Judd Winick and gay characters

[lautreamax]

I haven't read a lot of Judd Winick's work, but you don't have to spend a lot of time here and on other message message boards/blogs to realize that he's one of the most hated comic book writers currently working.

I'm not opening this thread to start a debate about whether or not he's a good writer, or whether his work sucks, or whether Power Girl is going to suck now that he's on board. I have a very specific question.

A lot of the reactions to the announcement that he's going to be writing Power Girl were along the lines of: "Oh great. Who's going to be the gay character?"

I find this a little bit strange. How many gay characters has Judd Winick written (including both characters he created and characters already established that he wrote as being gay)?

The only one I know about is Terry Berg, a character that Judd Winick created himself.

Are there any other ones? Because if not, I have to say I find it very offensive that people constantly bring this up as though it was such a terrible thing. I really don't care if people hate Judd Winick because he's a bad writer. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on that front. But when the first thing that comes to mind of some people as a reason for hating him is that he created a gay character, I'm starting to wonder what is going.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER BEFORE YOU FLAME ME: I am not implying that everyone who doesn't like Judd Winick is homophobic or anything that this is the only reason they dislike him. I've read plenty of complaints about him that didn't mention gay characters, so I know there are other reasons. Please don't be offended by my question.

[lautreamax]

Moderators: Feel free to merge this thread with the one that was simultaneously started about the Judd Winick interview on Newsarama. My post was inspired by one of the comments on that interview, but when I started writing it, the thread here hadn't been started yet.

[Personamanx]

There was Sunfire from "Exiles". Who he basically created, and killed off. He wrote the character well though IMO.

[Free-Man]

There was Terry Berg, and he also created Thunder and Grace, two lesbian superheroines from his Outsiders run.

[Apathetic-piggy]

The general idea, from what I understand, is that one of his trademarks is standing on a soapbox and preaching about social issues, a personal favorite being homosexuality. Naturally, comic fans have to exaggerate to a certain degree, which changes from person to person.

[Quinnhop]

The general idea, from what I understand, is that one of his trademarks is standing on a soapbox and preaching about social issues, a personal favorite being homosexuality. Naturally, comic fans have to exaggerate to a certain degree, which changes from person to person.

He's gay. Why wouldn't he include gay characters?

[DonC]

A lot of the reactions to the announcement that he's going to be writing Power Girl were along the lines of: "Oh great. Who's going to be the gay character?"

I find this a little bit strange. How many gay characters has Judd Winick written (including both characters he created and characters already established that he wrote as being gay)?

It isn't that he makes characters gay, it's that some fan think he shoves the pro-gay stance down people's throats. I haven't read any of these pro-gay issues, though, so I don't know how in your face he is/was.

[Apathetic-piggy]

He's gay. Why wouldn't he include gay characters?

Is he? I never really cared to look into his personal life. I know he had a gay friend who was HIV-positive which resulted in Winick penning "Pedro and Me" and clearly effects his work (a few gay characters and Mia being HIV-positive).

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

Nothing is wrong with more gay characters.

[Kasper Cole]

Nothing is wrong with more gay characters.

Agreed.

Certain segments of fandom are always going to be crying about gay, black, hispanic, asian, and whoever else isn't a straight white males being in "their" comics.

[cgill22]

Judd was on the Mtv's the Real World in San Fransico, in which there was a gay guy named Pedro who ends up dying of AIDS. He befriended him and wrote the graphic novel Pedro and Me. I don't think he is gay, but he is very pro-gay. And It is true in all his writings he either creates, or makes an established character gay or makes one have HIV. The examples shown above are correct. Mia in Green Arrow had HIV until she was killed in Cry for Justice. It was expected he was going to turn Connor GA's son gay, it was hinted on. But yes I agree everything he writes or has a chance to create a character they will be gay, lesbian or have HIV. I think Batman might have been the only character he didn't create a this type of character. Exiles, Outsiders, GA, and other runs all had these types of characters. Though in my opinion he run on Exiles was his best. The others have been to soapboxy at time.

[Karl O'Neill]

I loved the Mia/HIV issue. One of the best damn issues I have ever read.

[SMKSPY]

Nothing is wrong with more gay characters.

Yeah, writer's right about what is personal to them. Winnick writes about gay characters because the topic has had a dramatic impact on his life. That isn't a bad thing.

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

Agreed.

Certain segments of fandom are always going to be crying about gay, black, hispanic, asian, and whoever else isn't a straight white males being in "their" comics.

Seconded. You can't ignore these people in the real world, so don't try to ignore them in a fictional one.

[Karl O'Neill]

I don't think he is gay, but he is very pro-gay.

Well he is married to a woman so that rules that out. and has 2 kids I think. I believe a famous writer spoke at his wedding as well. I could be wrong.