The art in that long panel is sooooo goooood!

What, there's something else to look at here?

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It's good to know that Kate still has feelings for Renee when she thought she saw her in the ballroom in issue #3 of her Detective Comics run. Of course, that didn't last long when Sawyer came into the picture.

This new series though? Rucka's Stumptown? That's one I'm gona be picking up for sure.

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I haven't read it, yet, myself. I'll wait for the inevitable trade; IDW is good for that. BUT, I know over at the Chris' ISB (http://www.the-isb.com/), a term was coined:

Rucka is just straight up "Brubakering". That's sells it for me, right there. I've been hoping for Rucka to get back to his own independent stuff for awhile, because it feels like his superhero stuff isn't QUITE as good, sometimes. Though I haven't been reading his Batwoman (again, trade). I wasn't crazy about the Crime Bible mini-series, but I LOVED his runs on Detective Comics, Adv. of Superman and Wonder Woman.

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My LCS didn't order any, and I didn't know it was coming until just Monday, so I guess I'll have to start following with #2.

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I love Greg Rucka in general and this looks like an interesting story. I don't know how to properly convey it, I suppose, but I am a little put off by his sudden preoccupation on lesbian characters. Naturally, I am pretty encouraged and appreciative of anyone who wants to bring more LGBT into comics and I think Rucka has done a good job of that. It is just weird that one straight dude has become the go to guy for lesbians in the medium.

Oh well, good writing is good writing, right? Should stop being so sensitive.

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I almost want to agree. It doesn't help that when Rucka writes a strong woman he tends to just write a man then throw boobs on her.

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Really? I don't see that. Which one of these would you classify as a man with boobs thrown on her?

Wonder Woman? Renee, Kate Kane, Lois Lane? Sasha Bordeaux, Amanda Waller, Fire? Carrie Stetko, Tara Chace?

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Renee specifically reads that way, though I'd say she's more "self-loathing lesbian"--as written by a man.

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I'm not sure it's sudden.

See: A Fistful of Rain

(No, really, go read it. Assuming you haven't already, anyway).

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Er, and Whiteout.

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Haha, Whiteout is only subtext. He goes and torpedoes the fuck out of it with the markedly inferior sequel.

::weeps that no one writes Carrie/Lily slash::

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Right, but the point is that Rucka and lesbian characters/subtext are not newly acquainted.

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::weeps that no one writes Carrie/Lily slash::

I with you there.

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I've read a few straight female authors who spend a lot of time writing about gay men. Seems to be the way this works.

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Not to mention the not inconsiderable number of het-female targeted romance novels pseudonymously written by gay men.

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It doesn't seem all that weird when you think about the fact that a great majority of comic writers and artists are straight guys.

Whatever his intentions, the writing comes across as respectful and real. So, I'm pleased with it. As long as Kate doesn't become a stereotype or a vehicle for gratuitous boobage, I'll keep buying the comic.

Still, don't feel bad for being sensitive. It's a sensitive issue considering how badly media tends to handle LGBT characters. It's good to keep an eye on things.

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Yeah, I'm trying to come up with some comics creators who are lesbians. All I can think of is Caitlin Kiernan, and Colleen Coover's bi.

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Wait, Caitlin R Kiernan does comic work? I thought she just wrote awesomely fucked up, Lovecraftian horror novels.

Ah. I see, the magic of the internets tells me she has indeed written some comics. Must. Acquire.

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It's a weird coincidence, really, that this conversation should pop up here now. I just found out she was gay the other day when she did an interview on wow.com and offhandedly mentioned her "partner."

I know Phil Jimenez is gay, and that guy with the Spanish name I can't spell who wrote Marvel Knights 4 (Roberto Aguirre-Sarcasa?). I'm not sure who else there is in mainstream comics.

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Angela Robinson who just wrote the Web is.

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I cannot emphasize how wrong you are here.

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sweet good talk

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Because it's way better to no writers write queer characters then for one writer to write a bajillion.

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That's was my main point, yes.

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I seriously have no clue if you're being sarcastic?

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Not that wrong. It doesn't matter how good Rucka is at writing lesbian characters (though, to be fair, I think he's pretty good). He's still not a lesbian. His point of view is not that of a lesbian. And when he writes lesbian characters, he's doing his best approximation of what it means to be a lesbian based on his point of view.

And before anyone comes up with "But he's also writing about Kryptonians and vigilantes and he's not either of those," yeah, I know that. But he is still writing about his point of view of Kryptonians and vigilantes and whatever else he writes about, and that general broad point of view (the straight white guy) is all too present in comics. Representation should be happening behind the scenes as much as it happens on the page, and editorial do themselves a disservice by having him be the go-to guy to write lesbian stories, when there are plenty of talented lesbians out there who'd love the chance to write lesbian stories in comics.

(But again, I really like Rucka and hope he keeps getting work. Take a book away from Geoff Johns to make room for that talented lesbian; dude could certainly stand to ease up on the DCU. :P)

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I still have faith in Rucka.

What's the page from?

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The Question: the five books of blood/the lesson of Greed. Art is by Matthew Clark.

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