The third X Men is coming out on Memorial Day

[dsc]

X Men, at least in my opinion, is an allegory about being gay. It seems that this chapter is about a war caused by the clampdown on the Mutants by an increasingly hostile US. I can't wait to see it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. My kid is a HUGE X Men fan

He will be excited to hear this.

[yngliberal]

2. Director of the first two movies...

He is openly gay.

[stevekatz]

3. people see

What they want to see in things like this.

Stan Lee has said several times in interviews that it was about race relations, remember the Xmen aren't a new creation. I do so look forward to the movie btw.

[dsc]

5. racism doesn't make much sense

since one of the main points is the hidden nature of the difference. I admit that the comic book might well have been about racism given the fact that would have been prevelent in its era but the movies seem to be more likely to be about homosexuality.

[marmar]

7. Good point...but I don't think the era of racism has ended....

Just witness some of the anti-immigrant fervor these days.

[dsc]

8. True I didn't mean it quite that way

I meant that racism was just starting to come to the public artistic consciousness back then.

[marmar]

10. True...

Just as the right's demonizing of gays and lesbians is at the fore now.

[dsc]

11. It really is becoming a bit scary

I vascilate between wondering if I am paranoid about this and wondering if I worry enough.

[ThomCat]

20. They made it obvious that it was about race.

Some mutants were obvious. Some could pass. All were subject to lynchings. All were demonized simply for what they were.

There are similarities to being gay, but the X-Men were always about race.

[triakis36]

6. Uncanny use of MLF resembles GLF

and from the Gay Liberation Front came Queer Nation (Gene Nation). Stan might not have originally envisioned the LBGT movement as a part of the X-men but later authors certainly did. Like the whole Legacy Virus storyline.. the mainstream audience just probably didn't notice.

[darkmaestro019]

16. Yeah, I'd forgotten about that, the Legacy virus...

I'm not a gigantic fan, but amusingly enough several boys I've had relationships with have been the sort with tons of unstorable comic-boxes all over the place...

[GymGeekAus]

23. How could you forget the Legacy Virus?!?

And yeah, gay geeks are horribly underrepresented and underappreciated. Talk about two stereotypes that are hard to reconcile!

Gay-gym-geeks even more so. ;) But hey, we're totally worth the effort.

[woldnewton]

18. The X-Men...

are an allegory for any persecuted minority. Stan Lee (along with Jack Kirby) created the X-Men, but he isn't the only writer that has worked on it over the years. He's not the only one who has something to say about them.

There's some of all of us in the X-Men.

[marmar]

4. Actually it's an allegory about anyone who's somehow...

different. I think that was the original intent of the X-Men cartoon, as a way to tackle racism, homophobia, and all the other -isms and -obias.

[kweerwolf]

9. The gay subtext certainly seems strong in this series.

I remember the scene in the second movie were the young kid tells his parents he's a mutant. He mother askes him, "Well, have you ever tried not being a mutant?" What a perfect metaphor for coming out.

[dsc]

12. I know it was an amazing scene

It really was just like what coming out is like.

[davidinalameda]

14. that was the best scene

every time I see that, I roll

[donco6]

25. I was a fan of the comics, too.

And I believe the gay subtext was always present.

[GymGeekAus]

13. Ooooh, X3!

Let's discuss something relevant!

Colossus was played by a complete god last movie. Total bit part. Will we get to see him again?

He was shirtless in X2. Wowzer.

[davidinalameda]

17. and from my understanding Colossus is gay

[woldnewton]

19. Colossus...

is not gay, at least not the one in the Earth 616 universe.

Ultimate Colossus is gay, but he's not really *the* Colossus, per se.

It's complicated for anyone who isn't a die-hard comic fan.



Let's just say the Colossus you know and love isn't gay. Sorry boys...

[GymGeekAus]

21. Don't mess with my fantasies, baby.

And I won't try to interject myself into yours. ;)

Northstar was gay. Is he still around? Not the best role model, of course. He was like cardboard in everything I read with him in it, but maybe he loosened up some after he came out (by which time I had quit reading). He also had a sister (Aurora, who was straight) suffering from manic depression or something, who actually underwent some sort of procedure or something to change the behavior of her powers. From what I remember, the result was that the two heroes could no longer generate light when in contact (instead, Aurora could do it on her own) and instead suffered some sort of backlash when they touched. Pretty depressing metaphor, all in all. Plus, that was like ancient comic history--they might have changed the story significantly since then.

Other than that (and overlooking the entire mutant theme, which is a good metaphor for the GLBT rights struggle), were there any other mainstream comic book characters that were out?

[davidinalameda]

22. how complicated is it

enlight us poor uniformed masses

http://www.gayleague.com/gay/characters/display.php?id=204

[homaffectional]

24. Pay attention to a distinction made twice in that entry...

Group Affiliation: X-Men (Ultimate)

History

In the Ultimate universe


The 'Ultimate' Colossus is actually an alternate universe Colossus. It's not the mainstream Colossus we know (meaning the one from the movie, as well), who recently came back from the dead (in the comic canon).





I used to know the GLA. Not surprising they'd be so sloppy about their entries. Those that aren't excessively familiar with the Marvel Universe mythos wouldn't immediately get it.

[darkmaestro019]

15. : ) surely you're a QAF viewer?

if not, then you might peruse. Mikey is a big fan and he and Justin eventually create a (silly, but amusing) gay superhero comic.

Apparently you're not the only GLBT type person to see the metaphor in the secret identity and the thread of "mutant"-hate that has always run through X-men : )


EDIT: though Mikey does point out that in addition to the metaphor the rippling muscles and tights kept his interest snared as a tween...