisexual.

There was a lot of scandal behind the revelation that Dumbledore was gay. It was never mentioned in the books, but it wasn't an important detail. Learning about that later just explains a few things about his past. Sort of has James mentioned about his gay friends. Their sexuality isn't their identity.

The only issue is the major target audience for comics are teens and young adults. Traditionally not a group that is especially tolerant of homosexuality. I knew a girl in high school who actually told me she was dating a boy she told me she wasn't interested in. It was just so people wouldn't think she was gay, like her sister. I knew her sister, as well. She was a cool girl. Times are changing. Perhaps a newer generation will be more open to this.

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royale_with_cheese

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Most people don't even know who Obsidian is, so there's no justification for making Alan Scott homosexual. Why, just why?

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CircularLogic

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The only real issue i have with this is that Robinson is saying his sexuality doesn't matter, yet he uses an over-sized panel to display their first official kiss (in this new continuity) as a homosexual couple in the DCnU. It's not so bad as I call bullshit on the change, since let me be clear if the change serves the character well I will approve whole heartedly, but it would have been nice is it was... subtler, and was in a normal sized panel with little focus put on it. That would really be impressive, since it would mean homosexuality would be treated as a norm and not even given a thought, just another part of life and treated as such. But that's just me. Here's hoping Robinson uses this to create another issue as good as the last one was, which I really enjoyed.

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Redberry

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@FoxxFireArt said:

I certainly don't object to the idea. Who cares how people live out their personal lives if they aren't forcing or hurting someone? I've just never known how to felt about taking preexisting character to later "make gay". Seems more appropriate that a character should be designed as such. Though, this reboot does give a strong enough justification for major changes. James makes a good argument for it.

I remember there was a lot of outcry about Sarah Rainmaker being revealed as gay. They got tons of angry letters demanding they "change her back". The creators responded by saying that she was always gay. The other members of the team just didn't realize it. What was Sarah suppose to do when they met each other, give her name then also mention her sexual preference? Though, later writers would come in and make Sarah bisexual.

There was a lot of scandal behind the revelation that Dumbledore was gay. It was never mentioned in the books, but it wasn't an important detail. Learning about that later just explains a few things about his past. Sort of has James mentioned about his gay friends. Their sexuality isn't their identity.

The only issue is the major target audience for comics are teens and young adults. Traditionally not a group that is especially tolerant of homosexuality. I knew a girl in high school who actually told me she was dating a boy she told me she wasn't interested in. It was just so people wouldn't think she was gay, like her sister. I knew her sister, as well. She was a cool girl. Times are changing. Perhaps a newer generation will be more open to this.

I believe people are more tolerant of homosexuality, especially the younger generations in recent years. Agenda or no agenda, the media did help showing gays in a positive light. I think that was part of the reasons why acceptance for homosexuality has increased, even the president and iconic rappers like Kanye and Jay-Z support it. It's still a long way, but I'm hoping to see national-wise acceptance of homosexuality within my lifetime.

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I'm all for diversifying the DCU but I hate when they just turn a character gay. Either way I'm not gonna make any snap judgements until I read the issue.

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I am not sure why Robinson switched Scott's sexuality. Obsidian was new and he was introduced as LGBT. one of the great attributes about Scott was that he was a father that accepted his son for who he was.

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Hunter114

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I don't like change at the best of times, but to me, something seems really wrong about this... and I have no idea why, it's probably because it's such a radical change to the character's backstory and personality, with very little reasoning behind it... plus there's a larger chance that Obsidian and Jade won't be appearing, and more and more changes as you look at the relative timelines... plus it's Earth 2... so their only making a drastic change to an alternate reality character

If you're going to alter a character... at least put some real effort into it!

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sethysquare

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@Redberry said:

@sethysquare said:

@Hawkeye446 said:

Awkward for you... In the article, you know, the one that apparently Thanos did not read, James states that he hopes to introduce the characters anyway, eventually.

So... Uhmm...I'm not going to ask you if you know how to read, because if you can't you won't even understand the question initially, rendering the sentence moot.

Its true though. In fact, I think making Alan Scott gay would have higher chances of Jade and Obsidian appearing. If he isn't gay we still got to wait for him to fall in love and get married then have kids and for then wait for 20 years for them to grow up.

How long do 20 years in RL's time?

Probably 40-50 years in RL's time. But now that he is gay, Obsidian and Jade can be adopted.