How do you feel about the whole Northstar gay thing?

[S. Michael Simms]

Looking back, there was a LOT of innuendo about his sexual preference from the get-go. I haven't checked out the Byrne site much (I was turned off by his whiny attitude toward Wikipedia), but even during his all-too-short, visionary run on AF there are references (which apparently no one picked up on) to Jean Paul's leanings...I guess I just wonder whether he was planning on confronting the gay thing himself and got shot down by the powers that be at Marvel or if he just had the idea and passed it along to his successors, and I wonder also what his motivations may have been at the time...

You see, I clearly remember the media hype over Northstar's being the "FIRST GAY SUPERHERO", but I don't remember Byrne's name ever being mentioned...which is a shame since he not only created the character but consciously laid the building blocks for the whole homosexuality issue that later came to the fore under a different writer's auspices.

Personally, I always liked Northstar because he was callous and rude, smarmy and sarcastic, yet when it came to his sister he was always (even if it was deep down) compassionate and loving. After he "came out of the closet" I wasn't surprised and I didn't appreciate the character any less. To me it is still a non-issue, but I do think it was brave of Marvel to take that risk...

...anyway, what are your thoughts?

Live, love, laugh & be happy,
Smikes

[Le Messor]

This has been covered before, but mostly by going through the Byrne forum.

You're right:
He was planning on "confronting the gay thing himself" (LOL! What would you use? A pink ribbon? Gay Thing! I abjure you!), and he did get shot down.

- Le Messor
"Explore until someone yells at you."
- Dr. David L. Hall, HRB Systems

[S. Michael Simms]

Evil forces beware...it's

GAY THING!

Swamp Thing's interior decorator cousin...

[cmdrkoenig67]

Uh Yeah...

So he's gay...I am too, It's no big thing. It is nice to have characters I have something in common with and I feel John Byrne did a great job with the character. Back in the day, Byrne was forbidden to have the character "come out" or even blatently state that he was gay, so he had to be subtle to get it under Shooter's radar. There's also no reason the readers should be beaten over the head with any character's sexual preferrence, whether they be straight or gay.

Dana

[mos_def]

I think most of us knew he was gay even before he came out. When the times around the industry changed, it was evident for him. It eventually led to other gay heroes to be made. I actually dont think it was that much of an issue in Alpha Flight after that issue was published. Northstar actually got harsher treatment when he went to the XMen and then the writers were like, dont touch the gay hero. It happened with the kid who exploded in Northstar's arm and the treatment he received from Iceman. To me, if he saves the world does it really matter

[HappyCanuck]

I think most of us knew he was gay even before he came out. When the times around the industry changed, it was evident for him. It eventually led to other gay heroes to be made. I actually dont think it was that much of an issue in Alpha Flight after that issue was published. Northstar actually got harsher treatment when he went to the XMen and then the writers were like, dont touch the gay hero. It happened with the kid who exploded in Northstar's arm and the treatment he received from Iceman. To me, if he saves the world does it really matter

Agreed 100%, and same with Dana's comments. What a character is isn't who they are. As long as the stories are good, and the writers aren't using them as a token character or poster child, I don't care. I mean, do you hear everyone telling Storm or Bishop "Oh my God, you're BLACK?" or to Kitty "You're a Jew??" Or, hell, to Cyclops "Holy s***, you got a stick up your a**??" I mean, who cares, really. Far as I'm concerned, the way the MU is, they have more of a problem being a mutant that that pretty much trumps all else.

[Dfense75]

Of the gay characters that I have read I think Apollo and Midnighter where done very well. Their sexuality was acknowledged but not something that was shoved down your throat. You knew they where gay and sometimes it might have been a part of the story but it was always handled with class IMO. Which is how it needs to be.

[mos_def]

when Northstar first started to appear in XMen, he said it best, "I am not the gay mutant. I am a mutant who happens to be gay

[HappyCanuck]

when Northstar first started to appear in XMen, he said it best, "I am not the gay mutant. I am a mutant who happens to be gay

And that pretty much ended the only proactive action about his homosexuality ever seen. Beyond that, every writer in X-Men used him as the token gay guy - the freak show to rattle everyone's nerves, to be "cutting edge".

[Dfense75]

when Northstar first started to appear in XMen, he said it best, "I am not the gay mutant. I am a mutant who happens to be gay

And that pretty much ended the only proactive action about his homosexuality ever seen. Beyond that, every writer in X-Men used him as the token gay guy - the freak show to rattle everyone's nerves, to be "cutting edge".

A sign of bad overall writers IMO. Despite that fact that Northstar was on the roster. I really didnt enjoy that period of the X-Men. For that exact reason.

[Puckeroo]

I don't care if he gay or not.
he his still one of fav mutants.