- Pre-Crisis
- Post-Crisis
- Sentinel
- New 52
- Current
Alan Scott first appeared in All-America Comics #16 in 1940 as a construction engineer (although he later switched professions and became a radio engineer). As Green Lantern, he was a founding member of the Justice Society of America and served with that team until it was disbanded in 1951. He came out of retirement, along with the rest of the team, in 1963.
With his first wife, Rose Canton, he fathered two children who grew up to become the heroes Jade and Obsidian of Infinity, Inc.
In 1985 he married his reformed former nemesis, Molly Mayne, a.k.a. the Harlequin.
Unlike Dick Grayson (Robin), there is not a great deal of difference between the Earth-2 and "New Earth" versions of Alan Scott, and unlike Jason Todd (also Robin), there is not a great deal of difference between the pre- and post-Crisis versions, either. In a certain offshoot of the DC Universe (the one in which Superman was killed, Batman had his back broken and the Hal Jordan version of Green Lantern became Parallax), Alan Scott became Sentinal, but AFAIAC, these events marked the end of post-Crisis "New Earth."
[NOTE: In comic books published on what was once called "Earth Prime," the "reset button" was eventually pushed, but it is my contention that Zero Hour triggered the creation of an entirely new and different universe (although, to be fair, in a truly infinite universe, there would be a reality in which the reset button was pushed. But I digress...]
The "New 52" introduced a younger Alan Scott Green Lanetern (who also happens to be gay).
Finally, the current version has been rebooted to have always been gay since the 1940s..
Replies
While I personally have no problem with any being, real or fictitious, who prefers their own gender romantically, I cannot see why DC felt it necessary to recon Alan Scott and totally scrap 70+ years of continuity in the process.
Other than the obligatory and dubious "c'mon, look at that outfit," jokes.... I don't know that his being gay, in and of itself, scraps continuity, in that a lot of queer folks from that era married, had children, and lived double lives (or in Scott's case, a triple life, I suppose), I think they considered him a safe choice because so few people with an interest in superheroes in the present era are invested in his history. Obviously on this, as on many points, the members of this august board are exceptional. Most people watching superhero movies and who have maybe read or read Batman or Spider-man, say, don't really care about or in some cases even know Alan Scott.
It is interesting that less has been said (in general) about the sheer number of female characters who have been revealed retroactively to be lesbian or (more often) bisexual: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Cheetah, Catwoman, Big Barda, Holly Robinson, Shrinking Violet, Wonder Woman (depending on the writer), Etta Candy, Stephanie Brown (maybe), White Canary in the TV series, and nearly every female of significance in the alt-DC Bombshells Universe. Some of these retcons may no longer be in play. I exclude Batwoman, because the current version was a new character, introduced that way, and Renee Montoya, who was coded that way from her introduction and revealed to be a lesbian early in her history. Lucy Lane often makes these lists as well but, as near as I can determine, there has only been one implication of a past sexual/romantic relationship with a woman. I like the representation of diverse groups in media, but that list might be playing to something else.
At Marvel you also have Black Cat and Kitty Pryde.
I think that it is interesting to consider how much easier it is to reveal fictional women as LGBT+ as contrasted to men.
My best guess is that female readers are simply generally less bothered by LGBT+. It would be easy to create rationales for traditional male characters to be part of that group, going back to the 300 of Sparta if not Gilgamesh even. Almost too easy really. But there isn't a lot of confidence that putting that subtext on panel would not hurt readership acceptance.
But mostly it is just far too clearly a natural and relatable plot, and somewhat more so for female characters. It is likely and perhaps probable that William Mouton Marston always meant us to at least wonder if Wonder Woman and other Amazons were not LGBT+, for reasons relating both to the creator and the character. The second Earth-One Cheetah, Deborah Domaine, was never canonically shown to be LGBT+ far as I know, but it is by no means difficult to picture her as such - she is first seen bonding with Wonder Woman and chatting with her while Diana has a shower, all the while Deborah is wearing an open shirt, a hat and a black bikini. Later on she is a member of the SSoSV and her most significant traits are listening to Killer Frost and having a chip on her shoulder against Wonder Woman for supposedly leaving her behind when she was presumed dead.
It just makes sense that characters who happen to be proactive enough to regularly pursue potentially dangerous activities will be overall more assertive than others; that the women in that group will tend to be a bit more open about their own attractions and identities than women who take more tradicionally peripheric, accessory roles (often defined by relationships with specific men); and that they will often bond among themselves and explore the boundaries of those bonds if given enough time, opportunity and range of shared situations.
Personally I think that it is a bit more surprising that there are not nearly as many clear LGBT+ ties among male fictional heroes.
There is also the reality of learning that people were queer after the fact, because the fact was hidden in the past for social reasons. Alan Scott fits that pattern as a fictional example, as does Wonder Woman.
characters who happen to be proactive enough to regularly pursue potentially dangerous activities will be overall more assertive than others
Possibly why I was not remotely surprised to learn that Neal Cassady had some same-sex encounters.
Coincidentally, we saw a production of Piaf/Dietrich last night. About two-thirds drama and one-third cabaret, it speculates that the two women, in addition to being friends for much of their lives, may have also been lovers. We don't really have any clear indication that Edith Piaf was so inclined, but Dietrich's sexuality was an open secret during her career.
Great performances by the four-person cast (the script demands much of the actors), and a stunning guest-appearance by a fifth.
At a dramatic moment, a bat flew out from the stage, over the audience, and disappeared. People gasped at the very effective bit of improv. Happy to see one of the theatre's tenants doing a bit of work for their accommodations.
Most people watching superhero movies and who have maybe read or read Batman or Spider-man, say, don't really care about or in some cases even know Alan Scott.
Actually, I've long wondered if they didn't intend to make Charles McNider gay, as there were some hints in that direction, I thought in the days before Earth-2. But maybe he wasn't a big enough character? Or maybe fans guessed the reveal, and Monarch-fashion, they switched at the last minute?
This is all speculation and anecdotal on my part, just given my own experience at the time. For some reason, I thought it was going to be Dr. Mid-Nite, and then I heard Green Lantern. It doesn't much matter, but now I wonder why I had the experience I did. Anybody else have the impression it was going to be McNider?
It is interesting that less has been said (in general) about the sheer number of female characters who have been revealed retroactively to be lesbian or (more often) bisexual.
I've long read that people who write movie and TV scripts are under the impression that lesbians are less threatening to straight men. I have no idea if that's true. I identify as a straight man, but I don't find gay people of any stripe threatening. Maybe you have to find homosexuality as a whole threatening to your worldview to get riled up either way. More speculation on my part, I suppose.
Anyway, it's certainly true that pop culture is chockablock with gay and bisexual women -- moreso than gay men in similar entertainments, and probably substantially more than the percentages in real life. My wife and I used to joke about the "Surprise Lesbian Reveal" on TV shows, which seemed to happen sooner or later in every series. (And yes, as Bob said, it sounds like a manga super-power, which just made it funnier to us.) But as it became ubiquitous, we found ourselves less amused by ourselves, as it was no longer a surprise of any kind. These days, in fact, we usually point out which woman is going to be revealed as gay, or discover she is gay, pretty much in episode 1. At this point, it's just a trope.
Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Cheetah, Catwoman, Big Barda, Holly Robinson, Shrinking Violet, Wonder Woman (depending on the writer), Etta Candy, Stephanie Brown (maybe), White Canary in the TV series, and nearly every female of significance in the alt-DC Bombshells Universe.
I didn't know about some of those, but it underscores both our points that I'm not remotely surprised.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: PATRIOT #2:
For a more nuanced take on this subject than can be found in Alan Scott: Green Lantern, see Captain America: Patriot #2. Here's what you need to know...
Jeff Mace is a reporter for the Daily Bugle in WWII-era New York City. His co-workers are Mary Morgan, another reporter, and Jack Casey, a photographer. Jeff Mace become the Patriot, Mary Morgan becomes Miss Patriot, and Jack Casey joins the Navy. Later, the Patriot becomes the third Captain America. One day in 1946, Miss Patriot pays a visit to inform him that Jack Casey is dead. He had been "blue ticketed" out of the serivice, was unable to find work, and ultimately committed suicide.
BETSY ROSS: Casey's discharge -- he was blue ticketed.
JEFF MACE: Well that... that can mean a lot of things.
BOB FRANK: Did he ever have a girlfriend?
Jeff Mace is prohibited from attend the funeral as Captain America, so he goes as the Patriot. From the Daily Bugle: "News of the Patriot's surprise appearance and speech spread quickly, and due to the questionable nature of Casey's discharge, was just as quickly denounced by numerous groups and individuals. Photos of the Patriot are now conspicuously absent from veterans' and political offices, and the city's usually boistrous 'Young Patriots' have quietly joined Captain America's 'Sentinels of Liberty.' The Patriot was unavailable for further comment."
Mace burned his Patriot costume at that point, and his speech even brought the career of Miss Patriot to an end.
I thought Captain America: Patriot was a good series when it first came out, and it just gets better with time.
ALL-WINNERS SQUAD: BAND OF HEROES #5:
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes also deals with WWII-era homosexuality in the military. In issue #4, it is revealed that the American Ace and Captain Flame are lovers. the next issue dealt with some of the ramifications, but unfortunately it was never resolved because #5 was the final issue of what was to have been an eight-issue limited series.
The Five Green Lanterns (Alan Scott)
I see your argument, and I appreciate that you made it here, instead of the JSA thread, where I am strenuously trying to make Alan Scott's history as linear as I can.
But I think an argument can be made that DC was trying to make the post-Crisis guy (and by extension Sentinel) the same guy who debuted in 1940. How well they succeeded is a subjective call (and I hated the change to Sentinel). But I think One Alan Scott was DC's intent -- they just wanted to differentiate him from the Oa mythology, and zhuzh things up a bit.
The New 52 Alan Scott was definitely another guy, of course. Much younger, gay from the outset. I'd say that technically he was only the second Alan Scott.
And Rebirth was supposed to ditch New 52, or at least the parts DC didn't like, meaning I think the intent was, once again, to make the current Alan Scott the same one who debuted in 1940. My expectation was that books like Alan Scott: The Green Lantern would show us how the pre-New 52 stories and post-52 stories dovetailed -- the story behind the story, if you will. Every other character picked up right where they had been before the New 52, especially Wonder Woman, so why should Golden Age Green Lantern be an exception?
He did have the biggest change though, as DC continued his homosexuality form New 52. Most big revellations in New 52 were quietly discarded. (Like Diana debuting in1940.) I think It reqiures some effort on DC's part to fit this into Golden Age stories, and not just say it's the same guy. If they're not going to, then this really is a third Alan Scott, a character who -- unlike his peers -- is an amalgation of various previous versions.
There's probably a bigger picture I'm missing here, and an argument that all current characters are amalgamations. And I can see the argument that there have been five Alan Scotts. If that's what works in your head canon, more power to you. For my part, I'm still going to try to make DC's continuity as linear as I can make it, so I have less to remember!
I'm of the opinion that the New 52's Alan Scott was made gay was to make up for the fact that, with the new versions of what had been the JSA related characters being presented as much younger, the Infinity Inc. characters were basically erased (except for Power Girl & Huntress), so with Obsidian gone, his gayness was given to Alan. For what it's worth, the Earth 2 stuff was the only New 52 material I liked, because they at least made an effort to do something different, while most of DC'S reboots seem more like "we want to do the same kind of stories we always do, but we don't want to have to research anything, so we're going to shake up the continuity etchasketch so that only the stories I remember happened, and they happened just the way I remember them, and not the way they were actually published. " On the other hand, I'm not as fan of the current version of Alan Scott, who came out somewhere around his 100th birthday, and now not only has a gay son, but also a gay stepson (assuming Harlequin's Son is in continuity this week), which just seems a bit much.
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