This was brought to my attention by the proprietor of “Whatever” (the comic store in the heart of San Francisco’s fabulous Castro where I buy my books). I’d heard of Orson Scott Card (writer of Ender’s Game) in passing due to a blog post on another site (I forget which – if it was yours comment with link) about the cover to Ender’s Game #3 being homoerotic (which is odd considering he’s a devout and outspoken Mormon on the board of the National Organization for Marriage who believes homosexuality is an “acquired characteristic linked to abuse or molestation in childhood”).

Orson Scott Card is the type of bigot who ACTUALLY believes laws against homosexuality should remain on the books to be used against those who are not “discrete” (read that as “closeted and self-loathing”).

Also peculiar is the vast number of articles I find mentioning Ender’s Game being either homoerotic or homophobic. Does anyone read it? It doesn’t seen like that fine a line to me. Not sure how to mistake one for the other… Thoughts?

Well apparently for some ungodly reason he’s been tapped by IDW Publishing and EA Comics to write a comic version of the very gay-friendly Dragon Age: Origins RPG from Bioware. Dragon Age garnered much attention at sites like GayGamer, Kotaku, AfterElton, BitMob and even Telegraph.uk for the ability to play your character as Straight, Gay or Bi and the tastefully suggestive and romantic sex scenes that follows if you seduce the warrior elf Zevranthe with the right conversation.

TELL EA COMICS HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE INSENSITIVITY OF GIVING A LGBT FRIENDLY PROPERTY TO A HOMOPHOBE! Here is some contact info provided by the publisher of DoorQ (which has a history of pointing out Orson’s hatred). Thanks Jody!

209 Redwood Shores Parkway
Redwood City, CA 94065, USA
Phn: 650-628-1500
Fax: 650-628-1422

They seem to be a bit stingy on the email addresses. But if Marci Galea, the company wide talent manager is mgalea@ea.com, then John Riccitiello, the CEO of Electronic Arts, should be at jriccitiello@ea.com. No promises that won’t disappear into a black hole, so you might want to make a call to their phone line and follow up with an email.

Until recently, (Dragon Age, Bully, Mass Effect, Fable) playable gay and lesbian characters in videos games were often limited to stereotypical gay NPCs or lesbians meant to titillate the typical straight male gamer. I am very happy to see this sort of option showing up more often. This sort of inclusion in a predominantly straight genre is a heartening example of how the world is changing for the better and can only lead to gay kids growing up feeling not only represented but also accepted and straight kids growing up with the belief that someone being gay is no big deal.

Looks like Zevranthe gets around… so if you play Dragon Age gay and take him for a tumble, you might wanna pick up some buckskin rubbers.

If you are interested in playing the game, here are direct buy links for the PC version of the game and its 1st expansion. XBox and Playstation editions are available in QueerSUPE’s LGBT Friendly Video Games section.

I like it. Its sweet and totally speaks to the part of me that grew up on Schoolhouse Rock.

Some excellent coverage (including re-enactments) of the Prop 8 trial @… FireDogLake, American Foundation for Equal Rights and MarriageTrial

via WickedGayBlog

I Laughed, I Cried, It Became a Part of Me

The final (snif sniff) episode of the series is Epitaph 2: Return. Jump 10 years in the future to the second half of the rarely seen (only on the DVD) first Season 13th episode – Epitaph 1. Meet Zone, Mag and a little girl who is imprinted with… well watch for yourself dammit! I looked like a schizophrenic mess watching it – laughing one minute and weeping the next. Fun for the whole family. Well that is if your whole family enjoys apocalyptic nightmare scenarios involving out of control mind control tech that was created to build a better hooker. I LOVE JOSS WHEDON! Bye Echo! You’ll be missed

Only flaw I noticed was no attempt to make the characters LOOK like it was 10 years older. Seemed a bit odd that they looked like they hadn’t aged a day since the fall of Rossum.

I’m so sorry Joss didn’t get a chance to tell us more from the Dollhouse universe. As commented in the post about the previous episode, Whedon truly is a storyteller of epic proportions. As much as I’d like to see him write for the movies, I hope he hasn’t REALLY given up on series television. Love your work Joss!!!! Network execs suck. Its all numbers. I don’t know how they even figure those numbers now anyway – on demand and websites like hulu making sharing TV possible online, the ratings of who watched it the night it aired are irrelevant.

The comment also blaming the audience isn’t that far off the mark. The general public would rather watch petty fame whores duke it out over whose the better dancer, cook, hairdresser, dressmaker, interior designer, drag performer or pet groomer (really?). And while I’ll reluctantly admit to loving Tabitha’s Salon Takeover (just because she is a bitch from hell doesn’t make her wrong) and the first few seasons of Runway, I think reality TV is a serious danger to the future of original programming and we get closer to The Running Man every day.

I also think there are many Joss Whedon fans who gave up when they were not grabbed by the first 5 or so episodes. In some ways the series didn’t really pick up until we started learning more about “Alpha” and the danger he represented, and I think too many of the Buffy and Firefly fans dropped off before Dollhouse reached a point where they might have been hooked.

DC’s latest animated epic is dropping onto shelves on February 2nd, but why wait? Preorder PLANET HULK: EXILE from the QueerSUPE Comic Book Shop and have it sent directly to you as soon as it hits their inventory! and if you like animated heroes…

Be sure to check out the rest of the Comic Book Inspired Animation in Superhero Cartoons!

What happens when Marvel’s well-intentioned Illuminati (Iron Man, Mister Fantastic and Dr. Strange are visible in the trailer but Black Bolt and Namor are silhouettes) exiles the Hulk off-world for wreaking havoc one too many times? Torn from the pages of Hulk, PLANET HULK: EXILE is the monumental story of Hulk’s journey from monster of Earth to savior of Skaar. Who knows if it is well received we may even get a sequel WORLD WAR HULK!

Marvel’s decision to tell the stories too big for live-action as animation is a good one. I hope they keep ‘em coming!

Loki’s playing games as usual. He’s manipulated Crusher Creel and pushed him towards some fragments of A Cosmic Cube, so now it’s going to take the combined might of both Mighty and Dark Avengers to stop the Absorbing Man. But what is Loki after?

The Coming Darkness… Part 2 Can the MIGHTY AVENGERS and DARK AVENGERS join forces long enough to — we’re sorry, we can’t even pretend to finish that sentence. There’s no way the MIGHTY AVENGERS and DARK AVENGERS are teaming up. They’re gonna beat the living heck out of each other! The only question is: can HANK PYM stop the IRON PATRIOT before he harnesses the power of the Cosmic Cube?!

Loki seems to have dropped his drag disguise for some reason – did I miss something? Did Thor free Sif and restore her body or is he just feeling more butch lately? Is he just about mischief for the sake for it or does he have a master plan. I know he was behind the events that brought the original Avengers together, but I forget what he was trying to accomplish.

So the Sentry has been getting some kind of liquid power boosting serum from Norman Osborn this whole time. That is interesting. I keep waiting for some new fact that makes sense of the Sentry, maybe this issue will be it? We’ll see, I’m not holding my breath.

After years of mystery, the secrets of the Sentry are revealed! How deep is his madness and who is really in control of him? What is the limit of his power, if any? And what deadly mystery surrounds him causing mortals and gods to tremble in fear?

What may be more interesting tha the Sentry’s “serum” is exactly what do the biblical plagues of Egypt have to do with anything. Stay tuned!

via CBR

It has been announced that the end of their current epic event “Siege,” Marvel will also be bringing ALL of the Avengers titles to a close as well. Yes you read that right. New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Dark Avengers and Avengers The Initiative are all canceled as of April. Now you KNOW that’s not the end of the story but with the exception of the issue solicits (click cover and read captions), its all we have right now. In addition to the final issues of each title, there is also a special one-shot by Avengers scribe Brian Michael Bendis and Ultimates artists Bryan Hitch!!! Now as to what will follow that, Let the speculation begin!

I hope that out of the ashes rises a new title just called Avengers that either resumes the old numbering where it left off, or adds the 100 issues of New and Mighty to take them to #604 (I think). As for other possible books, I don’t know. I like Dark Avengers so I hope there is still room for a book that dark in the bright light of this new Heroic Age that is to follow the Siege.

I’m SO glad that Marvel FINALLY remembered that they have their OWN Trinity! With Iron Man, Thor and Captain America together again a new Heroic Age is upon us! I am pretty psyched about this but hope that Marvel can pull it off without losing all of the edge and angst they’ve built up during the Civil War, Secret Invasion and Dark Reign.

I don’t want to just go back to the way things were before it all happened, we’ll need a whole new status quo. So what will it be? All 3 of them as the founders of the Avengers? Iron Man back at S.H.I.E.L.D.? Captain America taking over the Initiative? Thor for President? Who knows?

via IGN

You may have noticed my original post on this awhile back. DC’s TheSource has rounded out a HUGE week of comic news with the OFFICIAL announcement that in 2010 they will FINALLY release the original New Teen Titans graphic novel started by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman back when their creations were at the height of their popularity.

Here is a lovely George Perez cover image sized to be suitable for you desktop – click the pic to grab the big version! I’m a bit confused as to why both “cover” images we’ve seen released for this are horizontal but the penciled pages featured in my first post are all vertical – any answers?

If interested, be sure to read this interview with the creators over at CBR.

It is a LITTLE gay. Actually it’s a LOT gay. ENJOY! Smallville’s Aquaman Alan Ritchson happily hazes some of his hot jockstrapped teammates from Blue Mountain State – a new show on SPIKE which I’ve not heard of, but based on this clip I’ll definitely have to check out… Anyone watch it? Is there a gay player? Fingers crossed!

I need to watch this show if only to find out exactly what kind of freak Ritchson is playing. He’s a bit too eager to run with the boys, and there’s the ending… (watch the whole video – there’s a special treat in last few seconds). Here’s a peek into the psyche of Thad Castle…

Via SeducedByTheNew

DC continues to wow us with revelation after revelation this week. Today they announced a new Legion of Super Heroes title will be hitting shelves this spring! Written by former Legion scribe, Paul Levitz (Great Darkness Saga), the new series is illustrated by “rising artist” Yildiray Cinar (Noble Causes, Teen Titans). The piece was short on details but included all these wonderful images, including a sketch version of the cover to the first issue and studies for the founding Legionnaires and the HQ clubhouse. Paul spoke to io9 about the project…

Levitz had THIS to say about returning to familiar Legion territory:

It’s such fun to be back in the future, blowing up planets, undoing Legion marriages, revealing unrevealed factoids, and starting improbable new relationships. If there’s a better job in comics than writing the Legion, with its vast cast and creative opportunities, I’ve never held it.

The Legion has had SO many reboots that I’m looking forward to a new version based on the Legion we were reintroduced to in Action Comics… Superman and the Legion of Super Heroes. Now that they’ve established the various reboots as Legions from alternate Earths, we can get back to what has happened to the original Legion since we stopped watching! Lets hope we see the relationship between Element Lad and Shavaugn Erin again. Perhaps we’ll learn more about Dawnstar’s girlfriend?

via TheSource

Big news this week at DC’s blog. First they announce the biweekly Brightest Day series and a few of the titles that will bear its imprint, then more details and art for the upcoming Rise and Fall, THEN they announce another bi-weekly, this time starring the Justice League International. This morning they announce GAIL SIMONE will be writing a new relaunch of her beloved Birds of Prey THIS SPRING!!!!! And it’s only Wednesday – what will they have for us tomorrow and Friday?!?!?!

While DC Comics typically thrives on the strength of its universally-recognized icons, Simone used her previous run on “Birds of Prey” to take marginal, perhaps even marginalized characters, and transform their exploits into the most compelling ensemble book in DC’s stable — with an all-ladies roster, no less.

I have the entire run of the first series and was very bummed when it was canceled. Oddly enough I was just talking to Rich (owner of Whatever in the Castro) about missing Birds of Prey. Merely ask and ye shall receive!

Hmmm guesses on who the blacked out flying winged figure in the background is? Stephanie Brown as Batgirl? a new heroic ID for Cassandra? Bat Woman? Dove? Flamebird? Bette Kane would REALLY fit nicely with the b/c-list characters that Gail elevates to the next level, so I hope its her. And then who is the silhouetted hulking figure below the flying woman?

via TheSource and ComicsAlliance

Justice League International creator, Keith Giffen is reuniting with his fan favorite characters and has invited Judd Winick along for the ride. The two are working togther as c-writers for Generation Lost, a 26 issue bi-weekly series featuring Captain Atom, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Fire, Ice, Rocket Red and… who does that look like? The head of the silhouetted mystery figure looks as if it could either be sporting Blue Beetle’s goggles or Martian Manhunter’s brow ridges! Who are YOU hoping it will be? I think it’s J’onn – looks like the collar of his recent costume.

No word on the interior artist for Generation Lost but DC has announced Tony Harris and J.D. Mettler as cover artists so it sounds like they are breaking out the big guns! You can read Newsarama’s EXTREMELY cryptic and somewhat amusing interview with Giffen and Winick here.

via Newsarama

Marvel has announced that this March, in “Uncanny X-Men” #522, Kitty Pryde will be returning to the X-Men. To celebrate the popular character’s return, they’ve released the following trailer.

She hasn’t been gone THAT long, but just in case we have some readers with memory loss… here are some shots of Kitty Pryde in the various costumes and codenames over the years.

Well at least Colossus will stop moping around once she’s back. Guesses on how? a S.W.O.R.D. rescue? a magical solution thanks to Illyana? She thinks her way out by hacking the bullet? My money’s on Agent Brand and her ilk.

Big things in store for the Arrows. If you have been reading Cry For Justice or just reading about it, you know that in issue #5 a mind-controlled Freddy Freeman (who has been handed the role of Captain Marvel/Shazam from Billy Batson) ripped of Roy Harper’s right arm just above the elbow. It had been recently revealed that this maiming will lead to some changes for Roy and Ollie…

New DC Talent JT Krul (Blackest Night Titans) is writing all 3 projects… Justice League: The Rise and Fall” (co-written with James Robinson), the four-part miniseries, “Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal,” and an upcoming arc in “Green Arrow,” entitled “The Fall of Green Arrow,” which begins in #31

DC has just released this beautiful image comprised of the covers to the JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE AND FALL one-shot and its three tie-in issues: GREEN ARROW #31, JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE RISE OF ARSENAL #1 and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #43

Now the maiming of Red Arrow isn’t that big a deal in the world of the JLA. With longtime buddy Cyborg working on it, Roy will no doubt be quickly outfitted with a powerful cybernetic replacement (one that could pull back on a MUCH more powerful bow – CBR notes that with such an arm, he could put a “conventional arrow with a proper head through a tank”. But the revelation that Roy will be returning to the name Arsenal (YAY! I always preferred that identity and costumes to Red Arrow OR Speedy), leads me to believe his new arm will be capable of a whole lot more than super strength and precision.

But while Roy is going through the changes necessary to emerge as Arsenal, Ollie will be having a hard time of it too.

via CBR and theSource

In a much hyped, yet rare early morning interview over at DC’s TheSource, Dan Didio has revealed that after the Blackest Night, DC will publish Brightest Day… a 26 issue bi-weekly series written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi. It was also said that Fernando Pasarin will be handling the art on BRIGHTEST DAY #0, but otherwise, all Didio would say about the artists was that a number of wonderful artists will contribute to the book. Read Geoff Johns thoughts on Brightest Day here…

Now, for those of you who are sick and tired of all these events, I feel for you. One bit of good news. It seems that other than the main Brightest Day book, the series WILL spill over into other DCU titles, but instead of a plethora of tie in miniseries, a number of regular monthlies will have a Brightest Day banner on the cover instead.

Of course Green Lantern and the Green Lantern Corps will fall under the Brightest Day banner. As part of the event, DC is launching a new Flash monthly featuring Barry Allen. The Titans becomes a team led by Deathstroke with members including Cheshire and the Tattooed Man. What will it mean for the JLA? Answers to these questions and more when this kicks off in April! I think there is still more to be announced so expect an update later!

Guesses on who the glowing heroine on JLA #44 is? Halo? Dove?

Its a bit of a Whedon love fest here lately, but I’ve been waiting for this since the last batch of Dollhouse episodes I watched. More history on Caroline and her “friend” Bennet as Echo seeks to add her original personality as Caroline Farrell. PLUS The explosive return of Amy Acker as Dr. Saunders. Also who is mysterious face behind Rossum!

FANTASTIC episode!!!!! I wish some of the people who checked it out early first season and lost interest would start watching again. It has been amazing lately. This episode REALLY blew my mind. Leaves me with SO many questions!

I like the previews a lot. They comprise most of my news, but lately the powers-that-be at Buffy may have been too forthcoming in providing glimpses into the future. Luckily this preview reveals little we haven’t heard before and teases just enough to make you wonder…

After Willow unearths giant Tibetan goddesses to help in the fight against Twilight and his disposable soldiers, the Slayers are forced to retreat when the goddesses go AWOL and attack indiscriminately. Without powers the Slayers are unable to keep up the fight against missile fire, grenade launchers, and tanks. It would seem that all is lost, and Buffy-all alone-must make her last stand on a battlefield covered in the bodies of friends and foes.

Series artist Georges Jeanty reunites with Buffy creator Joss Whedon for this very special Season Eight one-shot. o Eisner Award-winning series! Joss Whedon pens issue #31!

I’m not sure why Buffy’s been leaking these major revelations ahead of time via covers, interviews etc. First they go on record about her superpowers when the readers only saw her floating up in the air for one panel and might have wondered why until the next issue if not for the official spoilers. Then they reveal Angel is the Identity of Twilight. The good news is if I know Joss at all he still has a ew unexpected tricks up his sleeve.

via CBR

Since it’s inception, The Authority has been known for its “epic storytelling and groundbreaking superhero characterization.” With an amazing array of abilities and the highest of tech, The Authority took superheros to a new big screen level without leaving the comic page. Major talents in the industry such as Mark Millar, Bryan Hitch, Warren Ellis and Frank Quitely have left quite a legacy for the creative teams to follow. The latest to take hold of the reins is the team of writers Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman (”The Highwaymen”) and artist Al Barrionuevo.

The new era starts with a crossover in Authority #18 and WildC.A.T.S. #19. The issues each sport 1/2 of a 2 part cover by the king of the crowded cover… the mega-talented George Perez himself…

I’m a bit worried by the absence of Apollo and Midnighter in the line-up seen on the covers of subsequent issues #19 and 20. I was a huge fan of the original run but sort of lost interest a while back (before the recent Worlds End). I picked up a few issues of the new post apocalyptic title, but it left me cold. Anyone following it? I recognize a lot of the new roster (Jack Hawksmoor, Swift, the Engineer, Deathblow, Grifter, Sarah Rainmaker and Roxy from Gen 13) but am left wondering who some of these people are (who’s the blond superman at the center?). If Apollo and Midnighter aren’t part of it I don’t know if I’ll bother. Thoughts? Other than someone needs to tell Swift that Daisy Dukes are not a costume?

via CBR

Marvel Comics has just released this new teaser image featuring the Fantastic Four and hints of the various threats and events they’ll face in 2010. I see a few familiar faces but I’m MOST excite to see Franklin Richards on the road to being the interesting and powerful character he once was. Why is it that when a writer doesn’t know what to do with an omnipotent character, they just neuter them? I’m tired of seeing him overshadowed by his new brilliant little sister. I like Valeria too, but I grew up with Franklin – hmmm shouldn’t he be older than? oh well.

This image and the previously released image of Galactus’ corpse suggest big things for Marvel’s first family in 2010!

via CBR

I hope we start to see Northstar be a bit more effective, with his speed, he could be a great asset but he just punches things really fast and ineffectually. He needs a utility belt and some weighted gloves. I like Tim Fish’s work so I’m looking forward to seeing where it’s going… but DO I wish it started with Northstar doing something impressive instead of requiring a rescue from… what are those? warwolves? Where would he run into those? Can they fly?

IN THIS ISSUE: Jubilee returns to the X-Men, Gambit has trouble adjusting to life on Utopia, Northstar deals with the distance that island living necessitates and No-Girl has to save all the X-Men from a foe living right under their noses. Part 2 (of 4)