As GLAAD contemplates its nominees for comic of the year, I hope the committee takes a moment to read Rich Johnston’s look at Marvel’s overall philosophy towards titles with lead characters who are gay.
“…[M]any inferred that Joe [Quesada] was saying that Marvel could not publish a series starring a gay character without it being labeled a MAX – the same label used for comics featuring extreme swearing, extreme violence and explicit nudity.
“Something that’s now been confirmed to me.
“Joe Quesada explained to me that this was the act of a responsible publisher in the current marketplace, given a reactionary media, and widespread and increasingly vocal parental concerns.”
How spectacularly gutless. Any comic starring a gay character is automatically MAX, with or without any explicit content. (I guess it’s a relief that they killed, resurrected, and villain-ized the only gay character to have a non-MAX solo series.)
Seriously, GLAAD, do you really want to reward a publisher that has this philosophy? Do you want to reward a publisher that has anything even resembling this philosophy? Because I think that decision would have the wrong… y’know… impact.