Roll Call
0 members (), 12 Murran Spies, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Time-Scope
The Non-Legion Comics Trivia Thread Pt 5
by idle - 03/28/24 06:23 PM
Kill This Thread XLIX - We're Getting Old
by Ann Hebistand - 03/28/24 05:28 PM
Recent Legion-verse sightings in DCU proper
by Ann Hebistand - 03/28/24 05:24 PM
Legionnaire Mastermind
by idle - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
Legion Trivia 6
by Gaseous Lad - 03/28/24 01:12 PM
Who's Who in Raz's Legion? *added ALEK ARCANE 4 February*
by Invisible Brainiac - 03/28/24 11:42 AM
Postlo3w stories *LATEST UPDATE 28 MARCH*
by Invisible Brainiac - 03/28/24 11:35 AM
Share more completely random things!
by Invisible Brainiac - 03/28/24 06:23 AM
Omnicom
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494364 10/14/04 07:12 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Time Trapper
OP Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
From www.cnn.com :

<font size="3">The HIV-positive superhero sidekick</font s>

Green Arrow gets a friend with health struggles


LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Along with fighting alien menaces and criminal masterminds, the "Green Arrow" comic book will now feature a sidekick engaged in a more personal struggle -- this one against HIV.

It's the first major comic book to deal with HIV, and a dose of hard-edged reality to the usually fanciful world of costumed crime fighters.

In the latest issue of "Green Arrow," set for publication Wednesday, a teenage runaway named Mia -- who has been in the care of the title hero for two years -- discovers that her time spent as a street-dweller and prostitute has resulted in her picking up the virus.

Writer Judd Winick, who oversees the "Green Arrow" story line, said this is a way to explore socially conscious themes while also giving the Mia character extra motivation to make a difference in the world.

"We've been hinting all along the way that she's interested in taking up the mantle, being a sidekick, getting out there in the streets and helping out," Winick told The Associated Press. "Green Arrow won't hear of it."

The news that she has HIV leads her to push Green Arrow even more. Fighting crime, Winick said, is what she wants to do with her life. "So he allows her to slap on a costume and become his sidekick, which has the silly name of Speedy," Winick said. "It's not as a death wish, but she can't fool around anymore. This isn't about an abbreviated life span. It is about life having focus," he added.

Speedy was originally a boy sidekick, but the character is now grown up and goes by the more mature name of Arsenal.

Winick may be known to some from his stint on MTV's roommate reality-show, "The Real World" 1993, on which he appeared with Pedro Zamora, who died the next year after a public battle with AIDS.

That experience, along with other friends who have contracted the virus, made the Mia story line a personal one for the writer. He said he wanted to approach HIV from the point of view of other young people.

"Mia is coming to terms with it in the way most young people are. It isn't about death and dying. Young people, for good or for bad, are still pretty fearless. With drug combination therapy people are living a very long time," Winick told the AP. "She seems to be unafraid of death, she's mostly feeling like no one is ever going to love her. She's HIV-positive and who's going to want to be with her now?"

Mia won't be lonely for long. As Speedy, she will later join the popular "Teen Titans" DC Comics series alongside Robin, Cyborg and Raven in the popular youth hero series.

Although some may perceive the HIV story line as a downer, Winick said it's important for comics to address real-world matters.

"Comics have a long history of telling lessons," he said. "They tell stories through metaphor, but sometimes I feel we don't need the metaphor. Why should it be that Mia contracts some alien virus?"

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494365 10/14/04 07:13 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Time Trapper
OP Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Judd Winick was on the Real World with Pedro? I guess I never made the connection to he being the same Winick.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494366 10/14/04 07:24 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Time Trapper
OP Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
And Speedy is going to join the Titans? I thought they were getting a Legionnaire or Aquagirl (Lorena) after they return from the future.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494367 10/14/04 07:40 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 57,030
strange but not a stranger
Offline
strange but not a stranger
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 57,030
Quote
Originally posted by Lightning Lad:
And Speedy is going to join the Titans? I thought they were getting a Legionnaire or Aquagirl (Lorena) after they return from the future.
Spoiler Space
**************************************************
*************************************************
*************************************************
********************************
**************************************************
********************
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Given the end of the crossover, the only Leggionnaires to make it out were Superboy and Shikari.


Big Dog! Big Dog! Bow Wow Wow!
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494368 10/14/04 11:10 AM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Legionnaire!
Offline
Legionnaire!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Rumours abound about the Titans recruitment.

For the arc following the TT/LSH special, they are 10yrs in the future, and Aquagirl is part of the team.

When they return, it gets a little messy. Geoff Johns said he's adding Bumblebee to the team, but didn't directly mention Karen.

During the hype for the special, it was mentioned that a Legionairre was getting stranded in our time, but not specifically joining the Titans.

Now this about Mia taking the name Speedy. That was a given. And, future issues of TT mention a visit from sone one in the GA family, tho' not necessarily joining the team.

It's going to be an interesting winter with DC.


Just spouting off.
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494369 10/14/04 11:53 AM
A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A
Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy as senior Titans and mentors.

Superboy, Robin, Wonder Girl, Aquagirl, Kid Flash, Speedy, Raven, and Bumblebee as the Titans-in-training.

Works for me! Team books with as rich a history as the Titans deserve large casts. And, as Johns proves every month with the JSA, he handles large casts well.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494370 10/14/04 11:56 AM
A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A
This would be a very femme-friendly team as well with 5 of the 11 members being female.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494371 10/14/04 12:09 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 136
Substitute
Offline
Substitute
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 136
Quote
Originally posted by Lightning Lad:
It's the first major comic book to deal with HIV, and a dose of hard-edged reality to the usually fanciful world of costumed crime fighters.
Guess Shadowhawk doesn't count. It may not be published anymore, but when it was it probably sold three times what Green Arrow is selling now.


My powers are Legion!
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494372 10/14/04 12:11 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 136
Substitute
Offline
Substitute
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 136
Re: "Speedy" joining the Titans...

I wish that they had given her a different name. I know why they used it, but "Speedy" is a better name for a super-speedster.

And if I was Arrowette, retired or not, I'd be pissed.


My powers are Legion!
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494373 10/14/04 12:17 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Time Trapper
OP Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Quote
Originally posted by Legion Lad:
Quote
Originally posted by Lightning Lad:
[b] It's the first major comic book to deal with HIV, and a dose of hard-edged reality to the usually fanciful world of costumed crime fighters.
Guess Shadowhawk doesn't count. It may not be published anymore, but when it was it probably sold three times what Green Arrow is selling now.[/b]
This is so true. One Marvel book I liked back in the day. But do they ever mention it for stories like this? Probably because the press release was totally DC. They didn't want to mention Marvel at all.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494374 10/14/04 12:37 PM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Legionnaire!
Offline
Legionnaire!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Well in the article, it does mention Shadowhawk, from Image. Although, other than his motivation for fighting crime, it wasn't really dealt with.

As for Mia, I have faith Judd will handle it well. Granted, he's done the soapbox thing before, but in a thought-provoking manner. I'm looking forward to the book more htan usual.


Just spouting off.
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494375 10/14/04 12:41 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Time Trapper
OP Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Okay I did miss that but I thought Shadowhawk was Marvel?

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494376 10/14/04 12:44 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Time Trapper
OP Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 17,274
Um, the article I posted above doesn't mention Shadowhawk. Which means, like they did with the Christopher Reeve story, CNN (and MSNBC and Fox News) failed to do a full fact check before posting the initial story.

The MSNBC article this morning was actually the same as the CNN one above, no mention of Shadowhawk or the Hulk character. When Chris passed away it was hours before they amended their articles to include the fact that he had appeared on Smallville.

Internet journalism is so not the way I learned print journalism. Today its more get the story out first then check your facts.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494377 10/14/04 12:53 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,336
Time Trapper
Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,336
I think Malibu had an HIV+ character in Prime before they went under.


Active LMB character is still Beast Boy.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494378 10/15/04 05:50 AM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Legionnaire!
Offline
Legionnaire!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Quote
Originally posted by Lightning Lad:
Um, the article I posted above doesn't mention Shadowhawk. Which means, like they did with the Christopher Reeve story, CNN (and MSNBC and Fox News) failed to do a full fact check before posting the initial story.
My bad.
I read the article on Newsarama; that one mentioned Shadowhawk. Created by Jim Valentino, when he joined Image.


Just spouting off.
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494379 10/15/04 01:14 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,909
Leader
Offline
Leader
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,909
Quote
Originally posted by Dev_Em:
I think Malibu had an HIV+ character in Prime before they went under.
Yeah, he was a gay teen wih superspeed codenamed Turbocharge. He had a crush on Prime and wanted to be his sidekick.


ActorLad

Friendly Neighborhood Performer

Visit my official hangout ActorLad's Cool Luau over at the Mission Monitor Board!
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494380 10/17/04 06:07 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 525
Active
Offline
Active
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 525
I fully expect to be slagged off here but...

isn't HIV a bit of an inappropriate subject for a super heor book? Don't get me wrong - Winick's book "Pedro And Me" is one of my very favourite comic-things ever - and I would recommend everyone here to read it as it's very moving. But! HIV is a serious subject yes? Mixing it with boxing glove arrows etc is somewhat incongruous innit?

And how can you lot have forgotten that for the first 4 issues of New Guardians they ALL thought they were HIV+ because of the offensively-named baddie The Haemogoblin?

I think the only one to die was the British girl Jet. But I seem to remember the gay one was HIV+ for the rest of the series.

I think Winikc's intentions are in the right place but giving a character HIV is in poor taste. Mixing up serious real world things with super hero soap operas isn't a good idea. (See also anytime any heroine gets raped. It's not on really is it?)

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494381 10/17/04 07:08 PM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 807
Active
Offline
Active
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 807
Comet King is right about the New Guardians.

I think tossing in realism to comics is a good thing. It seems to me that it all shows up in comics at the same time. One company will start a character with HIV, than another company will do their character with HIV.
Kinda like keeping up with the Jones.


Looking for Earth Prime.
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494382 10/18/04 03:58 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 16,853
Time Trapper
Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 16,853
One problem (for me) with subjects like HIV and rape in comics is that it's difficult to deal with the complexity they involve - they do tend to get sandwiched in between the action panels and their severity is thinned out, glossed over.

Perhaps such issues are better suited to graphic novels, where more depth and panel time is available, unless a series is committed to address them in a long-term and serious manner. In this case, however, maybe the comic becomes the issue, rather than the superhero story - spandex would take a back-seat to the human story.


Holy Cats of Egypt!
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494383 10/18/04 04:57 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,184
#deleteFacebook
Offline
#deleteFacebook
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,184
Quote
http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=2012
His father turned out to be an evil alien bent on conquering Earth. Now, Invincible's newest young pal, William, who's been part of the series since its launch, will have his own demon to battle - Athlete's Foot.

According to Creator Robert Kirkman, the revelation will come in December's Invincible #19, as William, who was a teenage high school student when Invincible befriended him, learns that his time spent in the gym locker room resulted in him getting the fungus.

""We've been hinting all along the way that he's interested in taking up the mantle, being a sidekick, getting out there in the streets and helping out," Kirkman told anyone who will listen. "Invincible won't be sharing socks with him any time soon."

The revelation, according to Kirkman makes William push Invincible even more to let him allow him to be his sidekick. "It's no big deal, it's curable with the right cream, but he can't fool around anymore. This isn't about an itchy foot condition. It is about life having focus," he told anyone who will listen.

William is coming to terms with it in the way most young people are. It isn't about throwing your shoes out and becoming a shut-in. Young people, for good or for bad, are still pretty fearless. With drug combination therapy people are dealing with the condition quite admirably," Kirkman told anyone who will listen. "He seems to be unafraid of Athlete's Foot, he's mostly feeling like no one is ever going to love him, but that's just because he's kind of an annoying guy."

Invincible 17 will be in stores soon. The ground-breaking Invincible #19 should be hitting the shelves in early December.

No MTV tie-ins are planned


My views are my own and do not reflect those of everyone else... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Cobalt, Reboot & iB present 21st Century Legion: Earth War .
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494384 10/18/04 06:32 AM
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,666
Wanderer
Offline
Wanderer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,666
i think it's a strange notion -- to have a sidekick who shoots arrows (those have sharp pointed edges, right?) also have an incurable disease that can be transmitted through blood

green arrow is a book with a lot of blood in it, right? those pesky arrows go through the skin usually, right? and Green Arrow and his cast are usually pretty bloody at the end of the battle?

i LOVE some of winick's stuff (Pedro & Me, The Adventures of Barry Ween) and Green Arrow has been a great book to read in trade format (the most recent trade had hostage Mia shot through the shoulder to hit the villain -- i suppose that this would mean that villain now has HIV also)
and i do think that more serious topics can and should be discussed as effectively as possible by artists whatever their medium -- and i'm sure that corporate needs will ensure that these topics don't rear their heads in their major liscenced products (just as the new Speedy's seedy hooker past & HIV status will probably not be part of any Titans appearances - in cartoon or comics) -- i just want the reality that enters comics to be done well, and not with melodrama and after-school special effects

which is what we tend to get in superhero books

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494385 10/18/04 12:28 PM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Legionnaire!
Offline
Legionnaire!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,446
Quote
Originally posted by Comet King:
I fully expect to be slagged off here but...

isn't HIV a bit of an inappropriate subject for a super heor book? Don't get me wrong - Winick's book "Pedro And Me" is one of my very favourite comic-things ever - and I would recommend everyone here to read it as it's very moving. But! HIV is a serious subject yes? Mixing it with boxing glove arrows etc is somewhat incongruous innit?

Mixing up serious real world things with super hero soap operas isn't a good idea. (See also anytime any heroine gets raped. It's not on really is it?)
Well, isn't murder serious? But that's the Joker's motivation these days. Drug dealing is serious, but that's the main crime in a Batbook these days. Mutants are labeled terrorists in the X-books, and that's a rather serious charge currently. I understand where you're coming from Comet King. If this were a novel, or a movie, would it be okay then?

Winick's work is less about colourful costumes, and more about heroic characters. That's the story he's going for with Mia. She has a serious disease, but she won't let it put her life on hold. Rather than say join the track team, or other school functions, she's going to dress up.

Granted, I haven't seen how Winick is going ot work the angle, but I can't see him treating this lightly, or finding a cure that doesn't really exist. But I do think he'll treat the topic with the severity it deserves.


Just spouting off.
Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494386 10/19/04 02:30 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 525
Active
Offline
Active
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 525
Yes - if it would be a movie or novel then it would be OK.

The super hero comic format doesn't allow enough space too deal with serious subjects like this.

Drug dealing, murder. blah blah blah are all cool coz they're all crime stuff! Super heroes stop criminals! That's cool.

Super heroes do not go round curing terminal illnesses. HIV isn't like having a headache. Stuff like "she isn't going to let it put her life on hold" is a glib cliche that isn't appropriate for something like this. Yeah, cheer on plucky Babs - she can have a dip in the lazarus pit and grow her legs back but I'd hope no one at DC would be stupid enough to do th same thing with Arrowette (or whoever she is)

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494387 10/22/04 07:14 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 9,167
Wanderer
Offline
Wanderer
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 9,167
I can understand where you're coming from Comet King. I felt the same when reading "Identity Crisis" - that the crime was too incongruous with a story about people in tights with super powers. I think it's a big challenge, but I wouldn't say it shouldn't be done or couldn't be done right.

When Winnick outed Green Lantern's young assistant it made some news. When he had that same assistant get beaten by gay bashers it made more news. Winnick definitely has an agenda and the way he does it frequently takes you out of the story (it did for me anyway). He sacrifices story for getting a message across (others have done it better by making it more organic to the story). The same can be said for what O'Neil did with Green Lantern/Green Arrow but as great as those stories were, I still felt I was being preached to.

Re: The HIV-Positive Superhero Sidekick
#494388 10/25/04 03:08 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 16,853
Time Trapper
Offline
Time Trapper
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 16,853
Paul O'Brien at ninthart.com has a short essay on the problems of portraying an HIV-positive character in comics:

Mia Dearden, the current Speedy, is the first HIV positive superhero.' Which gives rise to an obvious tension: the character grabs attention through her HIV status, but the story then has to convey the message that it's irrelevant. Success depends on convincing the reader that it's a non-issue. And that's the bit where stories tend to get into trouble.

full article at www.ninthart.com/display.php?article=939


Holy Cats of Egypt!
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
ShoutChat
Forum Statistics
Forums14
Topics21,012
Posts1,044,299
Legionnaires1,729
Most Online53,886
Jan 7th, 2024
Newest Legionnaires
Mimi, max kord, Duke, CBSutherland2000, Arumidden
1,729 Registered Legionnaires
Today's Birthdays
There are no members with birthdays on this day.
Random Holo-Vids
Who's Who in the LMBP
freekdkid
freekdkid
Charlotte
Posts: 24
Joined: July 2003
ShanghallaLegion of Super-Heroes & all related proper names & images are ™ & © material of DC Comics, Inc. & are used herein without its permission.
This site is intended solely to celebrate & publicize these characters & their creators.
No commercial benefit, nor any use beyond the “fair use” review & commentary provisions of United States copyright law, is either intended or implied.
Posts made on this message board must not be reproduced without the author's consent.
The Legion World Star
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5