Phoenix ComiCon Update: A Gay Touch

Last year around this time, I was asked if there were going to be any gay panels for Phoenix ComiCon. I reached out to the staff and discovered that there were not any planned at that time. I was told to check back later and we could look into something for the next con. Last fall, I reached out again and started a discussion about topic. We’re now just over a month away from the con and I have some news. On the schedule is listed “Gay Characters in Mainstream Comics”. I’m really happy I was able to get this on the schedule. They don’t have a day or time listed on the site yet but I will make sure I let people know as soon as I have more. I should be getting an update since… and this is the part that really makes me nervous… I have been invited to sit on the panel. Obviously, I accepted. I’m really looking forward to this. I hope they are able to get some good people in the comic field to sit on the panel and address some questions about how they get gay characters included in comics, how writing storylines for them differ from straight characters, and what type of responses they get from the public about these characters and storylines.

On top of that, among the actors who will be at the con is the extremely handsome gay actor, John Barrowman, known for playing Captain Jack Harkness on BBC’s Doctor Who and Torchwood. I’m still waiting to hear what the process is for setting up interviews. I’d love to get some time to interview John and also geek hero Wil Wheaton who will also be there.

Make sure you get your tickets for the event. Phoenix ComiCon has been improving every year so I’m really looking forward to seeing what will be going on there this year. (I’ll be working to pull off some cosplay this year too on one of the days I won’t be on the panel.

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2 Responses

  1. Chris says:

    This is good news, however I am still frustrated with the blantant heterosexism that Phoenix Comicon displays (Geek Speed Dating not lgbtq inclusive at all, Its a Trap event about MTF transexuals deceiving males and other events that have men and women relationship/focus (heterosexism) and lack of LGBTQ inclusion. This year I volunteered my services to coordinate Queer Speed Dating and The Climax: Drag Show and Condom Fashion Show (models make apparel or costumes out of expired condoms). I was hoping that perhaps the problem is that LGBTQ folk are not volunteering their services. Hopefully the proposals are accepted.

    • GeekOfAllTrades says:

      Hopefully the panel will go well and we can get more gay themed events. When I went to SDCC, after the gays in comics panel, there was a meet and greet. If we have it again next year, hopefully we can do something like that too.

      As for the speed dating, it would be more about proving there is enough interest. Obviously, you can’t have something like that be including of all sexualities because the straight guys wouldn’t be into the gay guys and the gay guys wouldn’t be into the girls (and vice versa for lesbians). It would create too much of a mess. If you don’t get anything put through this year, see if you can get a petition or something showing there would be interest for next year and keep trying then. Good luck and say hi if you see me at the con.

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