Enter ... the Rawhide Kid!

December 9, 2002 3:23 PM

Enter ... the Rawhide Kid!Marvel is about to unveil the first openly gay gunslinger. Name's the Rawhide Kid. Its creators say it will likely be campy. With a name like that, how could it be anything but?
posted by risenc (22 comments total)

Well, I suppose it could have been the Bareback Kid. But there's certainly nothing subtle about Marvel's, um, teaser.

Just an observation from another loveable red-headed scamp.
posted by chino at 3:39 PM on December 9, 2002

There have been prior gay superheroes in comic books, even inspiring a fan subgroup. The trend has been covered by the Boston Phoenix and Wired.
posted by dhartung at 3:50 PM on December 9, 2002

But there's certainly nothing subtle about Marvel's, um, teaser.

I especially like the 'click to enlarge' directive ;-)

However, note to Marvel: "gay" isn't necessarily synonymous with "camp".
posted by WolfDaddy at 3:50 PM on December 9, 2002

No, but "Marvel comic book" generally is.
posted by fuzz at 3:55 PM on December 9, 2002

New York Post story on the Rawhide Kid.

I remember reading a few issues of the original Rawhide Kid series many years ago, although I could never keep him and Kid Colt straight... um, I mean...
posted by staggernation at 3:55 PM on December 9, 2002

What do they mean by "openly gay superhero", though? I mean, his alter ego may be gay, but superheroes are usually asexual.

"Neeeeheeeeheee! With the Rawhide Kid trapped in my tar pit of doom, no one can stop me from letting my dino-robots wreak havoc!"
"Tyrannosaurus Wrong, evildoer! I escaped your tar pit, and I am going to stop you! And I am gay!"
posted by Hildago at 4:15 PM on December 9, 2002

Hmm... I just keep thinking of the South Park episode about gay cowboys eating pudding.

That said, I think it's basically going to be campy because the emphasis is already being made on the sexual attributes of the character. With a preview that somehow manages to condense countless gay stereotype references from bondage to hair color in a mere two or three sentences, it's clear that this will end up just another story with a gay character whose sexual orientation is made into the major premise of the entire plot. In other words, it's not going be a cowboy story- it's going to be a story about a gay guy. Marvel needs to understand the difference there.

I mean, really... "get ready to slap leather?" Why not just promote the next issue of Black Panther by saying "drop your watermelon and shuffle on down to the comic shop?" Is Buddy Cole writing promo for Marvel now?
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 4:17 PM on December 9, 2002

"What do they mean by "openly gay superhero", though?"

It means he's not ambiguously gay, silly.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:26 PM on December 9, 2002

Dykes to Watch Out For
posted by crunchland at 4:39 PM on December 9, 2002

From chino's teaser link:

"Get ready to slap leather! That loveable red-headed scamp is back! And no one handles a hot rod like the Rawhide Kid!"

[blink blink]

Perhaps I'm dense. Is there really a market for this? Marvel needs to break into the Howard Stern fan base?
posted by y6y6y6 at 4:48 PM on December 9, 2002

I can't wait until he fights Hothead Paisan. My money is on the latter.
posted by infowar at 4:51 PM on December 9, 2002

My preceeding link is not work friendly and may offend moral conservatives. but then why would they be reading this thread anyway? ^_^
posted by infowar at 4:53 PM on December 9, 2002

This seems to be the worst attempt I've seen in trying to cash in on gay subculture.

In thinking about it, a superhero's daily routine of fighting crime is basically his workplace. How many gay men desire to be defined in their workplace as "the gay guy"? Wouldn't most prefer to be known as the guy who gets the job done, works hard, does well, can be relied upon, etc.

A more accurate represenation of a gay superhero would be one who is incidentally gay, rather than one who's sexuality is the focus of the book. One who fights crime, nabs bad-guys and saves innocents. He sleeps with other men? Big deal, he just saved the world from destruction.

Anyone get the feeling this comic will simply re-enforce all the worst possible stereotypes about gay men to impressionable teenagers?
posted by Neale at 5:07 PM on December 9, 2002

Ooh, Marvel is "breaking ground" by perpetuating homosexual stereotypes just like most other media have for the past several decades. This must be some definition of "breaking ground" that I'm unaware of, i.e. "taking a step backward".
posted by Poagao at 5:09 PM on December 9, 2002

Howard Stern may just take all credit for anything tasteless in the future. I hope this doesn't overshadow my own Boy Rogers the Stripping Cowboy character, based on professional wrestling's Jimmy Fitzwell.
posted by son_of_minya at 7:11 PM on December 9, 2002

Marvel perhaps had a better take a long time ago (1979).
posted by infowar at 7:28 PM on December 9, 2002

It's not like this revival of Rawhide Kid is much of a risk. He's a dead franchise who hasn't been published in a regular comic for at least 20 years.

Heck, if you are going try to dust off tired old characters and breathe new life into them by making them gay, how about starting with U.S. 1?
posted by MegoSteve at 8:05 PM on December 9, 2002

I wonder if Goatse Man would be a super-hero or super-villain?

In this issue : Rawhide Kid takes on Goatse Man! Kapow! Socko!

Neale : I'm not sure teenagers are as impressionable or unsophisticated these days as once they were. I suspect most of the teenagers I know (not that I know many, but) would call 'lame' just as quickly as you or I at a stilted, stereotypical depiction of a gay character.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:03 AM on December 10, 2002

most appalling of all: "Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather," will run about 22 pages and have a suggested retail price of $2.95.

We really need to do something about the price of paper.
posted by tolkhan at 6:15 AM on December 10, 2002

That rendering looks like it was drawn by Tom of Norway.
posted by me3dia at 9:01 AM on December 10, 2002

Wait, are you people saying that Bucky wasn't gay?
posted by Stan Chin at 9:14 AM on December 10, 2002

How's your geography, m3dia?

Personally, i think we shd. repost when it's out [pun intended (",)], 'cos i got my fingers crossed. however,

"Get ready to slap leather! That loveable red-headed scamp is back! And no one handles a hot rod like the Rawhide Kid!"
&
"I think that mask and the powder blue outfit are fantastic. I can certainly see why the Indian follows him around"...

don't reflect the gay experience for me - i couldnt care less [sic] about leather chaps and pastel suits. innuendo & double-entendre, tho'...that's reserved for british queers, ain't it?
posted by dash_slot- at 9:32 AM on December 10, 2002