The Authority - Comic Rec!!
Apr. 27th, 2009 03:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kowaiyoukaiOKies, so I've been fangirling about this, and I'll post about it now. Basically, the Authority is a DC/Wildstorm comic that's about a team of superheroes who work internationally (and on other worlds/parallel universes as well) and dictate what should and shouldn't be done based on their own ideas of right and wrong. And yeah, it's just about as awesome as that sounds. Wiki article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Authority!!
In short, I like every character and plot arc, which never happens to me. EVER. The characters are all chosen to represent these aspects of society that are generally considered morally inappropriate or ambiguous, but are also culturally relevant to contemporary society. There are (basically) 7 main characters:
- Jenny Sparks, the leader and spirit of the 20th century, who is later replaced by Jenny Quantum, spirit of the 21st century
- Apollo, the most powerful team member who is also gay, and sometimes flamingly so
- Midnighter, combat fighter-type who is with Apollo
- Jack Hawksmoor, who's able to "speak" to cities and was developed to live in urban areas
- The first Doctor we meet (there are several of them) is a magician/shaman who's a drug addict
- The first Engineer we meet (again, more than one) replaced her blood with these technological organisms and is now mostly a computer
- Swift, this chick who flies and is half-bird
So, basically, go out and read this. If the idea that a group of people who are gay/bi-curious, drug addicts, smokers/drinkers, computerized, and able to talk with urban environemnts are the ones who make up the laws of morality in this world does not appeal to you, you fail at fandom. :P
I MUST HAVE ICONS LIEK NAO!! I'm scanning pics tonight and so there will be icons tomorrow. Hopefully. YAYZ.
EDIT: B/c I'm a dipshit and forgot to say it. Every character is treated really awesomely and developed in great ways. It's a very appealing storyline, as well. But yes, it's a superhero story, so if people saving the world from evil isn't your thing, you're not going to like this. ALTHOUGH I SHOULD SAY!! I honestly think Apollo/Midnighter is probably the best canon gay pairing I've ever seen. Anywhere, ever. They're shown to be people, and strong kick-ass people, and the fact that they're gay and together doesn't stop them from being kick-ass, and it's also not focused on as an aspect of their personality. You know how some series have the "gay character(s)", and that's what their personality is? That so-and-so is gay? Yeah, the Authority does not do that at all. Instead, we get characters who actually have opinions about what's going on in the world, the power to change what they feel is wrong, and who are generally awesome. This is how gay should be done in comics, people. Take notes.
In short, I like every character and plot arc, which never happens to me. EVER. The characters are all chosen to represent these aspects of society that are generally considered morally inappropriate or ambiguous, but are also culturally relevant to contemporary society. There are (basically) 7 main characters:
- Jenny Sparks, the leader and spirit of the 20th century, who is later replaced by Jenny Quantum, spirit of the 21st century
- Apollo, the most powerful team member who is also gay, and sometimes flamingly so
- Midnighter, combat fighter-type who is with Apollo
- Jack Hawksmoor, who's able to "speak" to cities and was developed to live in urban areas
- The first Doctor we meet (there are several of them) is a magician/shaman who's a drug addict
- The first Engineer we meet (again, more than one) replaced her blood with these technological organisms and is now mostly a computer
- Swift, this chick who flies and is half-bird
So, basically, go out and read this. If the idea that a group of people who are gay/bi-curious, drug addicts, smokers/drinkers, computerized, and able to talk with urban environemnts are the ones who make up the laws of morality in this world does not appeal to you, you fail at fandom. :P
I MUST HAVE ICONS LIEK NAO!! I'm scanning pics tonight and so there will be icons tomorrow. Hopefully. YAYZ.
EDIT: B/c I'm a dipshit and forgot to say it. Every character is treated really awesomely and developed in great ways. It's a very appealing storyline, as well. But yes, it's a superhero story, so if people saving the world from evil isn't your thing, you're not going to like this. ALTHOUGH I SHOULD SAY!! I honestly think Apollo/Midnighter is probably the best canon gay pairing I've ever seen. Anywhere, ever. They're shown to be people, and strong kick-ass people, and the fact that they're gay and together doesn't stop them from being kick-ass, and it's also not focused on as an aspect of their personality. You know how some series have the "gay character(s)", and that's what their personality is? That so-and-so is gay? Yeah, the Authority does not do that at all. Instead, we get characters who actually have opinions about what's going on in the world, the power to change what they feel is wrong, and who are generally awesome. This is how gay should be done in comics, people. Take notes.
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no subject
Date: 2009-04-27 10:02 pm (UTC)Plus they deal with male-male rape (in Authority 14), which never happens except holy shit they went there. And while they don't make a huge issue of it (they are in the middle of huge scale military operations, after all), it gets dealt with in a very satisfying manner by the end of issue 15.
Apollo/Midnighter is basically an incarnation of Superman/Batman, y/y?!?!?? God, it pleases me. GO READ IT EVERYBODY. THEN WE CAN START A COMM.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-28 12:34 am (UTC)Y'know, I'm past that issue, and I completely missed the male rape bit. I only heard about it from an article and now you, so I'm going to go and re-read that. I just ripped through issues 1-20 last night in literally about five hours. It was just that thoroughly engaging. Although it does bother me that character gets raped, I mean come on. And funnily enough, I actually did get the rape part at the end of 15, even though I missed the reason why he was retaliating in that manner--I just assumed it was b/c M's a dick normally and it was funny. *shrugs*
Are there comms? You know, I didn't even think to look. And I'm scanning some pages in now so that I can make icons tonight, Y/Y?! And lol, I've never liked Superman/Batman (I'm a Batman/Joker fan, as you know), but yes, this is basically similar. And OMG, I cannot believe how gay Iron Man and Captain America are for each other. I read Young Avengers TPB 1 and was very surprised. *is actually quite shocked*
SO OMG. LET'S SAY HYPOTHETICALLY YOU FELT THIS BURNING DESIRE TO GIVE ME COPIES OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT THROUGH SENDSPACE OR SOME SUCH SITE. I WOULD BE TOTALLY ON BOARD WITH THAT PLAN. FYI.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 12:42 am (UTC)http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6BIZJZRQ
There definitely needs to be more of teh gay in comics. Spread the love.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 01:05 am (UTC)Yeah. I'm in the novel business, and I'm doing my part with the awesome gay characters, but there truly does need to be more gay characters in comics. I strongly agree with you on this.
Actually, I've been considering (not that you particularly care or will get this, but whatever) doing some kind of prequel thing to my novel series and having it all being comics. IDEK. *shrugs* I only mention this b/c I keep getting people say that this story should be a graphic novel, and I'm like "H'okay?" /epic random-ness
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 05:13 am (UTC)Aside from the awesomeness of the gunrack, I find M doing domestic things oddly arousing/adorable. Like when he bottle-feeds little J Quarx and she throws up on his costume so he has to get another one.
That sounds like an awesome idea! I mean, maybe you talk to too many comic geeks... but it still sounds awesome to me. I imagine thinking up a comic for a story would make you think about some interesting visual aspects, at the very least.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 08:43 pm (UTC)Yeah, I think creating a comic for a story is a great way to get some more details in about the characters that don't necessarily fit into the story otherwise. Hopefully it'll work out! :D