Peter David, adoro-te!
Mais uma vez, o meu argumentista preferido dá que falar. Agora por causa do beijo entre o Shatterstar e o Rictor, membros do X-Factor. Podem ler a entrevista toda aqui. Mas não resisto a transcrever este excerto:
The second huge moment is the one that occurred in the most recent issue – the Rictor/Shatterstar kiss. When did the idea for this moment originate?
You know how fans are always complaining that Marvel never listens to them? Usually when I listen, I then wind up doing the exact opposite. In this case, though, one of the most asked questions I got was, “Since Rictor has a history with Shatterstar, are you going to bring Shatterstar back and explore the relationship that’s been hinted at for years?” And I thought, “Y’know what? Why not?”
In previous works of mine I’ve explored gay relationships. I know it’s potentially a hot button issue. When I introduced Andy Jones into “Supergirl,” I was deluged with letters from people declaring she was an insult to lesbians everywhere. A year later my work on that title won an award from GLAAD, so I’ve learned to trust my instincts in these matters. So I figured, what the hell, why not bring Shatterstar back? But the first test of any character in X-Factor is: will they look good in a trenchcoat and Fedora?
So we did some redesign work on Shatterstar so he’d fit in with the tone of the book. As for their relationship, I really had three options: 1) I could continue to play coy. 2) I could contradict it. 3) Or I could build on it. In light of such anti-gay activities as Prop 8, option 1 seemed kind of insulting and out-of-touch. Option 2 seemed gutless (what, was I so weirded out by the notion that I would feel the need to toss out what previous writers had done?). On that basis alone, option 3 seemed the way to go.
What was the reaction from Marvel when you pitched the idea? Were there concerns, and if so, what were they?
The nature of Shatterstar and Rictor's relationship was made plain in "X-Factor" #45
No concerns whatsoever. It didn’t get flagged, didn’t get protests from within. The feeling was that it flowed naturally from all the trackwork laid by previous writers. If anyone had any objections, I sure didn’t hear about it. And if anyone from upper management had objections, it wouldn’t have happened, so take from that what you will.
The way you declared Shatterstar and Rictor’s feelings for one another was a very “in your face” moment. Wiccan and Hulking, who are a gay Marvel Universe couple, haven’t actually been shown kissing – at least, not to my knowledge. Why did you decide to reveal their connection this way? And was there a concern about the kiss appearing exploitative?
It literally never occurred to me. I put it on the last page because, from a dramatic and storytelling view, that was where to place it. If you read the story, you know that Shatterstar was mind-controlled through the entirety of it. He doesn’t break free until the very end, and that’s the natural place for it to occur: when he’s flooded with relief that he didn’t kill Rictor and they’re reunited.
Putting it in “Previews” as, “This is it! The issue in which the Shatterstar/Rictor relationship finally comes out of the closet!” would be exploitative. Having their faces go toward each other on the last panel and then leave **whether** they were going to kiss as a cliffhanger would be exploitative. But the way I played it? Ridiculous. Honestly, I think it’s very odd that anyone would have that attitude.
Was Disney's first animated Chinese heroine exploitative of Asians? Is the heroine of the upcoming "Princess and the Frog" exploitative of blacks? Or is it simply acknowledging that there’s a portion of the audience that hasn’t been served by past trends and it’s time to be inclusive? Romantic straight fans got Madrox and Layla’s kiss on the Boardwalk. So why shouldn’t romantic gays get some – you should pardon the expression – face time? Are gay readers somehow less entitled to see two men being openly affectionate than straight readers are for a man and woman? How in the world is parity remotely exploitative? I just don’t see it.
We’ve seen Rictor involved with female characters previously, but with this kiss now out in the open, are Rictor or Shatterstar openly declaring their sexualities? Are they bisexual, gay, or is it up to the reader to determine? Should we bother labeling the relationship? Will this be addressed in the book?
We’re actually going to have 900 numbers to phone in. Readers can vote; it’ll be really exciting, we think. After that, Marvel fans can vote on whether DC should kill off the new Batwoman.
Seriously, now we’re into the realm of: what’s coming up next? I simply have no intention of telling you everything that’s going to be coming up with their orientation, except to say that it is going to be part of some interesting storylines. I will say this, though: I refuse to let them be defined by their sexuality.
Rictor is still the moody former mutant who believes he’s useless and yet keeps happening to save the day; Shatterstar is still a badass warrior. If we don’t spend every issue dwelling on the sex life of the straight characters, I’m not sure why anyone thinks we’d feel the need to do so with characters that are gay or, for that matter, bi.
How do you feel about fan reaction to the kiss? Has it been better or worse than imagined?
It’s been exactly what I imagined, actually. The vast majority of the responses have been overwhelmingly positive. Some have been genuinely grateful. The word “Finally!” has been heard quite a bit. People have been thanking me. A handful have been uncomfortable with it, and I totally understand that.
The default fan reaction to change of any sort is to be opposed to it. To those who were unaware of the Shatterstar/Rictor subtext all these years, or knew about it but just dismissed it as being stupid, their instant reaction is going to be, “No!” One hopes they’ll stick around and see where we’re going with it.
You know how fans are always complaining that Marvel never listens to them? Usually when I listen, I then wind up doing the exact opposite. In this case, though, one of the most asked questions I got was, “Since Rictor has a history with Shatterstar, are you going to bring Shatterstar back and explore the relationship that’s been hinted at for years?” And I thought, “Y’know what? Why not?”
In previous works of mine I’ve explored gay relationships. I know it’s potentially a hot button issue. When I introduced Andy Jones into “Supergirl,” I was deluged with letters from people declaring she was an insult to lesbians everywhere. A year later my work on that title won an award from GLAAD, so I’ve learned to trust my instincts in these matters. So I figured, what the hell, why not bring Shatterstar back? But the first test of any character in X-Factor is: will they look good in a trenchcoat and Fedora?
So we did some redesign work on Shatterstar so he’d fit in with the tone of the book. As for their relationship, I really had three options: 1) I could continue to play coy. 2) I could contradict it. 3) Or I could build on it. In light of such anti-gay activities as Prop 8, option 1 seemed kind of insulting and out-of-touch. Option 2 seemed gutless (what, was I so weirded out by the notion that I would feel the need to toss out what previous writers had done?). On that basis alone, option 3 seemed the way to go.
What was the reaction from Marvel when you pitched the idea? Were there concerns, and if so, what were they?
The nature of Shatterstar and Rictor's relationship was made plain in "X-Factor" #45
No concerns whatsoever. It didn’t get flagged, didn’t get protests from within. The feeling was that it flowed naturally from all the trackwork laid by previous writers. If anyone had any objections, I sure didn’t hear about it. And if anyone from upper management had objections, it wouldn’t have happened, so take from that what you will.
The way you declared Shatterstar and Rictor’s feelings for one another was a very “in your face” moment. Wiccan and Hulking, who are a gay Marvel Universe couple, haven’t actually been shown kissing – at least, not to my knowledge. Why did you decide to reveal their connection this way? And was there a concern about the kiss appearing exploitative?
It literally never occurred to me. I put it on the last page because, from a dramatic and storytelling view, that was where to place it. If you read the story, you know that Shatterstar was mind-controlled through the entirety of it. He doesn’t break free until the very end, and that’s the natural place for it to occur: when he’s flooded with relief that he didn’t kill Rictor and they’re reunited.
Putting it in “Previews” as, “This is it! The issue in which the Shatterstar/Rictor relationship finally comes out of the closet!” would be exploitative. Having their faces go toward each other on the last panel and then leave **whether** they were going to kiss as a cliffhanger would be exploitative. But the way I played it? Ridiculous. Honestly, I think it’s very odd that anyone would have that attitude.
Was Disney's first animated Chinese heroine exploitative of Asians? Is the heroine of the upcoming "Princess and the Frog" exploitative of blacks? Or is it simply acknowledging that there’s a portion of the audience that hasn’t been served by past trends and it’s time to be inclusive? Romantic straight fans got Madrox and Layla’s kiss on the Boardwalk. So why shouldn’t romantic gays get some – you should pardon the expression – face time? Are gay readers somehow less entitled to see two men being openly affectionate than straight readers are for a man and woman? How in the world is parity remotely exploitative? I just don’t see it.
We’ve seen Rictor involved with female characters previously, but with this kiss now out in the open, are Rictor or Shatterstar openly declaring their sexualities? Are they bisexual, gay, or is it up to the reader to determine? Should we bother labeling the relationship? Will this be addressed in the book?
We’re actually going to have 900 numbers to phone in. Readers can vote; it’ll be really exciting, we think. After that, Marvel fans can vote on whether DC should kill off the new Batwoman.
Seriously, now we’re into the realm of: what’s coming up next? I simply have no intention of telling you everything that’s going to be coming up with their orientation, except to say that it is going to be part of some interesting storylines. I will say this, though: I refuse to let them be defined by their sexuality.
Rictor is still the moody former mutant who believes he’s useless and yet keeps happening to save the day; Shatterstar is still a badass warrior. If we don’t spend every issue dwelling on the sex life of the straight characters, I’m not sure why anyone thinks we’d feel the need to do so with characters that are gay or, for that matter, bi.
How do you feel about fan reaction to the kiss? Has it been better or worse than imagined?
It’s been exactly what I imagined, actually. The vast majority of the responses have been overwhelmingly positive. Some have been genuinely grateful. The word “Finally!” has been heard quite a bit. People have been thanking me. A handful have been uncomfortable with it, and I totally understand that.
The default fan reaction to change of any sort is to be opposed to it. To those who were unaware of the Shatterstar/Rictor subtext all these years, or knew about it but just dismissed it as being stupid, their instant reaction is going to be, “No!” One hopes they’ll stick around and see where we’re going with it.
One comment going around the internet is the quote made by Shatterstar’s creator Rob Liefeld: “As the guy that created, designed and wrote his first dozen appearances, Shatterstar is not gay. Sorry. Can’t wait to someday undo this. Seems totally contrived.” You don’t control the character, but have there been any assurances that this won’t be undone?
There is as much assurance as one ever has with a character that one doesn’t own, which is to say, none whatsoever. Could someone come in after me and pull the “real” Shatterstar out from a pod at the bottom of Jamaica Bay, complete with pony tail, shoulder pads, and phallic symbol strapped to his back (no, nothing gay there), and declare that Rictor was kissing a Skrull? Sure. I’d like to think they wouldn’t, but no one’s promised me anything. And if they did, what would that mean?
Let’s say I had an assurance from Joe Q himself. And if five years from now, Joe Q has moved on to bigger and better things and Rob is EIC of Marvel, well, so much for Joe’s promise. As for how Rictor was presented in the first 1/19th of his existence, well… a lot’s happened with him since then. I don’t know if Rob was reading any of it, but I’ll simply say this: a guy from another dimension running around with swords on his back? That’s contrived. People exploring their sexuality? Not so much.
There is as much assurance as one ever has with a character that one doesn’t own, which is to say, none whatsoever. Could someone come in after me and pull the “real” Shatterstar out from a pod at the bottom of Jamaica Bay, complete with pony tail, shoulder pads, and phallic symbol strapped to his back (no, nothing gay there), and declare that Rictor was kissing a Skrull? Sure. I’d like to think they wouldn’t, but no one’s promised me anything. And if they did, what would that mean?
Let’s say I had an assurance from Joe Q himself. And if five years from now, Joe Q has moved on to bigger and better things and Rob is EIC of Marvel, well, so much for Joe’s promise. As for how Rictor was presented in the first 1/19th of his existence, well… a lot’s happened with him since then. I don’t know if Rob was reading any of it, but I’ll simply say this: a guy from another dimension running around with swords on his back? That’s contrived. People exploring their sexuality? Not so much.
Recomendo a supracitada Batwoman que aparece em Detective Comics a partir do número 854 e esta página para mais info sobre personagens gays nos comics em 2009.
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