From: berninge@cs.purdue.edu (James Berninger)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
Subject: Re: UX#298: Letters Page Bigot
Date: 12 Jan 1993 13:56:01 -0500
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Purdue University
NNTP-Posting-Host: alice.cs.purdue.edu

rich.bellacera@amail.amdahl.com writes:
>I know this has nothing to do with the current storyline (or maybe it does),
>but It simply amazes me the vehement bigotry that embraces so many people.
>My God it's so deeply embedded in this society I'm sure it'll take decades
>to ween it to a more tolerant and kinder society.  Jami Johnson is such a
>blatant example of this "ugly" trait.  It was nice, however, to see the
>restrained yet sharply contrasting reply Bob Harris gave to that willfully
>hateful fan.  I find Marvel's (as well as D.C.'s and others') move toward
>tolerance a refreshing and enlightening challenge.  Afterall, a good number
>of comics fans are preteens and slightly older.  Perhaps Marvel, like others
>is doing it part to help change this great nation of ours, and perhaps the
>whole world and to help bring a little tolerance into the lives of mostly
>young boys who might've otherwise grown up to be hateful of those they don't
>understand, and perhaps, even give others a little hope and a sense of
>self-respect.

I find that DC is *much* better about diversity than Marvel, at least in the
sexual orientation issue (which may or may not be the topic of UX#298).  As
a side-hobby of mine, I keep a (albeit smaller) comic collection of stories
that deal with the topic of homosexuality.  I also have an on-line list of
characters, books, etc. on this issue, and the number of entries from DC
*vastly* outweigh Marvel's.  At one count, DC had about 22 of the 25 or so
characters, while Marvel had about 3.

I also note that Northstar is Marvel's first (and only?) major character
to openly disclose his/her sexuality, in Alpha Flight #106.  That issue sold
out its first print run (I heard one retailer exclaim, "When Alpha Flight
sells out, I'm laughing to the bank."), and generated a large outpouring of
mail.  The final stats indicated that just under 75% of the mail was in
favor of Northstar's outing.  While this is an impressive statistic, I
should point out that Pied Piper's outing in Flash #53 received support over
90%.  Marvel also reportedly received calls from irate mothers who wanted to
know how to explain to their children what a homosexual was.

I personally believe that there is an indication here of the levels of
maturity of the comic reader from each company.  Not to say that all readers
of Marvel are immature, and certainly not all readers of DC are mature -- I
mean to imply that Marvel is more widely read by the younger audience, where
not every (young) reader will understand the concepts of homosexuality and of
cultural diversity.  Also, a fair portion of the entries in my list are from
Sandman and Hellblazer, currently under the Vertigo line, but others are
from Legion of Super Heroes, Superman, Wonder Woman, and others.

It is refreshing to see comic companies write stories with the added realism
that not every person is straight (see my letter in LSH #38, still on sale
if you're lucky).  Still, each one will generate criticism for some time.

I also refer you to Flash #57 and Quantum Leap #11 (still on sale)
for other books with letters on this issue.  If anyone is interested in my
list of homosexuality in mainstream comics, feel free to drop me a line.

  ______   Jim Berninger: berninge@cs.purdue.edu  |     Hate is not     ______
  \ \  /     Green Lantern Fan, Extraordinaire    |   a Family Value.   \ \  /
   \/\/   "I don't *wanna* play Leona Helmsley!"  | - - - - - - - - - -  \/\/
    \/        -- Elmyra Duff, Tiny Toons Xmas     |  Boycott Colorado.    \/
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc