Single Issue Showcase: All-New X-Men #40 – "Utopians"

The cover of All-New X-Men #40

In a year that was full of works of artistic genius and infamous missteps for the comics medium, All-New X-Men #40 was perhaps the most famous single issue comic of the past year. It is the issue Iceman is outed as gay and was released way back in April. Much has been written on it, and it has been celebrated as much as it has been derided. It’s taken a while for me to gather my thoughts on it because I didn’t want to react blindly. Also, there were other comics about which I wanted to write that I felt were more deserving of attention. I realized, though, that I wanted to share my thoughts and close out my first year with a Single Issue Showcase that could also serve as a retrospective of sorts.

It would be superfluous for me to write about Brian Michael Bendis’s writing for this issue or Mahmud Asrar’s art, though both have plenty of merit. In all honesty, I haven’t read a mainstream comic since 2012, the last time an event like this took place, when gay comics fans were treated to the Big Two celebrating Pride month with the double feature of Northstar marrying his boyfriend in Astonishing X-Men #51 and Alan Scott being outed in an alternate universe in Earth 2 #2. I barely recognized any of the characters in All-New X-Men #40, including ones I should have known since childhood. I still bought the issue, and the next one, and Uncanny X-Men #600. The significance of Iceman coming out cannot be overstated, but not necessarily for the reasons being touted by the fans, detractors, or press agents.

Potential

The cover of Potential

The high school chronicles of Ariel Schrag previously covered at this blog continued with Potential, which focuses on her junior year at Berkeley High School. Originally published by Slave Labor Graphics, it was republished in 2008. Longer than the comics focused on her freshman and sophomore years combined, this volume benefits from an increased scope and more experimentation in the artwork. A great deal of depth and exploration is added to the characters’ psychology as they deal with ongoing traumas and a burgeoning understanding of their own selves. Ariel as narrator addresses the reader and grasps panel borders. A more realistic art style is employed for dream sequences. The popularity of Awkward and Definition is an early conversation point and characters discuss what it’s like to be in a comic book.

Enigma

The Enigma trade paperback

What is the nature of existence? Is life inherently absurd? These may be rather lofty philosophical conundrums for a superhero comic, but they’re just two of the many themes in Enigma by Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo. Originally published as an eight-issue miniseries from March to October 1993, it is currently available as a trade paperback. It was one of the first comics by DC’s Vertigo imprint and helped establish the publisher’s reputation for bold storytelling and innovative artwork. It also has one of the sexiest splash pages I’ve ever seen in comics.

Single Issue Showcase: Scalped #36 and #37 - “A Fine Action of an Honorable and Catholic Spaniard”

The cover of Scalped volume 7, Rez Blues

I suppose it’s cheating to cover two issues for the Single Issue Showcase, but I don’t want to write about one half of a story. Scalped was created by Jason Aaron and R. M. Guéra and was published by Vertigo from March 2007 to August 2012. It was a stylish neo-noir set on a South Dakota Indian reservation about corrupt Chief Red Crow and the undercover FBI agent trying to take him down while wrestling with his own demons. I finally caught up with it this year and it is one of the best series I’ve read in a very long time. The diversity problems in comics, particularly with Native and indigenous creators and representation, are serious and ongoing. It would be disingenuous of me not to acknowledge that. I would encourage people to seek out comics about Native Americans written by Native Americans and support the work of indigenous creators. I write critical essays about work in the comics medium of interest to the LGBTQ community that I think should be appreciated, and I thought these two issues were noteworthy.

Awkward and Definition

The cover of Awkward and Definition

The comics medium is unusually suited to the memoir form, as anyone familiar with alternative comics could easily attest. Part of what sets Awkward and Definition by Ariel Schrag apart from other memoir comics is the immediacy of the storytelling. Even reading these volumes years later, it feels as if one is peering into Ms. Schrag’s life as it unfolds in real time. She wrote Awkward and Definition while still attending Berkeley High School in California and they chronicle her freshman and sophomore years, respectively. She self-published them, and originally sold them to friends and family before the first volume was picked up by Slave Labor Graphics. Her burgeoning sexuality is only one of many subplots of both volumes, now available in one book from Simon & Schuster, as she realizes what's important to her in life and art.

A Taste of CAKE: My Brief Time at the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo

CAKE poster designed by Chicago’s own Ivan Brunetti

The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo is different from most comic book conventions. From the very beginning, CAKE distinguished itself as a more intimate and low-key affair. There was no need for a shuttle bus to a convention center; I took a CTA train to the Addison Red Line stop and walked to the Center on Halsted in Boystown. Instead of a thick booklet full of ads and schedules, there was a six-page foldout map with a handy guide to all the exhibitors, panels, and workshops. Friendly and helpful volunteers abounded and there were no towering monoliths dedicated to giant publishers that dominate blockbuster movie season or security personnel asking to see badges or search bags. I didn’t see any cosplay, either. A person dressed as a favorite character at this convention might be indistinguishable from an average person anyway; some of the most celebrated works were autobiographical. Fantagraphics Books was one of if not the largest publisher present, taking up most of the room in front of the elevators. Ballroom dancing lessons are held in that space Monday nights.

CAKE is the Independent Spirit Awards to C2E2’s Oscars (Wizard World can be the People’s Choice Awards, I guess). The atmosphere was more like that of a farmer’s market, and I mean that in the most positive way possible. Foldout tables were arranged in giant rectangles and lined the walls of the gymnasium, covered with goods for sale or free materials to whet the appetite. The bleachers were packed with people reading recent purchases. In front of them was a large table set with free comics, pamphlets, stickers, buttons, newspapers, newsletters, fliers, schedules for upcoming shows, ads for institutions offering classes on everything from how to make comics to learning new software, bookmarks, business cards, mini comics, and zines.

Finn and Charlie Are Hitched

The covers for Finn and Charlie Are Hitched

This month’s selection is Finn and Charlie Are Hitched by Chicago artist Tony Breed, a newspaper-style weekly three-panel webcomic that’s been collected into four volumes: “Can We Skip to the Part of the Conversation Where I Get My Way?” (2009), “I Love You, You Big Weirdo” (2010), “How Would I Know If You’re Dreaming?” (2012), and “Everyone Is Someone’s Fetish” (2014). The final volume was published with the help of a very successful Kickstarter campaign that allowed it to be reprinted in the original vibrant color. Ostensibly about the domestic relationship of a long-married gay couple, the scope of the comic slowly but realistically expands to include family members, friends, coworkers, old high school friends, and boyfriends old and new. Taken as a whole, the series is an intricate rumination on the meaning of family and how we choose the people who surround us.

Personal Reflections on C2E2 2015

On Saturday, April 25, 2015, I attended my fourth C2E2. Due to financial constraints and employment obligations, I went only the one day. I suppose this makes me a bad geek, but I do need to eat. Nevertheless, I felt I would be remiss if I didn’t write something in response to the experience, even though I know it could hardly be said to be indicative of the whole weekend. That’s part of why I have taken my time in posting this essay; I wanted to reflect on the experience to make it more than a reactive, emotive jumble and to emphasize that this represents my experience and no one else’s.

I got my worst C2E2 experience out of the way years ago when I attended my second one with an ex who insisted on going “to try and be interested in what interests you.” I thought this was very sweet and considerate until I’d spent an hour dragging him around (sometimes literally) as he mocked, ridiculed, or showed aggressive disinterest in every aspect of the convention. This was the tone for the whole day. Anytime I tried to explain something, I was interrupted with a dismissive, “I don’t care.” If I was excited about something, he didn’t even smile. I missed half of the panels I’d scheduled to see because he sullenly insisted on whiling away time in the food court. In retrospect, this should have been a huge red flag that the relationship was doomed. Perhaps I’ll use C2E2 as a testing ground for relationships in the future, but probably not because I don’t want to run the risk of something like that happening again.

In one respect, aggregations of comic book fans remind me of Pride Festivals. I may not enjoy or even agree with everything on display, but I appreciate that it’s there. Regardless of whatever stigma may exist everywhere else, like-minded individuals can gather together and share the world as if they are the norm. An outsider status gives way to a communal spirit over interests that are seen as odd at best and worthy of ridicule and harassment at worst. I wonder if this is why so many gay people are drawn to superheroes.

This falls apart rather quickly, of course, given how fractious both communities can be and the fact that no one ever died because he was wearing a Superman shirt. Geeks and gays may both be victims of bullying, but only one of those groups faces a death by stoning in some countries just for existing. There’s also the sad fact that geeks and gays can be incredibly racist. However, the opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief and live even for a few hours as if the world were a more inclusive place is a welcome fantasy.

The other thing that struck me about C2E2 was the diversity of the crowd. While representation in the marketplace may be quite low, and indeed there was only one non-white person among all the people I saw at panels and discussions, the crowd is as diverse as ever. Like repurposed religious icons, some of the world’s most popular characters were suddenly the ethnicity and mode of expression of every facet of society. Latina Lokis, cross-dressing members of the Bat-family, and a Muslim Agent Scully were all part of the panoply of C2E2 2015. Have you been waiting for a black Spider-Man or Captain America? Look no further! There are dozens. It’s wonderful.

Here’s a brief rundown of the panels I attended, because I feel like this information ought to go somewhere. At 11:00 a.m., I went to Breaking into Comics and Staying In! which was about as disheartening as you could expect it to be. I’m keeping this blog going anyway. The better part of the afternoon was spent in line for and seeing Kick-Ass Women of S.H.I.E.L.D., one of only two panels I saw all day to feature a minority (the lovely Ming-Na Wen). In retrospect, I probably should have sat that one out to walk the showroom floor but the friends with whom I went very much wanted to see it and I will admit that it was enjoyable. I finished the day with How to Be a Nerd for a Living.

Obviously, the highlight for me personally was the Geeks OUT panel, Geeks OUT Presents: Queerators. It was for this reason that I chose to attend on Saturday instead of Sunday or Friday and was an excellent experience. The moderator, Steve Disme, provided a brief biographical introduction for each panelist before opening the floor to questions. This gave the panel as a whole a very friendly, open vibe that made it feel more like a conversation than a chance for professionals to recite rote nuggets of wisdom or try to sell merchandise that deserves more publicity. The panelists were John Jennison, Jennie Wood, Chad Sell, and JD Glass. Naturally, there was the odd question that didn’t deserve attention or threatened to derail the entire presentation, but Mr. Disme handled these hiccups with humor and aplomb. I look forward to catching up on his Comic Book Queers podcast. In the end, a lively and insightful discussion was had about the status of LGBT creators in the comics field and I was exposed to the work of creators of whom I was previously unaware, which is something I always appreciate.

All of the panelists shared similar narratives of how each of them became interested in comics in the first place; namely, curiosity in childhood eventually waned before rediscovering comics in college and/or adulthood. Mr. Jennison shared a particularly vivid memory of attending a flea market in Maine with his grandmother and finding Marv Wolfman’s Teen Titans among all the merchandise. Love & Rockets was also singled out by everyone as either a series to recommend or what brought him or her back to comics.

Since the younger, alternate-universe version of one of the oldest members of the X-men coming out of the closet had only made news a few days prior to the convention, I think many of us were still processing that information. The figure of Iceman did not loom nearly as large as I had assumed he would have, literally or figuratively. The biggest Marvel news of the weekend was the upcoming Secret Wars reboot of their entire universe. Mr. Disme dismissed the topic out of hand at the Geeks OUT panel with a curt, “I don’t want to have this discussion.”

This did lead to a lively conversation at the panel about which is better: introducing new gay characters or reinventing existing characters as gay. Everyone readily agreed that regardless of the circumstances, the character should come first and his or her (or other) sexuality should be incidental to a good story. Ms. Glass warned about the rise of tokenism and Mr. Sell mentioned how readers, gay and straight, can react negatively to a co-opted character. Ms. Wood encouraged the audience to write the stories that we want to read. There was a lack of contention but no shortage of opinions.

I had the privilege of personally interacting with Chad Sell and Jennie Wood, and found them both to be incredibly warm and charming people. I encourage everyone to seek their work out and promise that it will be featured in posts here in the future.

At the end of the day, my friends and I had a drink at the hotel bar that had been repurposed as the CBR Lounge. Enjoying a beer with two Wonder Women (Womans?) and the Thing is inherently funny to me. Also, I don’t need an excuse to get a drink. I’d been handing out cards to promote this site all day and left one near my tip for the bartender, which warranted an odd look, and I desperately hoped he didn’t think I was hitting on him. He wasn’t my type. Thankfully, this was the closest thing to a sour note for the whole day. And who knows? Maybe he was one of the eight pageviews I had in the immediate aftermath of that weekend.

Unfortunately, I did not plan as well as I should have and did not get the chance to do as much shopping as I would have liked. I was actually running from booth to booth as lights were turned off and blankets thrown over merchandise, leaving my friends in the dust as I cried out to creators to speak with me or sign something or sell me something. At one point I simply took a handful of the aforementioned cards, threw them in the air, and hoped people would notice them. I didn’t even bother trying to find anything on my shopping list, which includes items for which I have been searching for a decade or more. Even if The Minx #3 continues to elude me, it was exhilarating and incredibly fun.

I realize that this has been pretty scattershot, even with all the time I’ve taken to craft it. I’ll probably expand half of the points I’ve made here into essays of their own in the future. In the end, this is all that matters: It was fun. Yes, there were experiences that made me think and conversations worth deconstructing and troubling aspects that may never go away. All in all, I had a good time. There are things that happened during that day that I will recall with a smile. What more can I really ask for?

Single Issue Showcase: The Cardboard Kingdom - "The Sorceress Next Door"

The cover of "The Sorceress Next Door"

A common mistake in literary criticism is to conflate the concepts of artistry and maturity. Just because a work deals with adult situations or themes, doesn’t necessarily make it mature or artistic, as proven by most books or movies that feature serial killers. Conversely, a work meant for all ages doesn’t preclude its maturity nor does that keep it from being a work of art. A fine example is Chad Sell’s The Cardboard Kingdom, the first issue of which is the selection for this month’s Single Issue Showcase.

Flutter, Volume 1: Hell Can Wait

The cover of Flutter, Volume 1

Adolescence is a rich metaphor for fantastic scenarios. In superhero comics, Spider-Man is perhaps the most iconic example but there are plenty of genres beyond that one. Unfortunately, adults writing stories for and about teenagers can often give characters unrealistic precociousness or fill their work with shameless pandering to or manipulation of the angst and sensibilities of their intended audience. This literature is often limited in scope as well, decried by many adults as unreadable. Flutter by Jennie Wood and Jeff McComsey is the rare piece of literature that bridges this gap. It is a story about a shapeshifting teenager that I would recommend to the most ardent Virginia Woolf fan.

Fun Home

The cover for Fun Home

Literary criticism can often seem boring, irrelevant, or both. Half the time, the reader is left to wonder if the critic hasn’t simply made everything up, overanalyzing trivia and inventing theories that the author of a work never intended. This is not mere self-flagellation, but a key aspect of this month’s selection, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel, an autobiographical graphic novel from 2006. The daughter of a funeral director and high school English teacher, Alison has to grapple with the above sentiments in the most existential terms possible.

Single Issue Showcase: Zot! #33 - "Normal"

The cover of Zot! #33

Looking at the posts I've made so far and the posts I have planned over the next few months, it would appear that I meant to focus on trade paperbacks. For that reason, I've decided to start something new with the blog to guarantee that I don't cover too much of the same thing. From now on, every three months will feature a post I'm calling Single Issue Showcase, in which I focus on the sole issue of an ongoing or limited series that focuses on LGBT issues even if (or maybe especially if) the series itself does not. As always, suggestions are welcome.

Stuck Rubber Baby

The cover of Stuck Rubber Baby

For this second installment of the Queer Comics Blog, I'd like to reprint my original post about one of my favorite classic stories. During this time of increased marriage equality and unprecedented advances in gay rights, it would be wise to remember where we’ve been. For that reason, this month’s selection for the queer comics blog is Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse. The plot centers on a young man named Toland Polk in the fictional town of Clayfield, Alabama, as he struggles with his social conscience and his own blossoming sexuality during the tumultuous 1960s.

How Loathsome

The cover of How Loathsome

For the inaugural entry of the Queer Comics Blog, I have chosen the relatively obscure How Loathsome, created by Tristan Crane and Ted Naifeh.  Originally published monthly as four separate issues by NBM/Comics Lit Publishing in 2003, it was collected as a graphic novel in 2004.  The story concerns a group of friends in San Francisco as they hook up, take drugs, party and shock and offend each other and mainstream sensibilities. The main character is Catherine Gore, an androgynous female lesbian artist who narrates most of the chapters.