Essay plan

Introduction
‘Yes, it’s sad that one of the most prominent gay relationships in Wildstorm and DC’s comic history came to a close without us getting to witness it, but at the same time, it’s fascinating to see it.’

Write about the evolution of comic books

How society has changed where we are allowed to have gay marriage and to have transsexuals in the world.

This would be about how this can be how comic books have pushed this and have supported gay rights. Use example of Midnighter being homosexual and what he has pushed for audience.

Paragraph 1

- Society with LGBT superheroes and how popular they are and how they growing over the years
Constantine
Catwoman
Hercules 

Talk about the creation of them and how they have been represented in the comic book universe.

- started in 1998 and however in 2014 became popular.

- Write about the origin of Midnighter, the relationship he is in with the 'homosexual superman' that the fans call it. but really the name is Apollo.

- Development of the character and why he was made for the fans.

- What represents to the LGBT community

Paragraphs 2 - 3

- LGBT community and what they are like in societ, give the recent news of deaths in the news because of people being LGBT
 ‘In Detroit, on the morning of 5 October, an African American gay man known simply as Melvin, 30, was found shot dead on a street in the Palmer Park area. At the time of his death, Melvin was wearing women’s clothing.’
Transgender Woman in Philadelphia shot
Gay man shot in Detroit
“For many LGBT people, participation in street economies is often critical to survival,” civil rights group Lambda Legal said in a statement in August, when supporting Amnesty International’s resolution to decriminalize sex work.
LGBT youth and transgender women of color face all-too-common family rejection and vastly disproportionate rates of violence, homelessness and discrimination in employment, housing, and education,” the statement continued.
many in the Detroit LGBT community hang out – specifically people who are low-income or experiencing homelessness. She feels such people are “targeted”.

Local officials told the Guardian no arrests had been made in either case and it was too early to confirm if hate was a factor. In Philadelphia, police confirmed they were investigating whether Jenkins’ gender identity played a role in her murder.

- Historical text
The killing joke (1988)
 Batman: The Killing Joke is a 1988 one-shot graphic novel featuring the characters Batman and the Joker written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Brian Bolland, and published by DC Comics. Set in the fictional U.S. city of Gotham, Batman: The Killing Joke provides an origin story for the Joker, an established comic book super villain and nemesis of Batman. Taking place over two timelines, The Killing Joke depicts the Joker attempting to drive Jim Gordon insane and Batman's desperate attempt to stop him.This is my historical text as to being a relationship between a hero and villain, this is to symbolise the way batman doesn't want to kill the joker but he has no choice as to the horrific things the joker has done to people

(MIGRAIN)

The certain print of where it shows an Homosexual connection  with other LGBT comics and how it relates to midnighter the censorship in 1988.

Paragraph 4-6

-Talk about different views on this which people believe and different websites.  Use example of the first black gay character in Arrow which is a big change in society as they wouldnt allow this

This version of Mr. Terrific is also an LGBT character. How does that shape who he is?

I think it shapes who he is only in that that’s who he chooses to love. He’s married, he has a husband, but it’s not the most defining quality about him. It’s important, but he is a living, breathing character who happens to be gay … Rarely do people live their lives through their sexuality.

The “Arrow”/”Flash” producers are always great about including LGBT characters in their shows, which is awesome, but this is the first major LGBT superhero character in the world of these shows.

There’s been a wave of LGBT characters and storylines on television over the past few years as the LGBT movement in the real world continues to progress. And now it appears that progress in fiction has extended to the world of superheroes, as it’s been announced that “Arrow” has cast “Ben and Kate” actor Echo Kellum to play the series’ first-ever Black gay superhero.

“We’re often asked when we’re going to add another LGBT character to the show and our version of Mr Terrific happens to be gay for anyone that cares about that kind of stuff,” Guggenheim revealed in a statement.

Mr. Terrific also won’t be the only character on the show repping the LGBT community. The show already features openly bisexual Sara Lance/Canary (Caity Lotz) and the two are now reportedly TV’s only LGBT superheroes.

Mr. Terrific also follows a line of Black LGBT superheroes in the comic world like X-Men’s Storm, who was previously strongly implied to be bisexual, and Young Avengers’ Prodigy, who is also written as bisexual.

- Academic research essays talking about LGBT superheroes use examples of how they are going big on the LGBT and going to change society.

'The comic book industry has attempted to develop a more culturally aware attitude
toward the representation of its super heroes in recent years. DC and Marvel have begun
producing comics with homosexuals as lead or supporting characters. Titles such as The
X-Men, The Authority, and the Rawhide Kid employ different strategies of incorporation
into the economically dominant superhero genre, including: tokenism, camp and radical
alternative. This paper traces the historical origin of superhero masculinity and
interrogates its reconstitution within a space that includes homosexuality'

Paragraph 7
-Media magazine

Examples and how it links with LGBT

Media magazine 31
True blood is a show about vampires and other mythical creatures, they are represented as monsters and they do show the stereotype of what vampires do. The difference with the show is that it is a age 18 rated series with alto of sex and nudity. It is also filled with different sexuality of vampires and people.

'In the world of True Blood, vampires
have had to fight for recognition and citizenship
in much the same way as gay males and lesbians
have. The reaction of some humans to the rights
afforded to vampires in True Blood could be
seen to mirror the responses of some sections
of society to the rights recently afforded to gay
men and women.'

'Not only does True Blood
present a number of homosexual and sexually
ambiguous characters without drawing attention
to their sexual identities or giving them ‘token’
status, it offers a great many sexually explicit
scenes. Yet perhaps none of this would have been
possible without the pioneering Buffy.'

Media magazine 32
'The films of Cohen seem to have a slightly
more positive representation of homosexuality.'

In the movie bruno it is about Sacha Baron Cohen playing a gay Austriann looking for fame in America. Sacha Baron has does many gay positive scenes in his movies like Borat and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby where he plays a gay character and kisses Will Ferrel character at the end.

'The wrestling match where
Bruno and his assistant end up passionately
kissing in front of a jeering, psychotic, angry
crowd shows the awfulness of some American
attitudes to homosexuality.'

The stereotype can be sometimes too much as for the celebrity want to show positive gay people he exaggerates the stereotype to much in the movie.

'Bruno, on the other hand, is not a very nice
character. He is a highly-exaggerated stereotype
of a fashion-obsessed homosexual. His sex life is
portrayed as an exhibition of twisted creativity
and shocking acts of depravity; an exercise bike
with a dildo attached, a chair that catapults his
midget partner into him'


Media magazine 53
'TV drama features multiple lesbians, or looks beyond explicit sexual behaviour. Indeed, studies show that in the 20 most popular TV shows watched by young people, only 4.5% of the total programme time includes LGBT characters. For this reason, when shows feature multiple lesbian characters they are seen as a TV ‘event’, and this may immediately estrange audiences.'

This represents the views on television  as to the type of characters they have used, the characters in the shows that are LGBT are very not common in Tv series but it is going to be pushed as to old TV shows like Ellen and Buffy the vampire slayer had Lesbians. Also the sitcom Happy endings had a gay character which lead for 3 seasons. This is to represent the percentage of a programme and it shows that it is not a big percentage but it will increase over time.

Media magazine 38
'Neil Patrick Harris, who, in direct
contrast to his fictional persona, is openly gay
and an active campaigner for gay rights.'

This is to show the LGBT actors who can play straight characters, This is to show that straight actors can play LGBT like Jared Leto and that LGBT actors can play any character they want as to being different. This links to the LGBT part of my investigation as to that these alternative way to see a character.

Media magazine 44
Talks about Transgender being on channel 4

'For some time now TV, and C4 in particular,
has got big audiences for ‘freak show’
programs – transsexuals,'

homosexual incest between the surrogate
brothers. Bond’s reply mocks his own image
‘What makes you think it’s my first time?’ he
responds to his tormentor.

Gives a range in the entertainment department as to giving more depth and including the LGBT range for viewers. This is good because only 4.5% are LGBT in Tv shows and shows that there can be a increase because of this.

Paragraph 8
LGBT statistics what the changes have been through time of superheroes. The historical and society thoughts on LGBT.

'Superheroes have a strong influence in our society, and as such we should look at the messages that they  represent. To this end, I have examined the sexuality and gender roles that superheroes suggest through their appearance, the way they are written about, they way that they talk, the distribution of superpowers, and their relationships. I surveyed 63 Willamette University and Skyview Junior High students about their favorite superheroes and their reasons for liking that particular hero to begin my analysis, and branched from there to texts written by the companies who own the superheroes and other anthropologists who have examined the role of heroes in our society.'

Use this example as to the society part of influencing people  (SHEP) cut this in detail as to what they mean about society and comics teach people

Conclusion
Overall comics changing socierty with the LGBT theme and what it means have Midnighter doing this.

Show the importance of why Midnighter is changing society view of LGBT

Talk about the impact of comic books overall and what it teaches people around the world.