The Intangible Starslip Is Complete!

Well, the story is finished! Here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11443191/chapters/25645737

I just want to thank everyone who helped and supported this project, as well as those who have made fan art of Starslip. Thank you to my proofreader N. Harmonik, my LSBFF Teagan (little sister best friend forever), Catherine, Ben, Tim, Christy and Jeff (not me, different Jeff, lol), my GF Unbeatable Emmy-chan, Arkle, Chloe, Nikki-Lee, Rob, Ian, Jeremy, KoalaTheArtist, UniComicRN, EverydayBattman, EverHobbes, artisticamara, Jiubeck, delightfully-drawing, and JonasLull. And my thanks to anyone who might do fan art of Starslip in the future.

Also, I want to thank people who helped inspire this endeavour. Thank you to Bryan Q. Miller, Scott Snyder, Gail Simone, K. A. Applegate, and you guessed it, Lewis Lovhaug. Thank you all for being the outstanding people you are.

Why Isn’t There An Openly LGBT Pony?

…Yeah, I’m just gonna come out right here and say something: This article is about My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, and talks about whether we should have an LGBT pony. If that doesn’t appeal to you, do us both a favour and don’t read. Don’t read, don’t comment, and I will have no problems with you whatsoever. I know it can be seen as a strange subject, and even if not strange, if there’s one universal constant I’ve found in my lifetime, it’s that nothing is for everybody, so no hard feelings, really.

So, something caught my attention a while ago. Apparently, there was a writer working for IDW who said that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy being in a romantic relationship should be canon. I’m not gonna get into that discussion much more, other than stating that, despite being an outed Flutterdash shipper in the past, I know that having the obvious tomboy and the introvert come out as a couple could be seen as a stereotype. Rather, instead, I find myself wondering why, whether it’s these two or anyone else on the show, is there no openly, canon, LGBT pony. And I know, there are other shows out there with positive depictions of LGBT characters. I’m just saying, not everyone who watches those shows watches MLP, where they would like a positive depiction of an LGBT character.

Now, there might be some of you out there saying “But wait, Jyger85! There IS an LGBT couple on MLP!” Well, first off, you can call me Jeff, we’re all friends here. And second off, NO. That is not canon. You THINK it is, and I not only know why you think it is but actually agree that it should be, but it isn’t. And for those of you wondering what I’m talking about, I’m talking about Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon…or Secret Agent Sweetie Drops, or whatever her name is now. lol Point is, these two have been background ponies showing up together for YEARS now, but anytime they’ve talked, they keep saying they’re best friends, and according to the MLP wiki…

“And I quote…”

“Sweetie Drops frequently appears with Lyra Heartstrings, which has been explained by a layout artist to be mostly coincidental and based on aesthetic considerations, as far as season one is concerned”. However, here’s why a lot of people think these two are a couple…

1. Admittedly, fans of a show will sometimes try to dig deeper to try and see if there are elements of the story and characters beyond what is shown to us, and will oftentimes ship people for reasons others might not be able to see.
2. There’s a list of evidence on TV Tropes showing all the reasons presented in the show why fans might believe these two are a couple (among others, lol), but for me, it boils down to one episode: Slice of Life. Listen to their dialogue in that episode, watch their body language and facial expressions, and listen to the emphasis they put on the words “best friends”, hammering it in to the point of sounding forced, and tell me that these two do not come off even the SLIGHTEST bit as a couple.

What’s hilarious, though, is that, in the same episode I just mentioned, we find out that DJ Pon-3 (once known as Vinyl Scratch) and Octavia Melody actually live together. Now, whether they’re just room-mates or a couple has never been made canon. My own thoughts? Well, I don’t know if I believe in the romantic pairing of these two, but they are most definitely a pair, and one I’d love to see playing off each other in the future. Still, I wouldn’t mind if these two came out.

But back to Lyra and Sweetie Drops. Personally, here’s what I would do. You have the finale (whether it’s a season finale or the series finale, I don’t know, but maybe it’d work better if it were the latter) include a scene where the Mane 6 are running through Ponyville. They’re running in great urgency to stop something, and it’s a very pulse-pounding affair, and you see everything in the background rushing by, and at one point, they run past town hall, where you see the two exiting right after getting married. That’s how I would out those two, and here’s why: Because a lot of fans love to watch the background and freak out over stuff they see in it, and I guarantee that would get a TREMENDOUS reaction. Just have it in the middle of the episode, and watch what happens. lol

Anyway, that’s all I had to say about this. Lemme know what you all think in the comments, and keep watching the background, because you never know what might pop up. Ja né!

Jyger’s Favourite 5 – 5 Favourite LGBT DC Characters

…So, I mentioned this on my Facebook, but I figured I should bring this up on my blog. Yes, I know about the horrible shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Florida. I don’t know all the details. What I do know is this: Around 50 people were killed in this shooting, and about 50 more were injured. I’ve heard that, in the wake of this, some people have chosen to put their own projects on indefinite hold. However, I’ve instead opted not to. On the contrary, I feel it necessary to continue my work as a form of entertainment and escapism for anyone affected by this tragedy. In fact, because the LGBT community has been the target of a lot of hate as of late, culminating in this attack, I’ve decided to do some LGBT related articles, starting with this one. It’s no secret that I love lots of diversity in comics, and while DC has kinda failed from time to time to get it right, there ARE a number of gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, and even asexual characters among their vast line-up. But who are my personal favourites? Well, let’s find out. Here are my 5 Favourite LGBT DC Characters.

#1 – Jackson Hyde, AKA Aqualad

I’ve actually heard that the staff of the Young Justice cartoon claimed that Jackson was “not straight”, and that’s where he made his first appearances, so no, DC Rebirth’s outing him isn’t necessarily a retcon…I think. I’m gonna get into this when I review DC Universe Rebirth #1, but the thing is, the implication some people are taking from his scene in the book is that he’s gay. However, I’m pretty sure the intent with him prior was that he was bi, not gay, so I’m hoping they stick with that. Regardless, I really like Aqualad. His position in the Aquaman stories is complex, but in a good way, he’s got a kickass power-set and a usually level-headed demeanor (at least in the show, I haven’t read much of his appearances in the comics), and I’m glad to see him making his return. I seem to recall hearing once that he was originally supposed to join the Teen Titans in the New 52, but it never came to be, and considering how the team did in that era, might be for the better that he didn’t. Still, this DOES make me wonder if he’ll either join the Titans in the Rebirth era, or perhaps be part of a new Young Justice team. And considering how many people would like to see a return of the Young Justice TV series, honestly, I’d go with the latter as a means to either push that idea or give the fans clamoring for it a consolation prize.

#2 – Pamela Isley, AKA Poison Ivy

Honestly, is anyone REALLY shocked? And yes, for the record, Pamela’s bisexuality has been made canon. Granted, it’s in a book I don’t much care for, and the writers don’t always seem to get her all that well, but I appreciate the fact that they made clear what many of us assumed for a while now. I remember for years thinking it already WAS established canon, actually. But anyway, Poison Ivy is a character who has a lot of layers to her. She suffers from seasonal affective disorder, which can sometimes undermine her better judgment and brilliant mind, and she’s been known to…well, let’s call a spade a spade, she kills people. However, she really DOES care for the planet, as most of her criminal endeavors over the years have been to stop people from polluting or otherwise mistreating it, and to those who think she doesn’t care about human beings, she once protected a park full of orphaned children. No one told her to, she just did it because she identified with their trauma and because it was the right thing to do. She once gave up her powers because she was afraid it might be killing them. So yeah, she IS a good person deep down. Just…don’t ever piss her off, and in the words of Captain Planet, protect the environment, or she’ll fucking kill you. 😛

#3 – Katherine Kane, AKA Batwoman

History’s a funny thing, isn’t it? The original Batwoman was created specifically to be Batman’s love interest as a means of disproving concerns that he was gay for Robin. 50 years later, the character was reintroduced as a lesbian, and is actually Bruce’s cousin. And frankly, all the better in my opinion, as she’s arguably the single most high-profile LGBT superhero in DC’s entire roster, and is currently Batman’s equal in his new boot camp in Detective Comics. Also, her existence provides more of something Batman is lacking: Family. While he’s brought in wards and made plenty of allies, we don’t see a lot of his surviving blood relatives. I think right now, off the top of my head, there’s Kate, her dad, her sister, and Bruce’s son, Damian, and alternate Earth daughter, Helena. That’s it. And while there’s more than a lot different about Bruce and Kate in their personalities and approaches to crime fighting, there’s also a lot that’s the same, which may be the real reason they haven’t always gotten along together that great as superheroes. Oh, and in Batman: Bad Blood, she used guns, and I’m not a big fan of that, but it at least makes sense with her military training, and she DID switch her live rounds for rubber bullets by the end, so I can tolerate it and still like her in that movie, unlike some other things in it, but let’s not go there…

#4 – Miguel Barragan, AKA Bunker

…Okay, I’m gonna admit to something that people might find a bit strange to hear come out of my mouth, and I understand that. Frankly, it baffles me a bit, too. But, having thought about it for a while, and looking back over the character’s history, I’ve come to a conclusion: Scott Lobdell wrote Bunker best so far. He was optimistic, entertaining, and just outright FUN. I don’t know what they were trying to do with him in the new book, but he wasn’t what I’d necessarily call “fun”. In fact, he kinda had an attitude that rubbed me the wrong way, at least in comparison to how I knew him to be prior. I hope if he comes back in Rebirth, he more resembles his previous personality. Also, I gotta wonder about something: As I said before, Aqualad was originally rumoured to be joining the Teen Titans in the New 52. Now, we’ve met Bunker’s boyfriend, and he’s not Jackson, but I can’t help but wonder if the original intent was for Jackson to be Bunker’s boyfriend and be on the team? Food for thought is all I’m saying.

#5 – Harleen Quinzel, AKA Harley Quinn

Again, like Ivy, Harley Quinn has been confirmed to be bisexual by the writers of her book, so she counts. And, like I said before, I honestly thought she already WAS confirmed to be a while ago, and I have no idea why it took anyone from DC so long to finally let that particular cat (or hyena, as it were) out of the bag. Now, maybe it was a concern that such might be controversial, but lemme ask you something: Which is the more controversial thing to do with a character? To have Harley be bisexual, or to have her be in a long-term abusive relationship with a killer clown, and have her get the shit kicked outta her multiple times, once or twice even in a cartoon show? And I’m not saying they shouldn’t have done that, as it was an intriguing look into abusive relationships and twisted psyches, while also serving as a cautionary tale. I’m just saying, once you’ve crossed that line, how is this any worse? Regardless, it’s out in the open now, with no going back, though I have my doubts they’ll reference that in DC Super Hero Girls. lol

Hmm, y’know, while I like this list, I feel like there are others I should at least mention… … …Ah, screw it, here’s a collage of some of my other favourite confirmed LGBT characters in DC Comics, so no Wonder Woman since DC’s never made it 100% clear about her. lol

Anyway, be sure to leave your own favourites in the comments, OR let me know if there’s anyone else you’d like to see officially come out at DC these days. Ja né!

How Would I Rebuild The DC Universe From Scratch? – LGBTQ Heroes In My Fanfics (FEEDBACK REQUESTED. IF OFFENDED, PLEASE DO NOT READ)

So, this time I’m dropping all pretence and basically being honest here: As you know, I’ve done a number of DC fanfics under the same alternate universe setting…which I still haven’t named. Speaking of which…

…Anyway, I’ve been planning on having as diverse a cast as I can for my fanfics. This is actually easier than you might think, because, while they don’t all get as much attention as they should, DC superheroes/superheroines do come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, colours, ethnicities, and characteristics. They have African-Americans, Brazilians, Asians, Russians…I think only a couple of Canadians, but hey, we got Captain Canuck and frakking Wolverine elsewhere, so not a big deal. They have handicapped people, like Vengeance Moth and Proxy (who I hope comes back with Steph next year). They have bisexuals, they have homosexuals. Heck, one of them is in one of my fanfics, that being Batwoman in Birds of Prey: Dark. But there are some types of superheroes they don’t have, at least not to my knowledge: Transsexuals, hermaphrodites, transvestites, or having had surgery (or I suppose magic, since hey, it’s comic books) to change their sex. Now, there IS a transgendered character, that being Alysia Yeoh (Batgirl‘s room-mate), which IS awesome, but unless she’s gonna get in a costume and fight crime (which I would not be against, Gail Simone, just in case yer wondering), there are no transgendered heroes or heroines in DC Comics.

So that’s when I started thinking: My fanfics exist in an alternate reality of my own creation. Meaning, I could either make a whole new character that is one or more of the above, OR I could change a pre-existing character to be LGBTQICTA-whatever-the-hell-else-there-is-that-I-would-count-but-there’s-too-damned-many-of-them. The only question is, if I went with the latter, who? Well, I DO have a few options that I thought of. Dick Grayson would be an awesome possibility. And NO, I don’t mean making Batman and Robin the Ambiguously Gay Duo, I JUST mean Robin. Raven would also be a good choice, and would actually explain a bit since she’s one of the seven children of Trigon that represent the Seven Deadly Sins called the SONS of Trigon.

What do you guys think? Lemme know in the comments below whether you think I should do this or not, whether I should do so with a pre-existing character, and if yes to both, who you think that should be. Ja né!

Related articles

• What Should I Call My DC Fanfic Universe? (FEEDBACK REQUESTED) (jygersrant.wordpress.com)
• It’s not a bird or a plane, it’s just me writing about that stuff (wwwdotjasonmacaskilldotcom.wordpress.com)
• What adding fanfic has done for my website/blog (lissywrites.com)
• “Comics are Gay!” A Flash History of LGBTQ in Comics (graphicpolicy.com)
• Williams bids farewell to “Batwoman” (robot6.comicbookresources.com)
• DC Comics’ First Transgender And Bisexual Character (buzzfeed.com)
• Let’s get this straight: DC is anti marriage, not anti GAY marriage (comicsbeat.com)
• Roundtable: Race and Gender in Comics (womenwriteaboutcomics.com)
• Why We Worry About DC Comics’s Gay Characters (theatlanticwire.com)
• When Will the Perception of Women in Comics Catch Up to Reality? (usnews.com)