We're our own worst enemy...
Okay, so it’s been a while since Rob Liefeld put his foot in his mouth about Shatterstar being gay and whatnot. While wandering LiveJournal, I came across a post about Hero author Perry Moore. He’s pretty steamed at Rob Liefeld and decided to write him a letter and posted it on his blog.
"Liefield, creator of Rictor and Shatterstar, can't wait to "reverse" their kiss and de-gay them.
So... After years of being set up and developed, Rictor and Shatterstar finally made out in a passionate kiss in X-Factor #45 (and 46! where the passionate kiss continued! Rock on, you two lovebirds! Let's pray they don't make Rictor bi-sexual and throw him back to girls too soon!) Unfortunately, the art left something to be desired. Shatterstar, formerly a bad-ass warrior, looked more like Arcade. Yipes.
At any rate, this was a great development that I'm sure meant a ton to all those reading the Marvel universe and seeing a NATURAL development take place between two young hot virile super heroes.
Next thing you know, the guy who half-created them 18 years ago and then left marvel --- instead of going public in a good way -- made these HUGE PRESS RELEASES saying he couldn't wait to say he couldn't wait to make Shatterstar straight again. In the release, he did one of those super-offensive, "I have nothing wrong with gay people, some of best friends are, no problem there".
Except when it comes to Shatterstar, apparently.
So clearly this guy DOES have a problem.
And I HAD TO WRITE A LETTER. I wrote a letter on CBR -- Comic Book Resources, because so many people read it.
Here's the letter -- watch out -- it's me at my most Fiery. But then again, HERO would never have existed without a little fire in my belly, so here goes... Let me know what you think!!!
"Hi all,
Who wants to see me kick Rob Liefield's ass?
Again, this falls into my WHO CARES ABOUT THE DEATH OF A GAY SUPERHERO ANYWAY?
I don't care if it's an ill-mannered, gun-for-hire guy who doesn't own the rights to the character anymore who's whining in this case. Now you know what it's like to be on the other side of the conversation, Rob.
I'm only half-serious, but if he can write such incendiary language over a mere man on man kiss -- something that's been developed for SO MANY YEARS -- then he should learn to take his medicine. Grow up, pal. This is a new century. You were working in the "NO GAYS ALLOWED ERA" when you published X=Force #1, which by the way looks like a cartoon parody.
I'm surprised women's groups haven't called you to the table for your unbelievably, overly- pneumatic depictions of women. Worse than Barbie, if you ask me.
But hey, if no feminist will take you on, I will. Don't fuck with the gays. On behalf of the scant LGBT representations in comics, shut up or put up.
Comic con. Name the time and place. We can settle this once and for all. I don't believe in violence, but I wrote a book called HERO, allegory about my father who one a bronze star in Vietnam, and sometimes you're just stuck fighting it out.
Dad got stuck fighting it out for a bad cause. I'll go to the fists for a good costs.
Rob, I'm waiting. Or you could just SHUT UP and let nature takes its course in the pages of X-Factor. Hell, they'll probably turn Rictor back to girls in a matter of a few issues anyway. Have you actually read the book in the past? You should at least know what you're talking about before you open your fat trap.
Here's a thought: Try to put something positive out there in the universe. HERO has done wonders for a lot of people. I'd love to set each and every one of those who've written me onto you!
And I'm not afraid to make fun of the kiss, either. I thought Shatterstar looked even sillier than when you drew him. Between the artist and colorist of X-Factor #45, he looked like Arcade, for Pete's sake!! Have a sense of humor.
Think about someone other than yourself. This kiss really meant a lot to a lot of people.
YOU HAD A CHOICE, YOU KNUCKLEHEAD. YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF PUTTING SOMETHING GOOD OUT THERE. HELPING A LOT OF PEOPLE. Why you chose the egocentric way or CHANGING "YOUR" character back to "YOUR" way 18 years later is beyond me. Imagine if you'd done the same thing with a racist character eighteen years later after the civil rights era showed us the error of discrimination.
How can you remain SO UN-ENLIGHTENED?
For these reasons, I'd love to take you down, you ignorant switch.
Any fans want to see our grudge match?
Perry Moore
perrymoorestories@gmail.com
AUTHOR of HERO
The letter comes across as unnecessarily hostile and more than a little pointless. It’s great to be passionate about a cause but this doesn’t convey passion, just anger. Especially when he uses a lot of capitalization (normally used to denote screaming in text), language, name calling and insults. He actually comes off looking worse than Rob Liefeld. I was actually interested in reading his book but I don't think I will now. He just seems so full of bitterness and hostility and himself. Shameless self-promoter.
"Liefield, creator of Rictor and Shatterstar, can't wait to "reverse" their kiss and de-gay them.
So... After years of being set up and developed, Rictor and Shatterstar finally made out in a passionate kiss in X-Factor #45 (and 46! where the passionate kiss continued! Rock on, you two lovebirds! Let's pray they don't make Rictor bi-sexual and throw him back to girls too soon!) Unfortunately, the art left something to be desired. Shatterstar, formerly a bad-ass warrior, looked more like Arcade. Yipes.
At any rate, this was a great development that I'm sure meant a ton to all those reading the Marvel universe and seeing a NATURAL development take place between two young hot virile super heroes.
Next thing you know, the guy who half-created them 18 years ago and then left marvel --- instead of going public in a good way -- made these HUGE PRESS RELEASES saying he couldn't wait to say he couldn't wait to make Shatterstar straight again. In the release, he did one of those super-offensive, "I have nothing wrong with gay people, some of best friends are, no problem there".
Except when it comes to Shatterstar, apparently.
So clearly this guy DOES have a problem.
And I HAD TO WRITE A LETTER. I wrote a letter on CBR -- Comic Book Resources, because so many people read it.
Here's the letter -- watch out -- it's me at my most Fiery. But then again, HERO would never have existed without a little fire in my belly, so here goes... Let me know what you think!!!
"Hi all,
Who wants to see me kick Rob Liefield's ass?
Again, this falls into my WHO CARES ABOUT THE DEATH OF A GAY SUPERHERO ANYWAY?
I don't care if it's an ill-mannered, gun-for-hire guy who doesn't own the rights to the character anymore who's whining in this case. Now you know what it's like to be on the other side of the conversation, Rob.
I'm only half-serious, but if he can write such incendiary language over a mere man on man kiss -- something that's been developed for SO MANY YEARS -- then he should learn to take his medicine. Grow up, pal. This is a new century. You were working in the "NO GAYS ALLOWED ERA" when you published X=Force #1, which by the way looks like a cartoon parody.
I'm surprised women's groups haven't called you to the table for your unbelievably, overly- pneumatic depictions of women. Worse than Barbie, if you ask me.
But hey, if no feminist will take you on, I will. Don't fuck with the gays. On behalf of the scant LGBT representations in comics, shut up or put up.
Comic con. Name the time and place. We can settle this once and for all. I don't believe in violence, but I wrote a book called HERO, allegory about my father who one a bronze star in Vietnam, and sometimes you're just stuck fighting it out.
Dad got stuck fighting it out for a bad cause. I'll go to the fists for a good costs.
Rob, I'm waiting. Or you could just SHUT UP and let nature takes its course in the pages of X-Factor. Hell, they'll probably turn Rictor back to girls in a matter of a few issues anyway. Have you actually read the book in the past? You should at least know what you're talking about before you open your fat trap.
Here's a thought: Try to put something positive out there in the universe. HERO has done wonders for a lot of people. I'd love to set each and every one of those who've written me onto you!
And I'm not afraid to make fun of the kiss, either. I thought Shatterstar looked even sillier than when you drew him. Between the artist and colorist of X-Factor #45, he looked like Arcade, for Pete's sake!! Have a sense of humor.
Think about someone other than yourself. This kiss really meant a lot to a lot of people.
YOU HAD A CHOICE, YOU KNUCKLEHEAD. YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF PUTTING SOMETHING GOOD OUT THERE. HELPING A LOT OF PEOPLE. Why you chose the egocentric way or CHANGING "YOUR" character back to "YOUR" way 18 years later is beyond me. Imagine if you'd done the same thing with a racist character eighteen years later after the civil rights era showed us the error of discrimination.
How can you remain SO UN-ENLIGHTENED?
For these reasons, I'd love to take you down, you ignorant switch.
Any fans want to see our grudge match?
Perry Moore
perrymoorestories@gmail.com
AUTHOR of HERO
The letter comes across as unnecessarily hostile and more than a little pointless. It’s great to be passionate about a cause but this doesn’t convey passion, just anger. Especially when he uses a lot of capitalization (normally used to denote screaming in text), language, name calling and insults. He actually comes off looking worse than Rob Liefeld. I was actually interested in reading his book but I don't think I will now. He just seems so full of bitterness and hostility and himself. Shameless self-promoter.