Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

[phoenix240]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Suppose we shift the argument. Do you have anything you want to say about how to use gay characters / gayness (which is what "alternative sexuality" boils down to) to generate good soap opera in Champions / Dark Champions / Teen Champions etc?

 

 

 

Given the shifting topics and general tone I'm going to just assume I'm being trolled here. So far the thread while contentious but fairly civil and I'd like to keep it that way.

[David Blue]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

OK, it's your thread.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Hmm. It's not necessarily about special recognition for alternative lifestyles and sexualities, ethnicity, gender etc., so much as it is about expanding the conception of what is "normal" or "normative". If, in 1960, a "superhero" was basically a straight, white, Christian male, and "unusual" meant the character was an alien or *gasp* a "girl"(usually, unless it was Wonder Woman or maybe Supergirl, with little to no offensive capability), then what should that term encompass, in the imagination of comic book readers and RPGers in the 2010s? Shouldn't it be a lot more inclusive, and reflect that in the product? If we saw a comic today that had 5 straight white Protestant males and 1 straight white Protestant female(with a combat ineffective ability and acting like a stereotypical 60s "girl superhero"), it would likely stand out as a little anachronistic, to say the least(sadly, probably not as much as I'm assuming). It's not about going down a checklist and making sure you've got 2 of everything, like you're loading up the Ark. It's just about trying to have a world that's more reflective of the one we actually live in, and being respectful of that diversity.

[Blue]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

There's a tremendous opportunity for people to REALLY mishandle a gay character if you insert one into the CU and label him as such. Picture a convention game where the GM has opted to use the character, who may in this case be a villain, and decides to play him over-the-top "flaming" because that's his perception of how gay people act (courtesy of the media). It's as offensive as a GM playing the african-american geniuns villain like he's a thug, complete with gangsta dialogue. It has real potential to be offensive.

 

Champions was never made as a vehicle of socio-political change. That's left to the players and GMs. I'm pretty sure most characters are left with no specific mention of their sexuality, with the only clue coming with who their DNPC might be or some hint in their origin. That's probably the way it should remain. As a GM, I select if I think a change like this is appropriate for a pre-made character, and my playes have open-license to make their characters however they want.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Wait, why is having greater diversity in official writeups equivalent to turning Champions into a vehicle of socio-political change? Wouldn't it just be following socio-political changes which have already happened? The potential for offensive treatment by a GM of an NPC already exists(Gravitar or Istvatha V'han could both be RPed in an incredibly sexist and stereotypical fashion, e.g.), I don't see that as a compelling reason to not include them.

[Jhaierr]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

There's a tremendous opportunity for people to REALLY mishandle a gay character if you insert one into the CU and label him as such. Picture a convention game where the GM has opted to use the character' date=' who may in this case be a villain, and decides to play him over-the-top "flaming" because that's his perception of how gay people act (courtesy of the media). It's as offensive as a GM playing the african-american geniuns villain like he's a thug, complete with gangsta dialogue. It has real potential to be offensive.[/quote']

 

Looking at your example, someone could mishandle an African-American character. Should we also exclude those from the CU? Or Asian characters? Or fundamentalist Christian characters? Or blond women? etc. etc.

[Blue]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Wait' date=' why is having greater diversity in official writeups equivalent to turning Champions into a vehicle of socio-political change? Wouldn't it just be following socio-political changes [i']which have already happened[/i]? The potential for offensive treatment by a GM of an NPC already exists(Gravitar or Istvatha V'han could both be RPed in an incredibly sexist and stereotypical fashion, e.g.), I don't see that as a compelling reason to not include them.

 

True. And you're probably right in that I'm attaching too much importance to the game, as no one is expecting Champions to change the world or anyone's way of thinking. And if they want to go that route I'm fine with it. I'm not sure what the first african-american character was in Champions, but somewhere along the line someone noticed that CU was decidedly limited in its diversity; this is probably much the same. Maybe its time. I'd be curious to see the reaction of players once it would hit print.

[Blue]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Looking at your example' date=' someone could mishandle an African-American character. Should we also exclude those from the CU? Or Asian characters? Or fundamentalist Christian characters? Or blond women? etc. etc.[/quote']

 

Believe it or not, I was thinking this as I wrote that, but I clicked "post" anyway.

[Christopher]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

"True indifference means that neither the presense of something, nor it's absense, are worth nothing." - Me, just now.

 

Let's take me as an example:

AFAIK heterosexual, german, born in east-germany (the German "not quite so" democratic Republic), programmer, white, nerd.

Let's check how well I am presented in the books:

How many non-villian germans are in the book?

How many non-villian germans are born in east-germany?

How many have a IT-related job in their secret ID?

How many are programmers in their secret ID?

How man are nerds?

 

Unless you can give me a certain number (that will most likely be to high) I could make the same argument you do:

To less/should be more canonc/not diverse enough/not inclusive enough.

 

And once you give one interest group special consideration, every interrest group will knock on you door for "equal threatment" until you finally need a group to do the same for heterosexual, white males or they get discriminated.

 

Different thing:

Champions was never made as a vehicle of socio-political change. That's left to the players and GMs. I'm pretty sure most characters are left with no specific mention of their sexuality' date=' with the only clue coming with who their DNPC might be or some hint in their origin. That's probably the way it should remain. As a GM, I select if I think a change like this is appropriate for a pre-made character, and my playes have open-license to make their characters however they want.[/quote']

I think such parts are dicidedly left unclear for most characters. The same way religion is left unnoted (actually, does the CU even has the same Religions as our earth?), or if a character uses Mac or Windows (again: Do they even exist in the CU?).

That way each GM can take any character off the shelf, file of the serial number and use him in his campaign without having to worry "what do I have to repalce this complication with?", "would he dress differently when he was not gay?", "how about his relationships with his female teammates?".

I am very certain it is possible to "overdetail" a character to the point where the details contradict the world he is supposed to act. The only characters that should be detailed, are those with thier own books (like Dr. D, Mechanon and now V'han) or those with books closely concerning their teams (liek the Campions in the champions Genre book).

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

"True indifference means that neither the presense of something, nor it's absense, are worth nothing." - Me, just now.

 

Let's take me as an example:

AFAIK heterosexual, german, born in east-germany (the German "not quite so" democratic Republic), programmer, white, nerd.

Let's check how well I am presented in the books:

How many non-villian germans are in the book?

How many non-villian germans are born in east-germany?

How many have a IT-related job in their secret ID?

How many are programmers in their secret ID?

How man are nerds?

 

Unless you can give me a certain number (that will most likely be to high) I could make the same argument you do:

To less/should be more canonc/not diverse enough/not inclusive enough.

 

And once you give one interest group special consideration, every interrest group will knock on you door for "equal threatment" until you finally need a group to do the same for heterosexual, white males or they get discriminated.

 

Different thing:

 

I think such parts are dicidedly left unclear for most characters. The same way religion is left unnoted (actually, does the CU even has the same Religions as our earth?), or if a character uses Mac or Windows (again: Do they even exist in the CU?).

That way each GM can take any character off the shelf, file of the serial number and use him in his campaign without having to worry "what do I have to repalce this complication with?", "would he dress differently when he was not gay?", "how about his relationships with his female teammates?".

I am very certain it is possible to "overdetail" a character to the point where the details contradict the world he is supposed to act. The only characters that should be detailed, are those with thier own books (like Dr. D, Mechanon and now V'han) or those with books closely concerning their teams (liek the Campions in the champions Genre book).

 

I'm sorry, Chris, your argument will not stand up. You can argue that we won't have represented the world in all dimensions of difference is not going to be completed until there are 5 billion characters written up for the CU. And that is true. It is also in no way an argument against attempting to represent diverse populations. That's what we call inclusion. Thus, there are German superheroes in the CU, including one full writeup in Champions Worldwide. (He's a West Berliner. And hetero.) That's where we expect to find him, and good on the writers.

 

But everyone has a sexuality. And, contrary to claims made here, so do most CU characters. Of the Champions, Defender and Witchcraft are in a relationship. Sapphire is looking for "Mr. Right." Ironclad is an alien. Only Kinetik is a human character with an unspecified sexuality. Try the Sentinels for another sample, detailed in Champions Universe: News of the World. Black Rose has a tragic (heterosexual) romantic past. Diadem has her husband as a DNPC. Bravo has "Girlfriend of the month" as a DNPC. Doctor Vox is trying to get pregnant with her husband. Proteus is "a complete gentleman," easily manipulated by beautiful women. Only the ageless, sexless Diamond has no romantic hook.

 

Romantic entanglements are an important part of the background of NPC characters, and an excellent way for GMs to makeuse of them. Scott Bennie does an awesome job of building up the homosexual hero, Justiciar's relationship as a potential plot point in Champions of the North. Darren and Steve make slightly less of Hydro's same-sex relationship in C:NoftW.

 

But, see, that's inclusion. It's saying that homosexuality is normal. That there are gay people in the world. That Hero Games recognises this. That it is possible to be gay and heroic.

 

A final word here: The Champions Universe isn't fan-created, but that doesn't mean that fan's contributions aren't out there. If you want to see a vibrant German super scene (and, really, who doesn't), create it. Put it on these boards. Write it up for Haymaker. I bet that Der Bogenschuetze has a pretty wild Rogue's Gallery by now.

 

Heck, write it into fan fiction in the privacy of your own home. I started my own fan fiction on the premise that a "Chop-Chop" character had grown up, won the respect of his colleagues, married, retired, and thrown his basement rec room open for his teenage children and their friends to use as their superhero base.

 

So that's a simple statement about overcoming the outrageous racism of the comics of another era and including what's still an underrepresented population. And I've found that it opens up an enormous range of plot possibilities. I've now got a Hispanic high school principal, who is, of course, "El Professore," the luchador. I have a dwarven ancient hero turned grocery store manager, and a backcountry Pennsylvania hick who doubles as an Alfred character and a high school shop teacher.

 

And, yes, gay characters: an old lesbian couple raising a (lesbian) clone child; a gay Black brick; a lesbian air pirate from another dimension; "Chop-Chop's" oldest son is gay.

 

And the reason I'm telling you this (because it's axiomatic that no-one wants to hear about someone else's fanfic) is that I've learned something by writing. It's a rich world out there, full of wonder and possibilities. Restricting it to certain groups just impoverishes the imagination.

[Mister E]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

The CU is one big long synopsis. It seriously lacks the depth of story required to really know what's going on within it.

 

More or less, the CU is shapeless & undefined. Like the outside world when you are still asleep in bed, the CU waits for its own manifestion.

 

That, and everything is subject to change from one edition/expansion/session (etc.) to the next.

 

This is both good & bad.

 

It's good. The setting is an open sandbox full of toys. If a problem has not been addressed, it can be. You cannot break the CU by playing with it. It is infinitely elastic in an absolutely ideal way. There are no significant non-imaginary consequences.

 

It's bad. There is no linear path. On the contrary, it is a huge index that causes analysis paralysis. Railroads are useful & the CU is not a railroad. There is no one right way to address problems. It is too ambiguous.

 

A good faith CU shouldn't be able to offend people. If people are offended by anything, they themselves are ultimately responsible. Attempting to transcend the CU is futile. It is not worth the hate.

 

 

~ Mister E ("Love it, leave it, change it, or lose it.")

[Christopher]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Thus' date=' there are German superheroes in the CU, including one full writeup in [i']Champions Worldwide.[/i] (He's a West Berliner. And hetero.) That's where we expect to find him, and good on the writers.

Wow, one out of 80 Billion People. And that does not includes others with German as native language like Austria. So i hearby claim underrepresentation

 

Also, there was nothing on the programmers or general IT-Specialists. I find it irritating that such a honest and long existing profession (30-40 Years by now) is so underrepresented.

 

Ironclad is an alien.

He is an alien with supertough skin. Do you have any idea who or what he is interested in? Or how the mating rituals on his planet are? Or even what gender(s) they have? So there is currently no way to asume anything for him.

 

Try the Sentinels for another sample' date=' detailed in [i']Champions Universe: News of the World.[/i] Black Rose has a tragic (heterosexual) romantic past. Diadem has her husband as a DNPC. Bravo has "Girlfriend of the month" as a DNPC. Doctor Vox is trying to get pregnant with her husband. Proteus is "a complete gentleman," easily manipulated by beautiful women. Only the ageless, sexless Diamond has no romantic hook.

Two words: Relationship overkill.

That is all I can think when hearing from this. For a team with such a (seemingly) intricate realtionship writeup, I find it very hard to use them while ignoring it. And I can't properly play this soap^2.

 

A final word here: The Champions Universe isn't fan-created' date=' but that doesn't mean that fan's contributions aren't out there. If you want to see a vibrant German super scene (and, really, who doesn't), create it. Put it on these boards. Write it up for Haymaker.[/quote']

I Reflect this back to you:

When you think there should be more Alternate Sexuality Characters, write them up. I bet you even have a Hero Designer to do the sheets easily, I don't even have that one avalible.

 

 

The CU is one big long synopsis. It seriously lacks the depth of story required to really know what's going on within it.

 

More or less, the CU is shapeless & undefined. Like the outside world when you are still asleep in bed, the CU waits for its own manifestion.

That's what I tried to say in the second part of my last post. It's built that way so most parts (NPC Writeups) can be easily adapted to very different settings.

That is why anything that goes deeper into the relationship sector than is now, seems like a really bad idea for me.

[Dr. MID-Nite]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Again...rather than just argue about it...I'd simply make some of the characters in the current books gay. Many don't say one way or the other(and in fact...many people in RL don't say so one way or the other either). If and when I use the Vandaleur twins...I'm making them identical twins for example. If someone wanted to play a gay character in my campaign, I wouldn't have any problem with it. It will get about the same amount of focus that hetero relationships in my game get...which is to say...whatever effort the player puts into it. Should there be more official listings of gay characters in Hero products? Maybe. There are some....and to some extent I'd rather that the decision NOT be made for me for every character.

[Big Monkey]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Champions was never made as a vehicle of socio-political change. That's left to the players and GMs. I'm pretty sure most characters are left with no specific mention of their sexuality' date=' with the only clue coming with who their DNPC might be or some hint in their origin. That's probably the way it should remain. As a GM, I select if I think a change like this is appropriate for a pre-made character, and my playes have open-license to make their characters however they want.[/quote']

 

This was the point I was trying to make. Thank you for stating it much better than I apparently did.

[drunkonduty]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

I'm wading into this waaaaayyyy too late.

 

On the inclusiveness front I'll keep it simple: inclusiveness of non-mainstream types (by which I mean folks who aren't straight, middle-class, white males*) is a good thing. And it needs to be an active thing because, to date, the existing culture has been one that has been dominated by straight, white, middle-class male characters (in both comics and comic related games.)

 

On gay characters in CU: if you can find a copy of the 4e PRIMUS book there's a gay Silver Avenger. Can't think of his name off the top of my head. He has a female friend (another PRIMUS agent IIRC) who knows about him and happily helps as his beard. His write up explains how he is not open because he fears the backlash he'd face from within PRIMUS. Was PRIMUS an arm of the military in 4e? If so he could be kicked out on a psychological grounds. (Section 8 as they called it in MASH.)

 

I would also like to propose Bulldozer. OK, nothing in his write up says he is gay. BUT I would like to point out to you his aggressively macho attitude towards women. And look at the picture of him in 5e Conquerors, Killers, Crooks. The guy looks like a member of a bad Village People covers band. I would say he is massively over compensating for his true sexuality. Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

 

So let's add 1& 1/2 to the tally.

 

Cheers all.

 

*of which I am one.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

I like plain cookies. I like all my cookies to be both plain, and identically shaped. I am indifferent to cookies with sprinkles, raisins, chocolate chips, or macadamia nuts. I frankly don't understand why, if people want these sorts of things on their cookies, they can't just buy the same plain cookies I like and add whatever they like to the cookies when they get home. I mean, if the cookie company started making cookies with all these different things on them, sure they might sell more cookies, but where would it end? People would just keep coming up with new things they wanted on their cookies, and the company might have to produce some sort of "variety pack" or something. And that might inconvenience me, somehow, because all I want is plain, identically-shaped cookies, like I assume most people want. So really, it should be clear that the optimal approach here is to continue making only plain, same-shaped cookies, put the onus of "diversity" on the consumers who want it, and let me not be inconvenienced by picking sprinkles off my otherwise-plain cookies.

 

I'm so glad I could clear that up for everyone.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

On the inclusiveness front I'll keep it simple: inclusiveness of non-mainstream types (by which I mean folks who aren't straight' date=' middle-class, white males*) is a good thing. And it needs to be an active thing because, to date, the existing culture has been one that has been dominated by straight, white, middle-class male characters (in both comics and comic related games.)[/quote']

 

I just want to point out, there are a LOT of openly LGB character in comics these days:

 

Guardians of the Galaxy - Moondragon, Phyla

Young Avengers - Wiccan, Hulkling

Runaways - Karolina, Xavin

X-Men (and related books) - Karma, Shatterstar, Rictor, Anole, Bling, Mystique (and Colossus over in the Ultimate Universe)

Alpha Flight - Northstar

Outsiders - Grace, Thunder

Authority - Midnighter, Apollo, The Engineer, Swift

JSA - Obsidian

Secret Six - Scandal Savage, Knockout

Spider-man - Black Cat, Jackpot, Electro (and allegedly the new Ultimate Spiderman, but we haven't actually seen that in print yet)

 

I can probably name more, but those are off the top of my head (from books I read).

 

And that's just focusing on the actual heroes/villains too and not mentioning their various Contacts or DNPC's.

 

I left out "closeted" characters like Wonder Woman or Power Girl that have "wink, nod" moments to hint at alternate sexualities without the writers ever coming out and just saying it... but that's another issue...

[Lucius]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

gay characters / gayness (which is what "alternative sexuality" boils down to)

 

Seems that way doesn't it? Although you're leaving out bisexuality and all the nuanced varieties of personality that fall under "transgenderism" but then these are often "lumped in" with homsexuality.

 

Yet these aren't the only "alternatives."

 

There is polyamory for example. I have played at least one character (heterosexual male) who had ongoing simultaneous sexual relationships with more than one NPC female. Without deceiving either one, I hasten to add, in fact I think at least once or twice he romped with both of them in the same bed. And again I hasten to add, no there wasn't a lot of game time devoted to this nor a lot of graphic detail, but it wasn't kept secret from other players or their characters either. Eventually a female player character joined his list of regular partners.

 

BDSM gives you a multidimensional spectrum of alternatives even if you stick to the default assumptions of monogamy and heterosexuality. Now I think of it, I'm tempted to write up a submissive superhero with a dominant DNPC. A masochist with Damage Reduction and Regeneration might be interesting too....

 

A fictional universe gives us even more alternatives of course. A strange visitor from another planet who cultivates a relationship with one of the locals on Earth might be regarded as deviant on their home world for that reason. Or for that matter, might be regarded as deviant on Earth - but that might depend on whether he looks like Superman or like Howard the Duck. (How strange is our strange visitor?) And of course, a Human might have a "thing" for aliens, or for specific species of alien. Or for robots. Or anthropomorphic animals.

 

And then there's the mentalist who, when feeling the urge, scans nearby minds to locate two (or more) consenting adults already doing what consenting adults do in privacy, and "tunes in" to their sensory pleasures and emotional ecstasies. Maybe even subtly enhances them so that all three have a better experience.

 

But just saying "Hey, maybe the Champions Universe could benefit from a couple more characters with same-gender DNPCs or romantic interests in their background" has kicked up so much controversy already, maybe everyone should forget I said anything.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary tells me that people often do forget I said anything, and for good reason. The other end just says, in Before the Lock.

[phoenix240]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

I just want to point out, there are a LOT of openly LGB character in comics these days:

 

Guardians of the Galaxy - Moondragon, Phyla

Young Avengers - Wiccan, Hulkling

Runaways - Karolina, Xavin

X-Men (and related books) - Karma, Shatterstar, Rictor, Anole, Bling, Mystique (and Colossus over in the Ultimate Universe)

Alpha Flight - Northstar

Outsiders - Grace, Thunder

Authority - Midnighter, Apollo, The Engineer, Swift

JSA - Obsidian

Secret Six - Scandal Savage, Knockout

Spider-man - Black Cat, Jackpot, Electro (and allegedly the new Ultimate Spiderman, but we haven't actually seen that in print yet)

 

I can probably name more, but those are off the top of my head (from books I read).

 

And that's just focusing on the actual heroes/villains too and not mentioning their various Contacts or DNPC's.

 

I left out "closeted" characters like Wonder Woman or Power Girl that have "wink, nod" moments to hint at alternate sexualities without the writers ever coming out and just saying it... but that's another issue...

 

This certainly shows having more in the Champions Universe would not be be counter to comic book genre.

[Christopher]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

BDSM gives you a multidimensional spectrum of alternatives even if you stick to the default assumptions of monogamy and heterosexuality. Now I think of it' date=' I'm tempted to write up a submissive superhero with a dominant DNPC. A masochist with Damage Reduction and Regeneration might be interesting too....[/quote']

What do I keep telling you: We have no Idea what Ironclad is into?

 

This certainly shows having more in the Champions Universe would not be be counter to comic book genre.

But aren't the same usually prime examples for the totally overdrawn Soap-Style?

I ask because that is exaclty what I dislike about the comics and why I prefer to only view the Animated Series on TV. They tend to have more heroism and less soap.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

Christopher,

Isn't it easier for a person who doesn't like sprinkles on his cookie to brush them off, than it is to expect someone who does like them on their cookie to buy plain cookies, go to the store, and also buy sprinkles, to put them on manually?

 

IOW, it's easier for you to "scrape away" the parts of an official writeup you don't care for, than it is for someone else to have to add parts they want to one. It's better, from a publishing standpoint, to give the consumer a bunch of options they can accept or reject, than to give them a plain product they will have to do extra work on if they want those options. It's bad business practice to impose the burden of diversity on the customer, rather than present the option of diversity in the original product.

[Mister E]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

A fictional universe gives us even more alternatives of course. A strange visitor from another planet who cultivates a relationship with one of the locals on Earth might be regarded as deviant on their home world for that reason. Or for that matter, might be regarded as deviant on Earth - but that might depend on whether he looks like Superman or like Howard the Duck. (How strange is our strange visitor?) And of course, a Human might have a "thing" for aliens, or for specific species of alien. Or for robots. Or anthropomorphic animals.

 

Krypton Needs Women: Coming to a theater near you!

[Orion]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

There is polyamory for example. I have played at least one character (heterosexual male) who had ongoing simultaneous sexual relationships with more than one NPC female. Without deceiving either one, I hasten to add, in fact I think at least once or twice he romped with both of them in the same bed. And again I hasten to add, no there wasn't a lot of game time devoted to this nor a lot of graphic detail, but it wasn't kept secret from other players or their characters either. Eventually a female player character joined his list of regular partners.

 

BDSM gives you a multidimensional spectrum of alternatives even if you stick to the default assumptions of monogamy and heterosexuality. Now I think of it, I'm tempted to write up a submissive superhero with a dominant DNPC. A masochist with Damage Reduction and Regeneration might be interesting too....

 

I have a character that is into both polyamory and BDSM. She knows there's no way she can stay true to one man, so doesn't even try, but does tell the guys up front. She prefers to be submissive in private, but in her super identity is a dominant ice-queen bitch. She may show up in skin-tight leather, transparent lace gowns, or hot pants and a bikini top. The public thinks she's an exhibitionist trying to distract her opponents, but in reality that's just what she was wearing at home when she got the call. None of her sexual life ever came up in game because that group just didn't do romance, but it's detailed just in case.

 

In Watchmen, two of the characters talked about some of the odder villians, and how they got a sexual thrill out of being beat up or captured. There is widespread speculation among the non-comics crowd about why adults want kids as sidekicks, or why they want to dress up in skin tight outfits and go out in public. This kind of stuff makes sense on some levels, so I decided to base her personality on some of the more lurid things that are said about comic superheroines, but play it without the negative overtones.

 

It seems to me that gay and bi-sexual people are more acceptable to the general public than the alternative lifestyles such as polyamory, BDSM, swinging, and the various kinks some have. There are a lot of alternative sexualities out there, but most of which probably should fall to the GM to assign to characters, rather than being stated in the books. As I see it, if the character is only getting a paragraph or two in a book, skip sexuality completely. Mention DNPC, but don't state the sex of the partner. If it's a full page writeup with other personality traits mentioned, then mention sexuality as well.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

But aren't the same usually prime examples for the totally overdrawn Soap-Style?

 

It varies, though I'm not sure what you might consider overdrawn... everyone has different tolerances for such things after all. I don't think I've really seen it approach the daytime tv level though...

 

Hulkling and Wiccan are on the Young Avengers and are a gay couple. They don't have a ton of drama, but when they do it's going to be kinda front and center, since they are main characters. This is the same as when the hetero couple of Hawkeye II and Patriot have issues in that same book. But it's a book about a bunch of teens, so you can usually expect some degree relationship drama.

 

By contrast, Mystique rarely has real relationship drama. When she doses, it's actually often been with men so if you don't know her history and preferences, you may not even realize she's bisexual. Most of her plot hooks revolve around her adopted daughter... or the horrible situations she keeps putting herself in for the betterment of mutant kind... or being a mutant terrorist/super villain. Depends on who's writing really. The point is, her sexuality isn't always front and center and her stores aren't all about relationship drama just because she happens to be bi.

 

I ask because that is exaclty what I dislike about the comics and why I prefer to only view the Animated Series on TV. They tend to have more heroism and less soap.

 

Depends on which animated series you are talking about...? Teen Titans, JLU, Young Justice and Spectacular Spider-man all have a fair amount of "soap"...

[drunkonduty]

Re: Alternate Sexualities in Champions and Supers settings

 

@Bloodstone

Oh cool. There are quite a few characters on that list I didn't realise had alternative sexualities.

 

@Lucius Alexander

I seem to recall a thread here a year or so ago that touched on these sort of issues... But can't remember details so maybe I should shut up. Or try and dredge up the thread.