Sometimes LGBT characters pop up when you least expect it! That’s what happened last week in not one or two, but three comics from different publishers.
Gail Simone has put Red Sonja on a quest to gather up the six greatest artisans to meet the demand of Emperor Samala, who wants their services on display for his “going away” party. Samala is dying and want to go out in grand style on his terms, which includes the deaths a thousand slaves to attend him in the afterlife, per royal custom. The emperor will allow them to live only if Red Sonja brings all six to his court. The renowned dancer Rakaua is the last of the six Sonja must fetch. Sonja attacks a pair of guards and busts down a door in a show of bravada and determination to make her goal and leave it to Gail to surprise Sonja and readers alike with a twist on the damsel in distress trope! Meet Rakaua who’s “always dreamed of being rescued by a strong warrior”.
Over in Justice League Dark: Futures End, Zatanna, Etrigan, Cassandra Craft, Black Orchid and Nightmare Nurse are confined to the House of Mystery as it hurtles through extra dimensional space. to say that they’re frustrated with being trapped is a huge understatement. Patience grows thin with Zatanna who’s responsible for getting them into this mess. Black Orchid and Asa (Nightmare Nurse) don’t spend all their thoughts on Zatanna. They’ve found comfort with each other.
There’s no telling yet if these two women will become lovers since this story, like all the Futures End issues, is set in a future that may or may not happen. I don’t recall any writer giving Black Orchid an interest in romance or sex, at least with women, in her decades of existence.
Brian K Vaughn has given readers a little homo goodness in Saga with the revelation that Upsher and Doff, two reporters in pursuit of a story, are acouple and a glimpse – or was it two? – of gay sex playing on Prince Robot’s monitor head. Izabel is the name of the ghost girl (colored in shades of pink) and she’s become an important part of Alana and Marko’s little family. I’ll close here with letting Vaughn’s moving speech for Izabel speak for itself.
