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Heavy Artillery

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Art by Adam Warren

Contributed by Mike McDermott

Heavy Artillery is a member of the Super-Homies, an elite superhero team (the Empowered-universe’s version of the Avengers).  He has a large cannon in place of his head.  He appears to be a reserve member of the team, or at least not one of their more prominent members–so far he has appeared mostly as a background character in large group meetings or social functions, and we have yet to see him in action in a field mission.

Heavy Artillery outed himself to the audience when the Super Homies were examining some YAOI slash fan-fiction comics about the team, commenting that the stories were definately written by women *for* women: “‘Cause speaking as a gay male, this yaoi crap does nothing for me”.  Although Emp was surprised by Heavy Artillery’s sexuality, none of the other Super Homies made any comment–so presumably none of them have any issue with him (despite several of the male Super-Homies being sexist jerks, so it would not be a surprise for them to be homophobic too).

Heavy Artillery is one of the few Super Homies not shown to treat Emp poorly for being relatively ineffective as a superhero. However they have barely interacted at all on-panel, so it is unclear if he actually treats her better than most of her other teammates, or if we simply haven’t seen any examples of him treating her badly.

Heavy Artillery first appeared in Empowered vol 1 and is outed in Empowered vol 3.

Heavy Artillery is © Adam Warren. All rights reserved.

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Adam Keith

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Contributed by Mike McDermott

Adam Keith is a lawyer who was employed by the Hanover Modeling Agency to defend model Millie Collins when she was falsely accused of murder.  Mr. Keith had his hands full defending Millie not only from the charges, but also from the harassment by police captain North Norrell who was handling the case.  When Millie and her friends discovered the identity of the real killer, the charges were dropped.

Keith first appeared and is shown to be gay in Models Inc. #2.

© and ® Marvel Comics. All rights reserved.

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Dexedrine C. Parios

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

Art by Matthew Southworth

Dexedrine (AKA Dex) Parios is the owner and sole employee of Stumptown Investigations based in Portland, OR. Dex is cocky, self-assured, kind-hearted yet cynical and brash, “no bullshit” bullshitter with a penchant for her ’64 Mustang convertible and bad habit of gambling, or at least lacking the good sense to know when to quit. The true love of her life is her younger brother Ansel whom she appears to be raising by herself, sometimes relying on the help of a young man named Grey who’s clearly infatuated with her, though she keeps him at a distance romantically. Dex appears to be of Native American descent.

In old parlance, Dex is quite a “card”. While it seems she has most people wrapped around her finger, one person with a strong dislike for her is Police Captain Volk. From dialog it’s implied that Dex had an affair with Volk’s wife which resulted in the end of his marriage. While Dex is on the receiving end of sexual advances from another woman in the first story arc and enjoys them, she also makes passes at a male doctor who tends to her after being abducted and shot (she was wearing a kevlar vest).

Rucka’s affinity for crime themed work and strong female characters is well known. Despite significant differences between Dex and Renée Montoya, I can’t help but wonder if this direction might have been applied to Montoya if the character hadn’t been transformed in to the Question.

© and ® Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth. All rights reserved. Published by Oni Press.

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Jack Cooper

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Jack with dark hairJack Cooper is a valuable employee, ostensibly the PR head of the HeNRI Institute, a private weapons R & D firm which was developing a battle suit based on technology using liquid metal. Public relations carries other connotations for HeNRI though and there’s much more to Jack under his thin veneer efficiency. Cooper is first seen consulting with HeNRI’s Dr. Foster in the wake of the Institute’s beta suit’s explosion during a secret military test. Tasked by Foster, Cooper enlists the the expertise of National Security Branch agent Ivy Raven to track down and bring in Julie Martin, the woman who witnessed the Moon Lake explosion. Together they begin the investigation, starting with a gruesome and mysterious crime scene. Cooper fails to maintain complete control of the situation during an interaction with Park Ranger Dillon Murphy in which he has to relate the death of Annie, Murphy’s scientist girlfriend who was killed while wearing the beta suit.

An undercurrent of tension and distrust arises when Ivy discovers during a phone update with Jack that he’s been hiding information about the Mook Lake blast from her. Suspicion continues for Ivy with more interaction with Jack as he continues to try and fail at staying on top of things as Ivy gets closer to and then locates Martin. Pressure increases on Jack after images of the Moon Lake crater surface in the national news media and he loses control over Ivy when she fails to yield to his ultimatum, thus ensuring her involvment as a free agent sympathetic to Julie.

More of Jack’s despicable nature is revealed when he visits HeNRI scientist Hong Liu in a critical care burn unit and tries to extort Liu’s computer password for pain treatment in order to get plans for a proton gun to take down Julie Martin. Later Jack coerces another HeNRI scientist to lie to the police about an incident in which he narrowly escaped an assailant who targeted him so the company isn’t drawn into the matter. Thinking a lead has brought them to Julie, Jack orders a black ops agent to strike and kill.

Issue #20 pulls back the curtain on Jack’s private life. He arrives home to find several packed bags by the front door. Todd, a friend, sits in the living room, mentioning that Ethan is waiting by the pool. We learn from their conversation that they’ve been together a number of years, and Ethan has decided to end their relationship because they’ve grown apart. Jack alludes to big problems at work. This turn of events clearly pushes Jack and as Ethan starts to leave he realizes his lover knows too much. Out of control, hurt, and angered, Jack takes a drastic step for, in his mind, national security. He clearly shows remorse, but he doesn’t let emotions get involved while ordering a coverup of his gruesome actions. That’s as much as I’ll spoil this truly shocking development.

Jack Cooper first appears in Echo #2 and is confirmed gay in #20.

© 2010 Terry Moore. All rights reserved.

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Dawnstar

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Art by Ed Benes

According to the DC Who’s Who entry, Dawnstar is a mutant born on the planet Starhaven. Aside from the obvious power of flight, Dawnstar is able to fly through space at high speeds (without need for protection), and has an uncanny ability to track people or objects. Dawnstar became the driving force behind a business venture started by her parents, Mistrider and Moonwalker. She guided spacecraft through dangerous sections of space, thus securing safe passage and delivery of goods. Greybird and Greatfire are her younger brothers. She came to the attention of R. J. Brande because of her work as a bounty hunter. He offered her a place in the Legion Academy where she was trained by Wildfire, and soon after joined the Legion. The entry also states that she had a crush on Wildfire that developed into a “romantic but platonic (of necessity)” matter. On a mission (circa 1985) she found herself attracted to man named Jhodan. More research will need to be done on this matter.

In the Five Years Later version, Dawnstar was possessed by Bounty, a malevolent being, who cruelly cut off her wings and coerced to work as an assassin. Zero Hour came along and erased Dawnstar (and Bounty) from continuity.

Dawnstar has reappeared in post Infinite Crisis continuity, first as only a statue (one of many depicting the Legion) in Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, a scene in which Superman acknowledges having had adventures with the Legion. (Justice Society of America #5) Karate Kid, Wildfire, Timber Wolf, Dream Girl, Star Man, and Dawnstar have come to the 21st century on a mission to bring someone back from the dead. Who this person, aside from it being a male, the reasons and the circumstances remain a mystery. Power Girl, Hawk Girl and Red Arrow travel to Thanagar to find Dawnstar. They track down a lead and find a woman wearing fake wings but who has Dawnstar’s flight ring. The unnamed woman implies she and Dawnstar (who she calls Neela) have had a romantic relationship, and knows Dawnstar is not returning because she has “[felt] her friends from this far away–” The last page reveals Dawnstar has tracked down and joined her fellow time traveling friends, and will lead them to where they need to go to accomplish their mission.

Dawnstar appeared in issues #1 – #5 of Crisis of Infinite Earths. After Legion of Three Worlds it now seems these appearances may have been of an alternate Dawnstar.

The original version debuted in Superboy #225, volume 1 and this version is outed in Justice League of America #9 (2007) as part of “The Lightning Saga” story in #8 – 10 by Brad Meltzer.

© and ® DC Comics. All rights reserved.

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Glyph

Sunday, July 11th, 2010

Glyph is a cabin mate of sorts with Halo Jones and Toy Molto aboard the star ship E.S.S. Clara Pandy, by which I mean Glyph simply seems to have just barely come to their attention, as there’s a rather forgettable air and appearance. When Halo and Toy do finally address their “guest”, Toy (and later Halo) refers to “it” rather than he or she in a clumsy way to bypass Glyph’s gender ambiguity, which is illuminated when Glyph reveals “I remember I started off as a girl. That much I’m certain of…or maybe I started out as a boy. Never mind–it doesn’t really matter.” Glyph proceeds to recount that her/his original gender caused unhappiness and underwent a “total body remould” and within months regretted the change. Glyph admits to having 47 body remoulds over the span of five years, and because of all the physical and psychological changes could no longer remember his/her birth gender. In the process all trace of personality had been erased and she/he began to turn into a non-entity, losing jobs, a home, and interaction with society. Glyph learned how to use the newly acquired anonymity to survive by walking unquestioned into people’s home for food and eventually stowing aboard the Clara Pandy for a change of pace.

Glyph reappears a couple chapters later as Halo is on a mission which will have unforseen consequences years later. That mission is to find a rat to replace the dying member of a symbiotic “rat king” group intelligence. Thanks to Glyph’s demeanor, it’s an easy task to walk up and grab one for Halo.

In a subplot whose details are largely irrelevant to this entry, Glyph sacrifices her/his life to save Halo and Toy from being mauled and killed by Toby, Halo’s robotic dog companion. Glyph manages this by opening a barrel of flammable liquid in the path of the smoking cybernetic canine and creating an explosion. In keeping with the theme, Halo asks Toy if they’re dead and she replies that nobody died today.

Glyph was created by Alan Moore and appeared in The Ballad of Halo Jones Book 2 (published in 2000 AD Progs#406-415) and is part of the trade collection The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones.

© 2001 Rebellion Publishing. All rights reserved.

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Time Commander 2

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

By Martin Gray

Sterling Fry was the protege of the Time Commander, John Starr, who fought Batman, Green Lantern and Animal Man. After ‘my mentor, my friend… and so much more‘ died during the 52 storyline, Fry fought Hourman II as the new Time Commander, but was apparently destroyed after overdosing on chronal energy.

Time Commander 2 seems to have appeared in only one story, JSA Classified #34 by James Peaty and art by Freddie Williams II.

Assuming Fry was gay would imply John Starr would not have been entirely heterosexual, or perhaps Fry’s love for Starr was unrequited.

Martin writes witty reviews at his Too Dangerous For A Girl blog. Pop over!

Art by Freddie Williams II
© and ® DC Comics. All rights reserved.

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Paradox

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

By Ronald Byrd

In the 22nd century, the Terran Empire holds several planets under harsh colonial rule. Its interests are protected by the Interplanetary Security Agency, which includes several genetically altered superhumans. The most effective and unpredictable of them all is the shapechanging bisexual Paradox (Mark Esterhase), who suffered severe radiation poisoning on a mission and was saved via the introduction of alien genetic material that allows him to transform from one species to another in order to stave off the radiation’s effects. An antigravity dancer in his cover identity, Paradox’s frivolity and hedonism hide suspicion and bitterness toward the organization that transformed him. When his lover, a rebel Lunan named Catherine Delys that he met in the course of a mission, is killed by Terran guards, Paradox rebels against the I.S.A. and sides with the rebels of Saturn and the other worlds.

Art by Val Mayerik

In addition to Paradox himself, Bizarre Adventures #30 features two more gay characters, mutated female members of Paradox’s ISA Strike Squad on Saturn: Razor, who possesses claws and laser-vision, and her lover, the blind “telempath” Ice. Oddly enough, Paradox was created by Bill Mantlo, whose later portrayal of Northstar in Alpha Flight would prove so dissatisfactory.

Paradox can change his shape to that of any human or humanoid alien and even take on animal form, such as a black cat; when in the form of a member of an alien race, he can manifest the appropriate powers. He is also a highly skilled dancer, acrobat, and spy, with access to the advanced weaponry of his era.

Paradox first appeared in the black and white Marvel Preview magazine #24 (Winter 1980) and then in Bizarre Adventures #30, which seems to be a continuation of Marvel Preview. This male-male kiss in this story may be the first depicted in a publication from either of the Big Two companies. This issue likely hit the stands several months after Jim Shooter’s notorious YMCA near rape scene in The Hulk #23. According to the indicia Shooter had not yet been made an executive at Marvel.

© and ® Marvel Comics. All rights reserved.

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Nata & Jisa

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

By Ronald Byrd

Renata da Lima (Nata) is a young Brazilian mutant whose parents force her to leave home out of fear that she will be killed by anti-mutant bigots if she remains. Finding a job as a bouncer at a Rio de Janeiro nightclub, Nata befriends a girl named Jisa, who has been thrown out by her parents because of her involvement with gang member Laolo. When Jisa becomes pregnant, Laolo assumes that she will get an abortion; unwilling to do so, Jisa leaves him. Nata takes Jisa under her wing and supports her during her pregnancy, and it is implied that the two girls become lovers. When last seen, Nata was single-handedly fighting Laolo and his gang on her way home from work, and it may be presumed that she triumphed and returned to Jisa.

Nata has super-dense skin and bones as hard as steel, granting her enhanced strength, stamina, and resistance to injury. She is also a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant. Jisa has no superhuman powers.

Nata and Jisa appeared in Muties #4 (2002).

© and ® Marvel Comics. All rights reserved.

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Sasquatch

Monday, July 5th, 2010

Art by John Byrne

By Ronald Byrd

As part of Department H’s efforts to create Canadian super-agents, Walter Langkowski subjected himself to a gamma-radiation treatment designed to give him super-powers similar to those of Bruce Banner,a.k.a. the Incredible Hulk,with whom Langkowski attended college. Unknown to Langkowski, his experiment briefly established a mystic link between himself and the extradimensionally exiled Great Beast named Tanaraq, enabling him to assume the form of an incarnation of the Beast, which Langkowski mistook for a transformation similar to that of the Hulk’s.

As Sasquatch, Langkowski became a member of the Canadian super-team Alpha Flight, but his career took a dramatic turn when the efforts of Tanaraq and his fellow Great Beasts resulted in the expulsion of his soul from his body, which was possessed by Tanaraq and subsequently destroyed; temporarily inhabiting the robot Box, his soul was later transferred to the body of his female teammate Snowbird (whose own soul was at the time believed to be dead; she has since returned, although precisely how she obtained a new body is as yet unrevealed), which was itself in bestial form at the time. Sasquatch was surprised when his transformation back to human left him in Snowbird’s female body (a turn which, unsurprisingly, had a detrimental effect on his relationship with female teammate Aurora), in which form he used the name Wanda Langkowski. Sasquatch eventually regained his male form and evidently never explored any romantic possibilities while in Snowbird’s form, but his experience remains relatively unique in the annals of Marveldom. Temporarily replaced on the team without his knowledge by a genuine sasquatch while he was conducting scientific research, he is an active member of Alpha Flight to this day.

Sasquatch has the ability to change into a large, shaggy, bestial form (actually an incarnation of the Great Beast Tanaraq) in which he possesses immense super-strength, durability, and reflexes; when in human form he retains none of these abilities. It is possible that, considering that he occupies the body of the demigoddess Snowbird, he may have the potential to utilize her own more extensive shape-changing abilities and other powers, but this is unclear.

Sasquatch first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120. The character’s gender transformation happened in Alpha Flight #45.

© and ® Narvel Comics. All rights reserved.

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