First Gay kiss in comics? April 1939, Action Comics #12

[Cisco Kid]

Hey,

Gay marriage and new gay character have been all over comics news in the last week, but when was the first gay kiss in comics? The earliest I have found was in April 1939 in a Zatara Story in Action Comics #12, I'll put a scan of the panels here:



Can anyone find an earlier one or do not think this applies? In the story there seems to be an implied marriage between the queens of the fourth dimension so they can rule the kingdom together, but that is not explicit so it certainly does not count as first marriage.

[Anodyne]

I think you may be reading into the scene a sexual connotation that was never intended by its author or perceived by its original readers (with the possible exception of Mr. Wertham). The "kiss of peace" as practiced among Christians did not imply homosexuality. Would Judas have kissed Jesus if a kiss had not been a customary greeting between men of their time and place? I think not.

[Cisco Kid]

More than the kiss itself it is the position of the embrace, with the arms and the bodies close together which seems to give it a more sexual connotation. IT might just be my dirty mind though.

[dupont2005]

Would Judas have kissed Jesus if a kiss had not been a customary greeting between men of their time and place?

There's been speculation...

[Cisco Kid]

There's been speculation...

Strong speculation, and anyway that would be a kiss on the cheek. Which from the art doesn't seem like what is happening here. It might just be an inability by the part of the artist.

[The Black Guardian]

The embrace was part of the customary kiss of peace. Lips upon lips was the standard.

[Cisco Kid]

It was the standard in the early centuries of the Christian church, certainly not in 1939. In 1939 and since medieval times the standard would be a kiss on the cheek, later on it would be a kiss on the cheek for women or a handshake for men, in some cases only an embrace. If I remember correctly from my childhood (early 80s) in a Portuguese traditional catholic context, women would kiss on cheeks and men shake hands/embrace. Quoting from the wiki:

"In the Roman Catholic rite of the Holy Mass, as well as in the Lutheran Divine Service, immediately after the Doxology, the congregation will partake in the Pax or Rite of Peace. In most Western churches, this involves a handshake and the words "Peace be with you." When the people know each other, a hug may be substituted. Spouses tend to hug and/or kiss each other first before using the traditional handshake and "Peace be with you" for the other surrounding members of the congregation. In lieu of a handshake, a bow to each other is also used as the sign of peace, such as in China, where bowing follows cultural tradition. The bow is sometimes used in the West as a measure to avoid contagions during flu or cold season."

[The Black Guardian]

Still, nothing about that even seems vaguely romantic.

[Joe Rice]

Are we seriously saying that "two queens" embracing and kissing, eyes closed, then sharing a throne as partners is not at all gay?

[Cisco Kid]

@The Black Guardian True, but at this time there is not much emotional development in characters. The only thing in this kind of comics (newspaper strips were different) even Clark and Lois were not really developing romantically 12 issues in.

@Joe Rice Yeah, right? Also the word Queen was in use as a slang term for gay since at least 1933 (according to wiki) which matches the date, usually used for men, though.

[Daniel Mengsk]

[Cisco Kid]

@Mengsk See, I don't know if it's the writer playing a prank or just unfortunate coincidences, "chortle at boner", "wrong-way batman" wtf.

[Joe Rice]

Then there's the obscure golden age hero the Red Torpedo ...he met an underwater queen named Queen Klitora ...

[Cisco Kid]

@Joe Rice Did he rub her out?

[Daniel Mengsk]

@Mengsk See, I don't know if it's the writer playing a prank or just unfortunate coincidences, "chortle at boner", "wrong-way batman" wtf.

"Let's continue our study of the great boners of all time".