Holding Out For A Hero

I need a hero

I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night

He's gotta be strong

And he's gotta be fast

And he's gotta be fresh from the fight

I need a hero

I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light

He's gotta be sure

And it's gotta be soon

And he's gotta be larger than life

When I was younger, I knew I was different from other kids. As I have shared before, I didn’t know I was gay. Instead, I just understood that there was something inside me that made me different from my friends and family. I thought that meant that I was a wizard, a great knight of old, and for a while I thought it meant I was a vampire.

When I got to be about 10 or so, I started checking out comic books.  Not the Archie comics they sell next to Reader’s Digest. Instead, I was drawn to the colored pages of comics like Uncanny X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Avengers. There was just something about the Marvel comics that captivated me for years. It wasn’t until Spawn #1 that I even strayed from Marvel titles.

Reading stories about mutants, folks that were different from most of Earth's inhabitants, made me happy. Despite a constant sense of depression (discussed in a prior post), these comics brought light into my world of darkness. It made me feel that there was a place for me. I hoped that the feeling of being different might mean that I could develop cool super powers (they never developed damn it). But it gave me something that, at the time, I didn’t understand. But now as an adult, I realize that it made me feel normal.

When I started to identify that I was in fact gay (or the first stages of accepting it), I started to look for gay characters in the media I enjoyed. I was 16 at that point. I had heard about Northstar, the first gay super hero in Marvel’s line. I checked out some Alpha Flight comics. He wasn’t really an appealing character to me. Maybe I just don't understand Canadians? I just never really had any connection to the character.

As time has gone by, more characters within the Marvel universe have come out. Some of my favorite gay characters are Colossus (from the Ultimate Universe), Wiccan and Hulkling. I feel a strong connection with these three characters. Colossus is a Big Guy and just happens to be gay. Wiccan and Hulkling, despite being teenagers, have one of the best relationships I have seen in comic books. Admittedly, my husband and I kind of remind me of these two (sans mutant powers that is).  

My husband also chanced upon the revelation that Rictor and Shatterstar are also queer. The squeal of excitement that he made in the comic store when he saw the kiss still stands out in my mind as a reason why I love him so much.

I am excited about DC's announcement that Green Lantern, Alan Scott, would be reintroduced as a gay man.  In addition, June also sees Northstar marrying his longtime boyfriend Kyle. Good timing, comic book companies, as June is Gay Pride Month.

For a comprehensive list of Queer characters, check out queersupe.com

So who is your favorite gay super hero? Do you think those spandex-clad characters might all be a bit homoerotic? Let me know what you think.