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

Questions?