presented by Michele Collins
and Douglas Davey
For the Rainbow Coalition Conference
2012
Queer Media 101
Progressions - Presence
• Presence: – Absence – Suggestion – Background– Foreground
Progressions - Representation
• Representation– Absence – Stereotype – Realism
Progressions – In Media
• In Media– Absence– Underground– Indies / Imprints– Mainstream
QUEER COMICS - HISTORY
History of Queer Comics
• “Seduction of the Innocent” 1954• Comics Code Authority
QUEER COMICS - CREATORS
Howard Cruse
• Founding editor of Gay Comix (1979)• Wendel in The Advocate• Stuck Rubber Baby
Howard Cruse
• Stuck Rubber Baby (1995)
Los Bros Hernandez
• Gilberto Hernandez b. 1957• Jaime Hernandez b. 1959• Love and Rockets (1980s > ongoing)
Los Bros Hernandez
Locas by Jaime Palomar by Gilberto
Los Bros Hernandez
Hopey and Maggie
Alison Bechdel
• b. 1960• Dykes to Watch Out For (late 1980s +)• Fun Home• Are You My Mother?
Alison Bechdel
• Dykes to Watch Out For
Alison Bechdel
• Fun Home (2006)
Matt Groening
• b. 1954 • Life in Hell (1980’s)• Akbar and Jeff
Diane DiMassa
• b. 1959
• Hothead Paisan “Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist”
Judd Winick
• b. 1970• Cast member on MTV’s The Real World• Pedro and Me• Green Lantern: Hate Crime
Judd Winick
• Pedro and Me (2000) ~ Pedro Zamora
Judd Winick
• Green Lantern: Hate Crime (2001)
Mariko Tamaki
• Skim (2008)
QUEER COMICS – GENRES & STYLES
Shonen-Ai - Boys Love - Bishonen - Yaoi
Yuri - Girls Love
Manga
Gay Superheroes!
• Northstar (first app. 1979)
Queer Superheroes!
• The Watchmen by Alan Moore (1987)
Silhouette, Captain Metropolis, Hooded Justice
Queer Superheroes!
• Apollo and Midnighter (The Authority)
Queer Superheroes!
• Also from the pages of the X-Men
Karma Anole Destiny Mystique
• The Advocate, Nov. 2008
Queer Superheroes!
Archie
• From the pages of Archie (2010)
QUEER VIDEO GAMES
Video Games
• 1980’s - No real queer content present in early video games
Video Games
• 1990’s – Some queer NPCs, many stereotypical representations
Video Games
• 2000’s - Queer NPCs and queer playable characters