Archie Comics to Launch Series for First Gay Character
- Posted on April 2, 2011 at 6:33pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — After his debut in “Veronica” No. 202 caused Archie Comics to do a second printing for the first time in its history, the publisher is giving its first openly gay character his own mini-series this summer.
The character, Kevin Keller, has connected with the comic book publisher’s fans, said Dan Parent, who is writing and drawing the four-issue series that comes out in June.
There have been and are gay characters in other comics, but Keller’s role as a friend to Archie, Veronica and the others at Riverdale High is part of the company’s push to keep them relevant and contemporary.
“I think as time marches on, gay characters in comics will become more commonplace and it won’t be a big media event every time a gay character is introduced,” Parent told The Associated Press on Friday.
He noted that gay characters are commonplace in film and television, too. “And not just adult-oriented shows, but youth-oriented shows like ‘Glee,‘ ’Degrassi High,‘ ’90210′” among others, he said.
Archie Comics has strived to make its fictional world relevant and contemporary to the real world. In recent months, it has published stories about Archie getting married and the death of teacher Geraldine Grundy, who succumbed to cancer.
“The world of Riverdale has to reflect contemporary culture and to show it is an accepting, diverse place,” Parent said. “And that’s why Kevin is important, to show that everybody is welcome in this all-American town we’ve embraced for over 70 years.”
He said the series will focus on Kevin’s friendships, his strong bond with his father and his coming out to friends and family.
“We’ll see Kevin getting involved at Riverdale High, his ongoing friendship with Veronica and the rest of the gang, and more background on who Kevin is and how he came to be,” Parent told the AP.
Part of that story will include a series of flashbacks on the teenaged Kevin’s childhood, including his experiences growing up as an Army brat, and the relationships within his family, particularly the strong bonds he has with his father.
“We address his coming out and, while the story may be somewhat serious in tone in places, it’s still entertaining and funny, since those are always a staple of a good ‘Archie’ story,” Parent said.
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Comments (51)
garylee123
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:13pmFirst, he is not “gay”, he is homosexual. Second, who cares? Go back in the closet and stay out of my face. You want respect? Earn it.
Report Post »jrcess
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:52amFor a minute I thought Archie was gay. Always wanted to see a 100 year old gay person. Instead of light in the loafers, light in the slippers.
Report Post »Too Cool
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:49amWe have to imagine the gang hanging out with Kevin over at the corner Der Weinerschnitzel after school.
Report Post »bigdaddybernie
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:26amMy cousin KEVIN ?
Report Post »bigdaddybernie
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:23amHEY……….. my cousin is named KEVIN ! I wonder……….
Report Post »sjohn70037
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:10amOh yea, like Batman and Robin were just buddies…
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 10:18amThey can make a gay comic book or character, but it won’t last beyond the initial buzz. As it stands time and time again, characters not straight and white do not sell. It isn’t a racist, bigot thing to say, just a fact. Yes, there are some great black characters in comics. Even the not so great and gay ones are eventually downplayed and pushed asside like Jar Jar Binks.
Report Post »mike taylor
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 9:14amObama would be a better name for the gay guy.
Report Post »mcFirst
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:41amglad i am not named Kevin
Report Post »NHABE64
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:26amA gay character in Archie comics, how disgusting. What next Veronica starts wearing a muslim headgear and then they all demonstrate to let their illegal classmates stay in the US ? Puke! Would never buy another Archie comic again. Puke! Ug! Puke!
Report Post »American_Alliance_for_the_Support_of_Sarcasm
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 7:14amIn the name of the most holy God!
Report Post »Ok, we accept the homosexual community.
You are homosexual. Good for you! Here is a trophy.
Now please, keep it to yourself.
Do you want me to go on about how I am heterosexual?
I didn‘t ask so don’t tell me about it.
Nobody cares about your sexuality.
It has no bearing on our lives.
godfather
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:14pmYou are right, homosexuality has absolutely no bearing on your life, which means that gay marriage should be allowed.
Report Post »headbtweenlegs
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 6:10amI see racism here…Why is he WHITE? because you can pick on the whites and nobody will say a word…Why not make him half white and half black and be a Muslim….That fits.
Report Post »Buzzsaw
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:36amthey are all banging each other on scooby do now so nothing surprises me..
Report Post »Slowman101
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 11:33pm“As your elected official, I promise to keep my oral fetish strictly under wraps. Unless of course AFTER the press conference you wish to unwrap me!”
Report Post »redneck hickabilly
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 11:09pmwho reads comics anymore i used to love the old gi joe ones thats about it
Report Post »Pat Alexander
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 8:59pmI think the character sucks…
Literally.
Report Post »welovetheUSA
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 8:55pmThat’s Gay……………
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 8:42pmThere have been gay comics since the 70′s. It‘s already done it’s damage as per the “rights” of gays, pedophiles and NAMBLA.
Report Post »You can go to any college town and find a bookstore happily stocking repulsive propaganda.
And who reads Archie anyway. It’s just a publicity stunt of low order.
Eblaze44
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 8:30pmOH YES! Please remind me this is a “Christian” country. Going to Hell in a hand basket.
Report Post »Quack Addict
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 10:06pmSorry to burst your bubble but this is a ‘secular’ country with some Christians in it. Look around!
Report Post »MASTER YODA
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 10:26pmBe more wrong you could not. Christian nation by over whelming majority, this is. You, wish that fact away, cannot.
Report Post »ClockKing
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:32amMaybe it’s time we made it a Christian nation, and do so unapologetically.
Report Post »Misty Williams
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:29am@Clockking
Bang on!
Report Post »Buck_Ofama
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 8:04pmThis stuff is getting more outer space every day. Anything to make a buck or sell propaganda.
Report Post »Misty Williams
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:25amI think this sort of thing should be brought up. I don’t personally care if a person is gay or not. I don’t run around hollering about how PROUD I am to be a heterosexual. I think it’s an act of self debasing to run around hollering about your bedroom habits. That aside, is a comic written for children really the correct venue for that type of discussion?
I won’t be buying any more Archie Comics for my kids. And I see it as sort of another small death the America we once knew. I wonder, will the militants and their sycophants soon find a way to make apple pie gay too??
Report Post »scoter
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 7:58pmThis is SICK. i wont be buying any !!!!!!
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:00amHad you been regularly buying Archie comics up until they did this? Because that would be a lot weirder than reading or writing about a gay character.
Report Post »scoter
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 7:55pmThis is SICK. i will not buy one.
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 9:05pmIn 5 years the Issue #1 will be worth $200.00, so I am buying 3. They go in Ziplok bags unread!
Report Post »teachermitch32
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 10:54pm@sleazy,
Shhhhh…..don’t broadcast that investment. It will diminish your return.
Report Post »Misty Williams
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:20amJohn L. Goldwater was the creator of Archie Comics. I wonder, would he support this action??
“Goldwater served as president of the Comics Magazine Assoc. for 25 years, personally decrying such events as the 1971 United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare-sanctioned Spider-Man storyline dealing with the problems of drug addiction, which while talking of the evils of drugs still violated the code’s guidelines by mentioning them at all.”
“In 1973, Goldwater “licens[ed] Archie for evangelical Christian messages,” despite his personal Jewish faith, feeling that the “sentiments were in line with his wholesome family message.” [2] The comics were written and illustrated by one of the Archie regulars, Al Hartley, and were published by Spire Christian Comics.”
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Goldwater
Report Post »strongtexan
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 7:18pmHow gay….
Report Post »QuietTexan
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 6:46pmI hope this will not be an excuse to preach an agenda to kids reading the comics. A character can be homosexual without stories being warped to show special treatment or how he is a victim.
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 8:16pmIt is interesting to think that a genre that includes muscular men in tight sheer costumes might need to have a “gay” character introduced, unless of course we think about all the pro-gay sniper comics that for years have featured uniformed perverts taking pot shots at the man-parts of evildoers from a mile away using NATO rounds. These comics are obsessed by gayness and their authors are suspected of being latent homosexuals.
Report Post »QuietTexan
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 9:59pmI always noticed that those men usually had a few attractive women nearby. But Im sure the latent homosexual creators of the comics ONLY included them for the homosexual female readers.
Report Post »MASTER YODA
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 10:29pmRemember, carrying the water for obama, marvel comics is. When obumbler stole the office, for the first half white president marvel had a spider man cover with spider man fawning all over himself.
Report Post »AlwaysLearning
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 4:13amOf course it will be to make the lifestyle acceptable to kids. The **** will be the caring/smart/wise person in all the stories.
Report Post »seminolebri
Posted on April 3, 2011 at 6:46pmThis is actually a story? HOHUM…….
Report Post »ClockKing
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:29amIt’ll fail. There have been other gay characters (superheroes), and no one cares. The thing the agenda pushers forget is that what engages the audience is the story and the depth of the characters that pull the reader into the story.
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:48am“Archie Comics to Launch Series for First Gay Character”
————————————————————————————
And the obvious question would be… Why?
Start a conversation at our Tea Forum
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CultureWarriors
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:19amSucks to be named Kevin! Shouldn’t he be named Barney? Like Barney, will he run a prostitution ring from his house? Reminds me of a typical progressive guy. Hey, doesn’t he look like a young Harry Reid? Hmmm …
seminolebri you’re right, this is a story?
Report Post »BonnieBlueFlag
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 3:00am“..Part of that story will include a series of flashbacks on the teenaged Kevin’s childhood, including his experiences growing up as an Army brat, and the relationships within his family, particularly the strong bonds he has with his father…”
Yes, because I know so many gay men that have a ‘strong bond’ with their fathers. This obviously has the stamp of approval of the Ministry of Truth.
But why stop at gay? There are many “alternative lifestyles” embraced by the LGTB community. Let’s give Oscar the Grouch a gimp-suit wearing, S&M dungeon-master lover on Sesame Street. Maybe Bazooka Joe could get into the “gift giving” subculture of the gay community.
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 6:23amTolerance is nothing but lowering your standards.
Report Post »MIBUGNU2
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:06pmSucks !!!
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 10:59pm……..
Just tell me that Veronica isn’t a lesbian.
I can’t take too much disappointment at once.
What’s next? Scooby Doo is having a sex change?
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