marriage + a signing!
25 May
So, I had intended to blog my way through China — as usual — but what happened was that I twittered all my usual posts and pictures. ::sigh:: That’s the allure of micro-blogging — and the problem. Instead of taking time and thought, it’s far easier to post something in 140 characters. I will, though, post some photos from the trip over the next couple weeks on this blog.
First, though, some pressing business. As some of you might have heard, we’ll be telling the story of Northstar’s marriage to Kyle within the pages of Astonishing X-Men. What’s the big deal, you might wonder? Well, it happens that they’re both men, and while that really shouldn’t be a big deal in this day and age, it actually is the first gay marriage in comics.
Here are some interviews: Rolling Stone | USA Today | Huffington Post
Also, the Scottish Parliament mentioned us.
The official announcement was made on The View, and some of us Marvel folk hiked over there on Tuesday morning for the live taping. What I never realized, of course, is how close the audience is seated to the hosts — or how small the set feels in real life. It was all incredible fun, though. You can see us down in the front row, below.
I’m signing comics tomorrow in Boston at Comicopia from 12-3 PM. I’ll be there again at the end of next month on June 23rd, just days after the wedding issue (AXM #51) hits shelves. If you’re in the area, I hope you can make it!
A pyrokinetic and former car thief, Eddie cannot refuse an assignment to cross the continent in order to rescue an extraordinary woman in peril…even though he fears losing control of the destructive power of flame at his fingertips.
The last of her shape-shifting kind, Lyssa hides in the abandoned tunnels beneath Manhattan. Like Eddie, fire is her weapon, her destiny…and her curse. For beneath Lyssa’s extraordinary beauty are dangerous secrets…and even darker, nearly irresistible urges... (November 2011)
When the bond Maxine Kiss shares with Zee and the boys-the demons tattooed on her skin-is deliberately severed, the hunter is left vulnerable and unprotected. For the first time in ten thousand years, the boys have a taste of freedom-without Maxine’s guiding influence.
As they grow more violent and unpredictable, Maxine starts to fear the little demons will lose their minds without their attachment to her. But reuniting won’t be easy, as a great temptation waits for her little demons : a chance to return to their lives….and unleash hell on earth. (December 2011)
While I’m excited that Marvel is taking this step with Northstar and his boyfriend, that the issue is getting a lot of press because of the announcement, and that you get to be the writer, I think it’s important to note that it’s not the first gay marriage in comics. In “mainstream” comics, Midnighter and Apollo (DC/Wildstorm) were married back in 1999. More importantly, gay marriage has been an important topic in gay comics for decades, going back at least to Howard Cruse’s Wendel, which ran as a strip in the 1980s. It’s exciting to see major companies tackling gay rights issues in a big way, but comic creators have been talking about these issues for a long, long time.
Midnighter and Apollo were actually the first married gay couple in comics.:)
But still, I’m very happy for you, Marj. Marvel couldn’t have picked a better writer to handle this wedding.
I’m looking forward to your next Hunter Kiss book.
I thought you had a new story in a new anthology but I can’t find it on Amazon.
Your writing in comics is the best but my favorites were the stories you wrote in Black Widow, NYX, X-23. Wondering why Marvel changes you to a new comic series so often.
Love reading your blog especially when you have time to update it.