Comic book heroes

[Guinness]

Way back in the 1970's, I was out on the town with a friend. Said friend introduces me to one of his friends. A little later, can't quite remember how, I discover that friend of friend is, what we commonly said at the time, a puff.

I spend the next hour or so, immaturely giving him grief, you know the kind of thing, standing with my backside against a wall, saying things like 'Puff alert, asses to the wall' etc..etc..

Eventually, friend of friend, bored with my tedious attempts at schoolboy humour, turns to me and says, words to the effect of 'Look, you ain't my type, you're too skinny, you ain't pretty, you got spots on your spots, I don't fancy you, so cut the crap unless you want to take this outside'. The ultimate putdown...couldn't even pull a queer. Spent the rest of the night quiet, subdued and sulky. (and he was built like a brick shi...... so the outside argument was a definite no-no.)

Over the next few days I kinda realised I was a moron, and that he was just like me, except he had a different ideal for love and affection.

Upshot is, I still enjoy a beer or two with him to this day. We've been there for each other for more years than I care to remember.

Which brings me to my point...comic book heroes..

A few days ago, it was revealed that DC comics have made the Green Lantern gay, the reason..so that gay kids don't get bullied.

Already the good ol' boys in the USA are leading the way by banning the comic book in one state. The One Million Moms group, who are openly anti gay, have closed their facebook page because of a backfired post which drew hundreds of pro gay green lantern comments. Mitt Romney and Barack Obama with their anti gay stances have to date remained silent.

So my questions..Is it educational to have an openly gay comic book hero? Will it stop idiots like i was?

Personally, I don't think so, the young are cruel, they are immature, they only grow up when faced with reality, (like I did), not comic book fantasy. After all if you accept that comic books can change a childs outlook on homosexuality, then logically you have to accept that comic books can change a childs outlook on the acceptability of violence

P.S. Don't even start with the 'flaming chartreuse candelabra', 'pink table lamp' jokes..I've already seen them.

[annesingleton]

Have you had a good day/evening, it sounds like it! What on earth does it matter whether superheroes are openly gay or not? If you're a child you wouldn't care less, if you're an adult, does it really matter?
Also, yes I do think that a culture of violence will encourage violence.
Live and let live.

[mobertol]

It's just sad that this is an issue at all.

A violin playing teenager will probably be disparaged just as much, or someone whose family doesn't have a TV -this happened for real when I was at junior school...

I got a lot of stick because I wore glasses and for 5 years had one or other eye covered up...

None of us is the same however hard we try -the older I get the more I like those who are different and anti-conformist.

Vive la Difference! (Oops! Pardon my French!)

[annesingleton]

I completely agree with you Mobertol. Vive la difference indeed !

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by annesingleton

Have you had a good day/evening, it sounds like it! What on earth does it matter whether superheroes are openly gay or not? If you're a child you wouldn't care less, if you're an adult, does it really matter?
Also, yes I do think that a culture of violence will encourage violence.
Live and let live.

I totally agree with you, kids don't care, and that's my point, which you seem to have missed.

The authors of the comics are saying that comics influence people regarding homosexuality but deny that comic books influence violence...they can't have it both ways

[cashman]

Ah but kids Like i was, you were n countless others,are immature n easily influenced thats fact to me, The difference is some grow up quick, some take longer, n sadly some never grow up. its the latter were the problems will always be, n sod all we can do about that.

[Mancie]

Was talking to a bloke not long ago who when he was a kid lived in a village in cornwall and had an adopted black girl cousin .. they used to meet and play like kids do.. he told me he did not even realise she was a different colour untill they both went to big school and was told she's black.
Young kids take things as they come.. white,black,gay,disabled mean nothing to them..any distinction is usually provided by adults.. sad but true.

[mobertol]

Originally Posted by Guinness

I totally agree with you, kids don't care, and that's my point, which you seem to have missed.

The authors of the comics are saying that comics influence people regarding homosexuality but deny that comic books influence violence...they can't have it both ways

I think it's probably just another gimmick to boost flagging sales of comic books. Most kids these days are into other things -my boys have never really read them anyway.

Violence in comic books? The odd "Biff" or "Splat" perhaps is all I can remember...

Tom and Jerry is probably more violent.

If they'd made Captain America gay (since there's a new film due out)-would have been more interesting -would probably have increased their circulation too. Or I am just being cynical old me...

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Mancie

Was talking to a bloke not long ago who when he was a kid lived in a village in cornwall and had an adopted black girl cousin .. they used to meet and play like kids do.. he told me he did not even realise she was a different colour untill they both went to big school and was told she's black.
Young kids take things as they come.. white,black,gay,disabled mean nothing to them..any distinction is usually provided by adults.. sad but true.

Basically what i'm saying adults that never grew up, or in cashy speak- Dickheads.

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by mobertol

I think it's probably just another gimmick to boost flagging sales of comic books. Most kids these days are into other things -my boys have never really read them anyway.

Violence in comic books? The odd "Biff" or "Splat" perhaps is all I can remember...

Tom and Jerry is probably more violent.

If they'd made Captain America gay (since there's a new film due out)-would have been more interesting -would probably have increased their circulation too. Or I am just being cynical old me...

You know, I used to think that Mary Whitehouse was an idiot..an old fogey, well past her prime, jealous of youth etc...

She used to complain about the 'biff', 'splat' and Tom and Jerry type violence..but I'm beginning to think that this was just the thin end of the wedge.

Only a couple of days ago, a new promo trailer for the latest Hitman game has stirred up controversy, by the gratuitous slow motion violence of killing a few nuns who reveal themselves to be scantily clad stockings/suspenders wearing assassins..nothing like this apparently actually figures in the gameplay..it's just the ad men trying to hook the punters.

(As an aside, once used the old Dennis the Mennis phrase 'Ooo errr' to describe my brother, to which my ex weaving mill working grandmother slapped me round the earhole misinterpreting it as me calling him a whore)

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by cashman

Basically what i'm saying adults that never grew up, or in cashy speak- Dickheads.

Think that thee and me sing of the same hymn sheet here cashy

[accyman]

not really a big step for DC comics its not as though the green lantern is one of their more popular heroes.They may well have dug up the charecter to make a few million from a movie recently which incidently he is in love with a woman in but apart from that i think its just a publicity stunt to promote a dying comic industry and not the glorious equality issue they claim.

movies used to have at least one black guy in at one time to show equality and these became known as the token black guy and to me this just reaks of teh token gay super hero.Besides if any super hero was to be gay i woulda said it would be spiderman although a lot of them do make their own uniform which is usually tight fitting and a strong liking for spandex and latex

i really dont think a child is going to stop getting bullied by uttering the words "well teh green lantern is gay too" its not as though a bully is going to say hes right and stop thumping him.An assh0le is an assh0le and a cartoon wont ever stop that.

Also the biggest super hero of all time superman was played by christopher reeve who was well known to be gay and it hasnt stopped fans following the franchise but it also hasnt stopped bullys because like i said an a-hole will always be an a-hole

[Studio25]

Sexuality isn't a choice - it's just the way you are. (For most people, anyway.)

I have less of a problem with a gay superhero than with glorification of bad traits for which the viewer does have a choice. For example, the disregard for human life in pursuit of personal gain which is prevalent in almost every film. I'm not suggesting everyone is turned into a sociopath by watching Wanted or whatever - but if people believe that the weak-minded can be affected by what they see in their entertainment media, maybe there are more productive areas for their effort than worrying about the offpage antics of where the Green Lantern's willy goes when it's not under his lycra underpants.

[Karateman]

My favourite comic book heroes......

Dan Dare
Alf tupper,
Briggs the goalie
Roy Race

No bloody nintendo this or Play station that or X Box the other.....No blood and guts or sexual themes....just good clean boys own stuff...real adventures........

I could go on and on and...

[katex]

Although I welcome the fact that homosexuality is accepted these days, and we treat homosexuals as the person they are and not what we have considered beyond the norm. I do feel this acceptance is now going a little over the top.

It is being used more and more in the media and being 'promoted'. Comedians, presenters all make innuendo jokes about their sexuality and use it for some sort of promotion.

There's is even an advert. Oh hek, for thingymungbebobs with (I think) Alistair McDonald. Two blokes in 2 chairs, approached by an obvious 'gay' gentleman calling them 'girls'. Somebody please prompt me for who the advert is for .... driving me mad.

No, think this comic gimmick is way over the top.