Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
Jessica Plummer has lived her complete life in New York City and but in some way nonetheless hasn’t been requested to affix the Avengers. When not at her educational publishing day job, or attempting to make each film right into a musical by sheer pressure of will, she bakes, cleans her residence obsessively, and writes feverishly into the night time. She blogs about superhero TV, tween popular culture, and Disney at Jess’s (Somewhat) Grown-Up Type Blog. She is aware of an pointless quantity of issues about Donald Duck.
In current years, mainstream comics publishers like DC and Marvel have made nice strides in growing the LGBTQ+ rep of their universes, although they nonetheless have a protracted technique to go. But getting right here was a sluggish and gradual course of, with many notable landmarks — and a few admitted missteps — alongside the approach. In Queer Superhero History, we’ll have a look at queer characters in mainstream superhero comics, in (roughly) chronological order, to see how the panorama of LGBTQ+ rep in the style has modified over time. Today we’ll be the first queer members of the Justice League: Tasmanian Devil and Icemaiden/Glacier!
Content Warning: Discussion of real-world baby sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and pedophilia.
Before I discuss the characters in immediately’s profile, I would like to deal with a severe subject relating to one among the creators behind many of those comics. All of the comics involving Icemaiden’s time in the Justice League have been written by Gerard Jones. Twenty years later, in 2016, Jones was arrested for possession and distribution of CSAM, a cost to which he pled responsible in 2018. According to Bleeding Cool, he served just a little over 4 years of his six-year sentence earlier than being launched early, in December of 2022.
Icemaiden was and stays a groundbreaking character, and Jones’s Justice League comics are an vital piece of queer comics historical past — not only for Icemaiden, as we’ll see, however for the approach these comics started to discover the gender and sexuality of plenty of characters on the staff. There’s no denying that they helped pave the approach for better inclusion and variety in the business, and that ought to be celebrated. But it might be irresponsible to speak about these comics with out disclosing Jones’s felony file. It’s an unlucky reality that a part of finding out the historical past of decades-old and nonetheless very a lot dwelling franchises like DC and Marvel’s superhero universes is that generally vital comics will likely be created by individuals who have finished horrible issues, and reconciling these details is rarely easy or simple.
And talking of reconciling details: I shouldn’t even must level this out, however Gerard Jones wrote groundbreaking comics with queer characters, and was jailed on CSAM fees, and people issues don’t have anything to do with one another. We dwell in a second the place bigots are desperate to fling baseless accusations of pedophilia at LGBTQ+ individuals in a determined try and justify their bigotry. The proven fact that Jones (who so far as I’m conscious is heterosexual) wrote some comics that have been progressive for the time with reference to LGBTQ+ points is totally unrelated to the nature of the fees in opposition to him, and albeit, the proven fact that that even must be stated is appalling.
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Okay. Now let’s discuss superheroes.
All of the characters I’ve coated to date on Queer Superhero History have been pretty obscure, however with immediately’s profiles, we’re lastly speaking about that almost all lofty of superhero groups: the Justice League. And sure, okay, Tasmanian Devil and Glacier usually are not precisely family names. (Well, not DC’s Tasmanian Devil.) But they have been nonetheless on the Justice League, and through a time when the League appeared rather more open to queer identities than it had ever been earlier than — or since, truthfully.
Both of those characters first debuted in Super Friends #9 (December 1977) by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon. As the title suggests, this was really a tie-in comedian to the Super Friends animated present and wasn’t a part of the mainstream DC universe. Taz and Icemaiden appeared in a storyline during which the Justice League teamed up with numerous worldwide superheroes, starting from “mildly cringey national stereotypes” to “extremely cringey national stereotypes.”
Taz and Icemaiden as they first appeared, plus the most gobsmacked Green Arrow of all time.
In the late ’80s, these stereotypes have been folded into mainstream DC continuity as a staff known as the Global Guardians, who largely served as supporting characters to the Justice League International. The JLI was a fan-favorite iteration of the League that began in 1987, beloved for character-driven humor and zany shenanigans, although by the mid-’90s, it was very a lot previous its prime. It was made up of a cluster of overlapping titles, together with Justice League Quarterly, an extra-long e-book that got here out — you guessed it! — 4 occasions a 12 months.
Tasmanian Devil, AKA Hugh Dawkins, is mainly a were-Tasmanian satan. He appeared sporadically throughout numerous JLI titles for a couple of years, however he was little greater than furry muscle till Justice League Quarterly #8 (Autumn 1992). In a narrative written by Kevin Dooley and drawn by Andy Smith, Hugh mentions being homosexual in a dialog with another Guardians.
This panel wouldn’t be acknowledged once more in a DC comedian till 2006, when Hal Jordan claims Hugh used to have a crush on him. I’d prefer to assume Hugh has higher style.
To add some context to this 31-year-old panel, homophobia in Tasmania was notably virulent in the early ‘90s, sparking protests against widespread police harassment and abuse. It was around this time that the Tasmanian Parliament rejected a bill to decriminalize homosexuality, and Tasmanian LGBTQI+ activists actually went to the UN to apply international pressure. I’m guessing that’s what Dooley had in thoughts when he wrote Hugh’s line about some locations being hateful, and it’s doubtless that many readers would have understood it in that mild. That context, I’d argue, reframes this very quiet outing of a really minor character as a political assertion, and one that will have resonated with queer readers, notably Tasmanian ones. (Homosexuality was not decriminalized in Tasmania till 1997.) It’s additionally a pointed step ahead for Dooley after the awkward tangle he received himself into speaking about Extraño in letter columns simply three years prior.
Unfortunately, though Hugh then went on to be a member of Justice League International (second quantity) for its total 18-issue run, his sexuality is rarely referenced besides very obliquely. Of course, being homosexual shouldn’t be the entirety of his character, however to relegate it to a single solitary panel is disappointing, to say the least.
After the JLI disbanded, Hugh spent the subsequent decade or in order an occasionally-seen Z-lister. When he lastly confirmed up in comics once more in a major approach…it was solely a part of him. In 2009’s broadly reviled Justice League: Cry for Justice, it was revealed that the villain Prometheus had skinned Hugh and turned him right into a rug. Luckily, a one-off subject of Starman/Congorilla two years later revealed that in some way this hadn’t killed him and he was superb now??? There have been a variety of speaking gorillas concerned. I can’t clarify it any extra coherently than that, I’m sorry.
Glacier was additionally launched in Super Friends #9, utilizing the codename Icemaiden (generally rendered as Ice Maiden) and he or she/her pronouns. We got little details about them moreover the proven fact that they have been Norwegian, that they had ice powers, and so they had blue pores and skin. An entry in Who’s Who in the DC Universe (1985-1987) revealed that their title was Sigrid Nansen.
Just a few years later, Green Flame (Beatriz da Costa) and Icemaiden of the Global Guardians joined the Justice League International. The two shut buddies quickly modified their codenames to the matching “Fire and Ice,” and have been mainstays of the staff for a few years. But this Icemaiden was named Tora Olafsdotter, and he or she did not have blue pores and skin.
The thriller (effectively, the continuity error) wasn’t solved till after Tora died in battle in 1994. A “new” Icemaiden appeared: Sigrid, who defined that that they had been the authentic Icemaiden on the Global Guardians, however had stepped apart when Tora appeared as a result of Tora was a lot extra highly effective than they have been (Sigrid’s powers have been the results of a science experiment, whereas Tora is a literal ice goddess). Now that they had returned to the League to honor the fallen Tora — particularly the department featured in Justice League America, which wound up being about as queer as a mainstream comedian might get in 1996.
Bea, Tora’s grieving greatest good friend, instantly latched on to Sigrid, attempting to duplicate the intensely codependent friendship she’d misplaced. Sigrid went together with it for some time, however the queer subtext lastly got here to a head in Justice League America #103, when Sigrid confronts a distraught Bea.
In an intensely — and intentionally — homoerotic scene, Sigrid strips all the way down to reveal Tora’s costume (!) and coaxes Bea to admit what she’s been hiding — what she actually desires. Bea confesses that she’s all the time been confused and “afraid of being punished,” and Sigrid gives to be Tora for her if that’s what Bea wants. All the whereas, the lighting in the scene performs with what we’re allowed to see — is Sigrid sporting Tora’s costume or nothing in any respect? Is their pores and skin blue or white?
Just gals being friends.
Bea in the end makes the wholesome selection — to reject what Sigrid is providing in favor of treating Sigrid like their very own particular person and never a alternative for her useless good friend — which is what Sigrid needed.
But this sequence isn’t nearly titillation (although let’s be sincere, that’s an enormous a part of it). Shortly afterward, Sigrid’s teammate Nuklon asks them out, telling them that he thinks they’ve loads in frequent. Sigrid agrees: “We both like girls.”
Nuklon is confused as a result of Sigrid has dated males earlier than. Sigrid agrees that they’re interested in women and men, with a choice for girls, however they reject the time period “bisexual,” or every other label. Nuklon asks what’s occurring with them and Bea, and Sigrid says Bea continues to be figuring some issues out. Later, Bea admits that she’s nonetheless confused, however acknowledges that her emotions for Tora have been extra intense than for any man. (As of 2023, Tora has been again from the useless since 2007, and but she and Bea are nonetheless doing the queerbaiting dance. It’s exhausting.)
This could be the first use of the phrase “bisexual” in a DC comedian, I’m undecided.
I discussed earlier that this period of Justice League America was about as queer as a mainstream comedian might get in 1996. Aside from Sigrid being canonically queer and Bea being clearly questioning, this lineup additionally has Obsidian, who didn’t come out till 2006 and so will likely be getting his personal article additional down the line, however there’s a powerful case to be made for contemplating him canonically queer this early — he’s very clearly, explicitly in love along with his greatest good friend Nuklon, and like Sigrid, refuses to place any labels on his sexuality, together with “straight.” (Rejecting labels is clearly a legitimate selection, however having each Sigrid and Obsidian do it in again to again points is a bit annoying, because it’s additionally very a lot a ’90s-era media stereotype for bisexual characters.) Oh, and the staff lineup additionally consists of an alien character known as the Yazz, who makes use of non-gendered pronouns as a result of they’re the final of their race and want to signify all of their individuals.
And sure, all of those characters are extremely obscure, I do know. I’m very conscious that the Yazz just isn’t going to be showing in a serious function movie anytime quickly. But Sigrid popping out was groundbreaking by itself. Taken as an entire, the general queerness of the e-book is much more exceptional — particularly when you think about that there wouldn’t be a queer character on any model of the Justice League once more till 2009 — and that was the aforementioned deeply reviled Justice League: Cry for Justice lineup, which barely counts.
The JLI, in all of its branches, was disbanded quickly after Sigrid got here out, and like Hugh, Sigrid was relegated to occasional cameos for years and years. And like Hugh, they got here to a ugly, ignominious finish of a kind in JSA: Classified #19-20, when it was revealed that their “alabaster” pores and skin (one other continuity error — keep in mind, Sigrid is blue) had been surgically eliminated to be worn by a villain obsessive about being stunning. Sigrid in some way survived this course of however ended up comatose in a hydration tank at STAR Labs. It’s very, very bizarre that each queer members of the Global Guardians had their skins stolen however didn’t die. Also, I hate this.
Basically each former Global Guardian was erased by the New 52, however Hugh lastly reappeared in 2017’s Midnighter and Apollo #6, the place it was revealed that he’s now married to Extraño, DC’s first out superhero, and so they dwell in Lima with their daughter. I like this as a lot as I hate the skin-stealing factor, which is to say: loads.
Since then, Gregorio and Hugh have develop into mentors and elder statesmen to a few of DC’s youthful queer characters (generally semi-officially known as the JLQ). They have been most just lately seen on this function in 2021’s ‘Tis the Season to Be Freezin’, which additionally introduced Sigrid again to the DCU.
In a narrative by Andrew Wheeler and Meghan Hetrick, Sigrid is captured by a villain known as Minister Blizzard, who has in some unexplained approach rescued them from the STAR Labs hydration tank, and plans to make use of their energy to convey everlasting winter, beginning by attacking the JLQ. Sigrid is misplaced, feeling mistreated and deserted by the individuals who tried to alter them — they namedrop Bea and Nuklon right here — however a younger magician named Syl manages to succeed in out to them with compassion, serving to them to interrupt Minister Blizzard’s management. Sigrid publicizes that they’re defining themself any further, and that their new codename is Glacier. The remaining web page of the story makes use of they/them pronouns for Sigrid, and Wheeler confirmed on Twitter that Sigrid is nonbinary.
Dear Meghan Hetrick: This design for Sigrid is dope.
Again, Tasmanian Devil and Glacier usually are not precisely flagship Justice League members — however they have been Justice League members, throughout a time when DC was clearly changing into extra snug making statements in solidarity with LGBTQ+ rights actions and letting quite a few characters query and rethink their sexualities. That was an enormous step ahead, and it was pretty to see Hugh and Sigrid attending to hug it out all these years later — forgotten for some time, sure, however not perpetually. DC has promised that the JLQ will return, and I for one sit up for seeing them — and seeing Hugh and Sigrid glad and comfy of their (not stolen) skins.
They’re tiny, however that’s Hugh and Sigrid hugging on the proper. Aw! In the foreground is Syl and Extraño, and to actually convey it again to the Justice League America days, that’s Obsidian in the elf costume.
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