“Gayness Is Built Into Batman” – Grant Morrison

[Scott Mateo]

...In Playboy

[Mackaybear]

I have indeed now heard everything....SIGH....

If Batman really was gay, that Utility Belt would be packed with way different things than it is now....

[Werehunter]

Here's the entire quote about Batman, not just the part linked to.

“I got interested in the class element of Batman: He’s a rich man who beats up poor people. It’s quite a bizarre mission to go out at night dressed as a bat and punch the hell out of junkies. And then he goes home and lives in this mansion. There’s an aspirational quality to him—he’s an outlaw and he can buy anything. He has a new Batmobile every movie. He’s very plutonian in the sense that he’s wealthy and also in the sense that he’s sexually deviant. Gayness is built into Batman. I’m not using gay in the pejorative sense, but Batman is very, very gay. There’s just no denying it. Obviously as a fictional character he’s intended to be heterosexual, but the basis of the whole concept is utterly gay. I think that’s why people like it. All these women fancy him and they all wear fetish clothes and jump around rooftops to get to him. He doesn’t care—he’s more interested in hanging out with the old guy and the kid.”

So not only is he saying Batman is gay, he's saying he's also a sexual deviant who lusts after Robin. Plus that he is a rich man who gets his jollies from beating up the poor. After reading that quote from him, I'm glad I decided against picking up his book when he took over Batman.

[chasm]

I do like Grant Morrison's writing and I am not a follower of Batman books, but you have to wonder how editors would let someone who makes those types of comments anywhere near their property.

Also, I wonder if Morrison actually believes what he stated or if he's trying to say something outrageous to be shocking and draw eyeballs to his writing.

[Mr. Wrong]

I do like Grant Morrison's writing and I am not a follower of Batman books, but you have to wonder how editors would let someone who makes those types of comments anywhere near their property. Also, I wonder if Morrison actually believes what he stated or if he's trying to say something outrageous to be shocking and draw eyeballs to his writing.

chasm

I hope he doesn't really believe what he's saying, because I'd rather think of him as a publicity-whore than a moron.

The absence of a prominent female supporting character = "gayness"?
If he really believes that, then he is saying that Wertham was right...

No surprise that he breaks out the class warfare analysis of Batman, either. Some folks see everything through that prism, I suppose...

At least he's consistent. His comments about Wonder Woman suggest that the idea of an island of Amazons was a lesbian fantasy... Maybe it was, but I've never seen any reference to Marston actually claiming it to be so. Maybe Morrison spoke to the ghost of Marston while using the JLA to "practice magic"...

You would think that DC would not appreciate this. But, they might also think it's wonderful. If you think about it, making those kinds of statements in Playboy is like the perfect ad for DC to appeal to readers looking at pics of naked women.

"You feelin' a little pervy? Well, DC Comics might be the place for you. We swear, our books are full of deeply psychological erotica!"

Interesting.

[Alan]

I can't believe anyone is surprised or shocked by the comment. It's Grant Morrison having fun in Playboy. Don't sweat it. It's the sort of conversation lots of people have probably had. And there is a very stong fetish element in comics. Overtly so in most indie books (flicked through a trade of Lady Death and Tarot last week and had a good chuckle), but the likes of Catwoman and Black Canary are Rubber Monthly cover girls in real life.

I would have thought DC would just be pleased that Morrison is getting coverage in a best selling magazine and you never know, he might pull a bit more of the pink dollar into DC's coffers.

So it's all good.

[Mackaybear]

I can see it now.

One of the new wave books coming soon.

The Adventures of Bat-Perv and Robin.....

[Alan]

I can see it now. One of the new wave books coming soon. The Adventures of Bat-Perv and Robin.....

Mackaybear

You didn't read Catwoman#1 then?

[Mackaybear]

You didn't read Catwoman#1 then?

Alan

No, I didn't and I'm not sure I ought to ask....

But then again, there is such a thing as Bisexuality......

[Alan]

Well, it certainly started the new 52 with a bang....

[Mike Murphy]

I like Grant's writing but, if he is serious, he really does not get the character.

[mego joe]

Sorry I looked at this thread.

[Eric Q]

If Batman really was gay

Mackaybear

"Obviously as a fictional character he’s intended to be heterosexual, but the basis of the whole concept is utterly gay." I think he's inferring that the concept has aspects that can be found in common with the gay community.

he's saying he's also a sexual deviant who lusts after Robin.

"he’s more interested in hanging out with the old guy and the kid."

Plus that he is a rich man who gets his jollies from beating up the poor.

"He’s a rich man who beats up poor people."

[irrelephantly]

... assuming he's being serious, you'd never realize that he has a half-decent grasp on the character based on that quote alone.

grant, i love you, but i think we're going to have to give our relationship a break.

[Astro@work]

How dare Morrison say what every fanboy I've ever met has jokingly said about Batman! The nerve!

Just don't let the Comics Code Authority catch wind of this or we'll have to go back to that...since this whole idea is what got them started in the first place and why they had to create the 50's Batwoman.

[Mackaybear]

How dare Morrison say what every fanboy I've ever met has jokingly said about Batman! The nerve! Just don't let the Comics Code Authority catch wind of this or we'll have to go back to that...since this whole idea is what got them started in the first place and why they had to create the 50's Batwoman.

Astro@work

And don't forget the 60's gave us the image of Robin sliding down the Bat-pole....

It was all Robin's fault anyway, he went running around bare legged in tight shorts. Boy wonder was asking for it.....

Forget Lois-Clark-Lana. The really hot 50's and 60's love triangle was Robin-Batman-Catwoman......