While browsing the Marvel Swimsuit Specials for Beefcake Appreciation Week, I noticed a somewhat disturbing trend in the treatment of Northstar in the books. It would appear that during the years 1994 and 1995, Marvel editorial were under the impression that all gay men are promiscuous and thus Northstar must be a total slut.
First, we have the 1994 issue, in which Northstar appears to prefer being nude, although there in no reason to think that about the character. You know, other than the fact that he’s gay and being inapproriatley sexual in public is something gay guys do, don’t you know.
But the 1995 issue really takes the cake. Here it deplicts Northstar hanging out with Hector. For those who don’t recognize him, Hector was part of the forgettable mid-ninties superteam the Pantheon and he also happened to be openly gay. The caption reads “Northstar and the Pantheon’s Hector find a secluded spot near one of Madripoor’s ancient temples to engage in their favorite kind of worship.” For those who cannot read to the insinuation, Marvel is saying that Hector and Northstar are running off to have gay sex. Classy.
While I applaud Marvel for including their few gay characters in their overly sexualized Swimsuit Specials, it would have been nice if they didn’t go against characterization and canon (did Hector and Northstar ever even met in continuity?) to portray gay characters in a stereotypical and comical (thus comfortable) fashion. It took Marvel guts to include sexualized images of their male heroes along side the female characters considering the target audience of the Specials, but presenting their most prominent gay character as a slut is more than little uncalled for.
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They actually did meet at Rick Jones’ wedding in Incredible Hulk. They were “chatting gayly at the bar” much to Hector’s team-mate’s annoyance. He had issues with gayness, i think.
But still, despite the stereotyping, Hector looks hot in that pic!
Marvel has mistakenly put two tops together.
LOL
Fantastic, Jon….
I think the worshipping refered to here would be “sun worshipping” which is a slang for “tanning.” Hector is reading a book. Are you suggesting that if gay men hang out together it must mean sex? Are you sure it isn’t you who is doing the stereotyping?
May I say also that one of the biggest criticisms of gays in comics is that they don’t have sex lives, so it’s a little odd to be critical of an implication of one here.
If the “worship” is sun tanning, then why are only gay characters shown. No doubt plenty of other characters would like to get a tan. By placing Northstar and Hector together (and isolating them from other characters while get night group shots) there is an implication that there is something “gay” going on.
I think you’re way of the mark here.
If I was a gay superhero I would totally hang out with the other gay superhero. Or at least chat him up at the beach. I think it’s great they showed them together. I’d much rather have it implied that Northstar is getting laid then have him crushing on striaght men.
I have to agree with Scott. Sex appeal and idealized bodies are half of what most mainstream superhero books trade on. I think it’s kind of cool that a male gay character is allowed to be portrayed as sexy - usually it’s women who get put in unlikely poses for the benefit of the heterosexual leader, so isn’t it fair game to put sexed out male characters in for the gay comic fan?
Um, that’s not gay sex. If it is, I’m doing it way way way wrong.
But seriously, I think it just means sun worship. And why isn’t anyone else there? I don’t know, perhaps they just wanted to draw the two hottie gay characters doing something that showed off their bods without it being softcore porn?
Nothing about the picture suggests they are even interested in each other. I’ve been sunbathing with gay friends of mine. , it looked a lot like that picture except for the unrealistic body types.
That’s possibly the least stereotypical drawing of two gay men that I can think of. I’m very critical of media representations of gay men, and trust me this could’ve been much worse.
“Northstar and Hector sneak off to get some swimsut shopping done” cue picture of them in sparkly numbers prancing around.
Or it could be “Northstar and Hector sneak off to do some meth! Dress in drag! Enjoy martini’s and banana splits! Dance shirtless at a club!”
i didnt see anything “sterotypical” in the pics at all.. except maybe that hot buff gay guys wear skimpy speedos and enjoy sun worshipping. lol! but if you wanna nitpick, then howcome they are drawn in the the 69 position? ever think of that? lol! oh and to jon plante… i seriously doubt northstar is a top in ANY fashion! lolol!
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