These comics then, in no short time, led to the introduction of the US titles which had, in 1982, started to be reprinted in fortnightly issues - Thor, X-Men, Spider-Man, alongside toy tie-ins such as Transformers and Zoids.
The love of comic books, just as with Role Playing Games, is still with me. They've come a long way since then, with the surge of popularity due to the (pretty amazing on the whole) cinema franchises from both Marvel and DC.
When I started reading comics, the stories were about the heroes taking on the villain and (on the whole) beating them, rescuing the girl, who would then fall for them. Of course, there were love triangles, and messy separations, unrequited love and spurned lovers, but it was all good, wholesome fun (even though this was the 80's and even into the 90's, the Comics Code Authority was still a powerful body, telling the Big 2 what they could and couldn't publish).
This series of frames, taken from West Coast Avengers, is pretty much par for the course of comic book romances at the time:
Hawkeye & Mockingbird, West Coast Avengers Vol2, issue 91 (1993) Artwork by David Ross & Tim Dzon
Admittedly, there were no social networks or internet forums on which fans could express their pleasure (or displeasure) at the characters hooking up, but from reading the letters pages, it's pretty obvious the readership on the whole rooted for Clint & Bobbi's love story...
Now, advance to this year...
One of my favourite series of the last few years has been YOUNG AVENGERS. Relaunched in January of 2013 with a new creative team of Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, the title ran for 15 issues, in which the creative team told one of the best stories I've read in a good long while.
Essentially, the title looks at what happens when Young Avengers start to grow up - opposed by 'Adult' enemies, the group come to terms with their own nature, resulting in the redemption of several of the heroes along the way.
Central to the story is a romance. Sensitively handled, with humour and affection, the lovers split, then realise that they're stronger together. The two in question? Hulking and Wiccan.
Two boys.
Two gay boys.
To the readers of YA this isn't as much of a shock as it sounds, as the two characters have been 'outed' for as long as the title has been around - their relationship was established in Volume 1.
Volume two sees Teddy (Hulking) and Billy (Wiccan) separate, as Teddy mistakenly thinks that Billy would be better off without him (hell, when haven't any of us ever not thought that about our partners?). But, eventually, they come back together, in what is one of the most touching and romantic issues I've ever read.
Here's one of the final scenes:
Hulking & Wiccan, Young Avengers, Volume 2, Issue 15 (2014), Written by Kieron Gillen, Drawn by Jamie McKelvie
The story, which handles the relationships of all the characters in a mature, sensitive and honest way, has just been awarded a GLAAD Media Award for Best Comic Book which I think is well deserved, and heartily congratulate both Kieron and Jamie for their hard work.
But then I made the mistake of reading the Facebook comments against the announcement of the award on Comicbook Resources Facebook page:
Now, that's pretty tame compared to some of the comments that were left...
And for that I was ashamed to be part of a community that still harboured homophobia.
I highlighted this to the creators, through Twitter what they thought of the comments - here's their reply:
And you know what? I completely agree. They are doing something right. They didn't set out to sensationalise the story through the characters sexuality - it was just something that was there, that was dealt with just like any other relationship, be it straight, bi or gay.
And for that they should be applauded.
However, there's a good wedge of vocal 'fans' of comic books who seem to think that unless the relationship is between a man and (more often than not, anatomically impossible) woman, it's 'sick' or 'perverted'.
It's these same morons I'm sure that have been posting rape threats to Janelle Asselin for having the cheek to criticise the cover to the new Teen Titans comic book, again on Comicbook Resources (as it happens, I agree with her on this cover - the cheesecake depiction of Wonder Girl seems massively out of place compared against the other characters AND the previous TT story lines).
Both of these incidents are, to me, unacceptable. I feel that as a man, who loves comics, I need to apologise for the brain dead, neanderthal actions of my fellow comic book fans, who seem to be stuck in the past, where being sexist or homophobic is somehow acceptable (hint: IT'S NOT) or cool (DEFINITELY NOT).
I've challenged the comments on the CBR facebook page, as have others I will say. But even one sexist or homophobic comment is too many.
Comics should be for all - not the just the few.
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