If you want a kid to become a strong and independent reader, give them a comic book. It’s unsolicited advice I tend to give anyone who interacts with children they love.
That’s because it worked on me. I started reading comics at around seven, when I was given a few issues by someone who noticed my obsession with “X-Men: The Animated Series” in the early 90s. They were the perfect fix between new episodes every Saturday morning.
In addition to keeping me out of trouble with engaging entertainment, the comics challenged me. They introduced me not only to new worlds but to new words and languages, strengthening my reading comprehension and turning me into a lifelong fan of the written word, in all its forms.
My love for comics only grew as I began to realize how I was different from others. DC mainstays like Batman, his guardian Alfred and sidekick Robin taught me that family can take many forms from any circumstance. Marvel’s Spider-Man taught me that with great power must come great responsibility.
The X-Men, my favorites, taught me the intrinsic value of every person, no matter who they are or love. These heroes worked toward a better tomorrow for everyone, even those who hated and feared them just because of how they were born.
It’s a concept that’s always spoken to my little gay heart, long before I knew why but especially after. Unfortunately, LGBTQ representation has long been lacking in comics – something that’s thankfully starting to change.
I remember being teased for passing out Valentine’s Day cards as a kid with the characters, so it still blows my mind that Black Panther, Iron Man and Wolverine are household names. But even as someone who’s gotten to see his childhood heroes leap from the printed page to the silver screen, I’ve never been more excited to be a comic book fan.
In the last year, Marvel featured the first same-sex superhero wedding between two of its “Young Avengers” stars. The two were introduced in 2005 but didn’t share an on-panel kiss until 2012, only three years after the company’s very first between two men, cementing a relationship which had been danced around since 1992.
In June of this year, “Marvel’s Voices: Pride” was published, featuring 12 stories with the company’s growing roster of LGBTQ characters. The list now retroactively includes Iceman, a founding X-Man introduced in 1963.
Similarly, DC celebrated Pride Month with “DC Pride,” an anthology of nine stories from its own impressive list of LGBTQ characters. Their commitment to representation on the page continued in August when the third iteration of Robin came out as bisexual and then again on National Coming Out Day Oct. 11, when DC announced that their current Superman will do the same.
A week later, DC introduced readers to a Black transgender woman in “Nubia & The Amazons,” a character who’s joining Wonder Woman’s sisterhood of warriors. The inclusion immediately prompted conservative outrage online, only further proof that representation matters.
It even led actor Lynda Carter, who played TV’s iconic iteration of “Wonder Woman” in the 70s, to voice her support. “Trans women are Wonder Women,” she tweeted. “End of story.”
If comic books have taught me anything, it’s that it should be. Decades of stories have helped shape my views on what’s right and what’s wrong – and with LGBTQ representation at an all-time high, I couldn’t be prouder to be a lifelong fan.
Over the years comics have also shown me that not all heroes wear capes. That’s why in this issue we chat with longtime LGBTQ ally and outgoing St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman ahead of the city’s general election Nov. 2.
He reflects on eight inclusive years of leading St. Petersburg before its residents choose his successor. Local LGBTQ advocates also share their thoughts on how he’s made the sun shines on all who live, work and play here.
Content creators on OnlyFans detail how conservative groups have impacted their work in this issue as well and in Tampa, the timely “A Normal Heart” returns to the stage.
Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, vote if you live in St. Petersburg and enjoy this latest issue.
