Iceman, One Of The Original X-Men, Will Come Out As Gay This Week

[Bern]

Marvel continues its push for diversity in comics
 

 
Bobby Drake, otherwise known as classic X-Men member Iceman, will come out of the closet this week. In a collection of leaked panels from All-New X-Men #40, due out tomorrow, Drake finds himself outed by fellow teammate Jean Grey. The revelation makes Iceman one of the most prominent (and powerful) LGBT superheroes in Marvel comics, and is in keeping with the company's push for more diversity among its characters.
 
The circumstances surrounding the character's coming out are unique, to say the least. Readers discover that the past, teenaged Bobby Drake, who has been transported to the future along with the original X-Men to help solve a crisis, is gay. Meanwhile, the present-day Iceman — who is still very much around — has had relationships with multiple women in the past. Apparently, that was an act:
 

 
What this means for the present's Iceman is unclear, but it'll likely be explored in future issues. Series writer Brian Michael Bendis expressed on Twitter that he'd hoped the reveal would arrive without much fanfare:
 
 

@BRIANMBENDIS
 
i swear on my dogs, i wanted the issue to come out and just be. no press. no sensational headlines. no leaks. oh, well.

 
Still, it's good to know that Iceman, who already happens to be an immensely powerful and popular mutant, is far from alone at Marvel and in comics in general. Back 2012, Marvel made headlines by publishing the first gay marriage in superhero comics, wedding X-Man Northstar to his boyfriend Kyle Jinadu. And this year, Catwoman recently came out as canonically bi in her own headlining DC series.
 

 
CBR News spoke with Bendis about the controversial revelation, explaining that from his point of view as the writer, it wasn't intended to be shocking. In fact, it's just one aspect of larger story that will continue into and beyond "Uncanny X-Men" #600, the final issue of his run on the X-books, and the last one published before the entire Marvel Universe runs headlong into "Secret Wars."
 

 

CBR News: The news of Iceman's outing broke a day before "All-New X-Men" #40 was officially released. What happened? 

 

Brian Michael Bendis: Here's the thing, and some will believe me and some won't. I think if you really paid attention to the solicits, we mentioned nothing about the subject. We didn't do a cover asking, "Which X-Men is coming out?" We didn't do anything like that, because we agreed that it was best to let the story speak for itself.

 

This is a story that involves psychic powers and time travel, so it's not your traditional coming out story -- and really, I don't think there is such a thing. The interactions that I've had over the past day or so have only proved that to me. There are certain experiences that a lot of people who have come out share, but a lot of people have very different opinions and experiences.

 

We just wanted it to be about Bobby and Jean and their very unique experience, which I thought was worth looking at. So there was no pre-hype. There was no tease of any sort. There wasn't even a hint to retailers saying, "Keep an eye on this issue." We were just going to let it play out on its own merits.

 

You and I have talked about how, wouldn't it be nice if you went to the comic store and not everything was ruined? So on top of what's going on with Bobby, I didn't want anyone to know who the Utopians were. I just wanted to let it happen without any sensationalism.

 

What happened, though, was, and I don't and will never know who, someone got a hold of a copy, and it could have been anyone from printer down to a distributor, and took a bunch of crappy pictures with their phone. They then threw them online.

 


The bummer is that some people put them on Tumblr, and removed six pages from the story, which completely alters the story. I'm talking about the subtleties of it, not what happens; the part that I spent a lot of time on.

 


So that got leaked, and now, today, we have to slide in front of it so the message isn't twisted. CNN picked the story up. BuzzFeed picked it up, and "The Advocate" picked it up as well. They mostly quoted things warmly and accurately, which I appreciated, and it certainly shifted the conversation that was coming at me back to a normal place.

I was grateful for that, but I am sad that what I was going for, the experience of people just reading it, disappeared. Some people will have not seen all the press and will still get that experience, but the purity was lost.

 

Bendis hoped the issue would be released and in fans' hands before word of Bobby coming out hit the media

 

 
I'll try to tell a story without spoilers again someday. It's very hard to do. It's really getting more and more impossible, and I was very proud of Marvel for doing this in what I thought was the right way. I didn't think it was an announceable story; just a normal part of life for these time-shaken X-Men, and not something that's a big, shocking, revelation.

 

So that's where we are. I'm very proud of the issue and I thought Mahmud Asrar did a fantastic job. Those scans of the issue didn't help people appreciate that because they were so blurry and crappy. He sold the scene beautifully. I'm very, very proud of it, and I'm proud of the way Marvel handled it all. I'm looking forward to and already appreciating the discussion that is already happening.

 

 

The one thing that struck me about the reveal was, why do this now when your run on the X-books is about to end?

 

That's the other thing. There's more to this story than just this issue. Other things are going to happen. In fact, the biggest questions are, "I don't understand. How is young Bobby out, but older Bobby isn't? What are you saying?" The answer is that you'll find out in "Uncanny X-Men" #600. I'm not going to spoil that. It will probably be spoiled for me, though.

 


This is a very complicated subject, and it requires more than a few pages to dive into. I thought it opened a great deal of possibility for the characters. I'm kind of leaving everybody in a different place than people thought we were going to leave them, including Angel and all the others. Let's just say that I'm pretty confident that the person following me is going to do this justice.

 

I'm not done with this story yet, though. I still have many pages to go, and then the next person has a story that they can do with a character that I would like to read.

 

Bobby's outing has drawn both compliments and criticism from fans

 

 

This story isn't something that's coming out of the blue, either. Over the years there's been a lot of hints that Bobby might not be entirely honest with himself about his sexuality.

 

Yes! That's the funniest conversation online. We have some people going, "What on Earth are you talking about? Where did this come from?" Then there are other people who weren't surprised at all. Already on Tumblr, and I'm not going to repost them until later in the week, people have posted a road map of panels of things that Bobby has done over the last 50 years that prove the point that I thought was obvious, and many others did too.

 

It's funny that we have so many people who saw it as coming out of left field, and so many people who weren't surprised at all. But with sex and politics, people are going to see what they want to see.

 

 

The other major reveal of this issue was about the characters that composed the ranks of the mysterious Utopians.

 

Yeah, and I legitimately thought the kerfuffle of this issue was who we picked to be about the Utopians. I'm sure that's still coming, but I thought what was on the last pages of the issue would cause more of a conversation. I guess I was just being naive. I live in Portland. Nobody here cares what anybody is or does. No one judges.

 

So here's the headline: This isn't the final statement on Bobby's very unique story. And it is not a universal statement on sexual identity, it's Bobby's unique one. The other portions have already been written and are being produced as we speak. Before I leave the X-Men on "Uncanny" #600, more layers will be peeled off of this, including what this means for older Bobby. I think we address all the big questions.

As Axel Alonso told MTV, a big part of the conversation when I presented this idea was, what happens next? What are we attempting to do here? Marvel was satisfied with my answers, and hopefully many other people will be as well.

 

I will miss this about writing the X-Men -- this platform to write about issues like this from such a unique perspective.

 

And to the already hundreds of people who have taken a moment out of their day to write to me and support this story -- thank you. Thank you doesn't quite cover it, but thank you.

 

While Bendis' X-run is ending, he does promise he has more to story to tell with Bobby

 

From: 

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/bendis-on-icemans-outing-says-im-not-done-with-this-story-yet

http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/21/8462897/iceman-x-men-gay-bobby-drake-brian-michael-bendis

[Guest Guest]

Power to Iceman!

 

[EasleyLim]

This Jean is a bitch.

 

1) Unwelcomed mind probe is rude

 

This isn't a girl who can’t shut other peoples’ thoughts out. So rather than respect other people's privacy, she decides to just bounce around in bobby's brain without his permission then tell him what his sexuality, cause you know. giving him the space to figure out his own thing is too much for her to do. Presumptuous as fuck.

 

2) Bi-erasure

 

Bobby dated Kitty and that flop, therefore he MUST be gay. Since when did a series of failed relationships dictates someone's sexuality? Going by that logic, half the population in BW must be straight at any given because their relationship with men didn't work out. Assuming old Bobby and young Bobby are the same Bobby, that’s some hard core bisexual erasure going on right there.

[gstc82]

Why? To capture larger audience? To be politically correct?

[Muscleanstr8btm]

He is from New York but in the movie, his appearances like coming from a country side. Like a friend to Brokeback Mountain. That is why he is gay?

[gstc82]

I think it is a marketing gimmick. If marvel/dc is really serious, why iceman? It it not be one of their iconic superheros like superman, batman, capt america or even the hulk?

[Tihocan]

Oddly enough, he is my favorite in the X-Men series despite that I don't read comics.

[Guest Guest]

I think it is a marketing gimmick. If marvel/dc is really serious, why iceman? It it not be one of their iconic superheros like superman, batman, capt america or even the hulk?

 

And if they really named superman, batman, capt america or even the hulk to be gay, will you ask why not Iceman? KNS

[gstc82]

And if they really named superman, batman, capt america or even the hulk to be gay, will you ask why not Iceman? KNS

nope. ice man is not an A lister.

[Bern]

Firstly, let's not be so cynical. Iceman IS unarguably one of the more popular heroes in Marvel and if you ask the geek in me, would technically beat Superman's ass in a fight. Secondly, Superman and Batman are from DC Comics, not Marvel (not sure why are you even bringing them in) and if this was a marketing gimmick, making Iron Man gay would probably have made more of an impact. Lastly, outing Iceman as gay has not disrespected the franchise, as people has shared online various "hints" of his sexuality from previous issues that make this twist plausible.

In fact, being a gay person, I am personally gratified that such normalization and representation of GLBT in mainstream media are no longer a nono in recent years, at least in the US -- a major cultural export. Who cares if Iceman is an A-lister again?

[hairy springroll]

Bravo to iceman

[Guest Glyph]

This Jean is a bitch.

 

1) Unwelcomed mind probe is rude

 

This isn't a girl who can’t shut other peoples’ thoughts out. So rather than respect other people's privacy, she decides to just bounce around in bobby's brain without his permission then tell him what his sexuality, cause you know. giving him the space to figure out his own thing is too much for her to do. Presumptuous as fuck.

Now I'm sad as fuck. You just called 1 of my 3 all-time favourite characters from Marvel a bitch. y u do dis to me? 

Though I have to agree with you on the mind probing. But how else would you expect Bobby to "come out"?

[minkle]

Ugh it's another bi-racial Wally West or Alan Scott "Oh by the way, I'm gay too" kinda thing

[Guest foooooo]

erm I'm sorry but Iceman is more than an A lister, he's a omega level mutant

[Guest Guest]

nope. ice man is not an A lister.

 

Do you know what is an omega-level mutant?? They are so much more than just mere A liters.  KNS.

[minkle]

erm I'm sorry but Iceman is more than an A lister, he's a omega level mutant

Being Omega level doesn't necessarily make them an A-lister either

[Guest Guest]

Being Omega level doesn't necessarily make them an A-lister either

 

And superman, batman, capt america and the hulk are A lister?

[EasleyLim]

Now I'm sad as fuck. You just called 1 of my 3 all-time favourite characters from Marvel a bitch. y u do dis to me?

Though I have to agree with you on the mind probing. But how else would you expect Bobby to "come out"?

This is Jean from another timeline hence the use of *this* Jean and not, just Jean. You can still like the other less bitchy Jean(s).

Well, for starters she can let Bobby come out on his own terms and be less presumptuous. There's a variety of reasons why Bobby shouldn't be forced out of the closet because some rude telepath thinks she knows him better than he knows himself.

Nothing's worse than being told your sexuality is invalid because hey, all the relationships you had with females thus far have failed, therefore you gay.

[Bern]

To be fair, I don't know how you arrived at that conclusion in your second argument, but that wasn't at all the reason for Jean confronting Iceman. She simply read young Bobby's mind. The history of his failed relationships does not come into the equation.

The conversation about Kitty happened with older Bobby later on where he himself affirms his orientation.

Not sure where all that angst is coming from too. But in this issue, it all ended in a tearful hug.

[EasleyLim]

To be fair, I don't know how you arrived at that conclusion in your second argument, but that wasn't at all the reason for Jean confronting Iceman. She simply read young Bobby's mind. The history of his failed relationships does not come into the equation.

The conversation about Kitty happened with older Bobby later on where he himself affirms his orientation.

Not sure where all that angst is coming from too. But in this issue, it all ended in a tearful hug.

 

 

This panel REALLY stomps on the idea of Bobby being bi. He's clearly still confused and Jean proceeds to tell him what he's feeling is invalid. Like, finding people of the same gender as you hot is exclusive to homosexuals, which is rubbish.

 

So in Jean's mind, there are only gay and straight people. Nothing else. Bi people don't exists.

 

In Bobby's case, her reasoning is that he's "full gay" is because Bobby dated Kitty Pryde which didn't work out... and it somehow became evidence that excludes bisexuality as one of Bobby's possible sexual orientation. So the implication here being Jean believes his failed r/s with women is a direct reason why Bobby's "full gay" rather than bi. All in all, Jean is just smacking her labels on Bobby rather than allowing him to self identify and come to terms with his sexuality on his own. 

 

Outing him before he's ready is already rude enough. And now she's telling him what he really is, based entirely on her standards. Just imagine someone telling you, you're not gay because all your previous relationship with men flopped. 

Edited April 24, 2015 by EasleyLim

[Guest Glyph]

This is Jean from another timeline hence the use of *this* Jean and not, just Jean. You can still like the other less bitchy Jean(s).

And in another dimension, I am totally hitting you non-stop with a pico hammer.

[EasleyLim]

And in another dimension, I am totally hitting you non-stop with a pico hammer.

 

I like Phoenix as much as the next guy. Phoenix is hella boss but I don't like how this Jean acted. 

 

(nevermind that Jean technically *is* Phoenix, huehue)

[Bern]

This panel REALLY stomps on the idea of Bobby being bi. He's clearly still confused and Jean proceeds to tell him what he's feeling is invalid. Like, finding people of the same gender as you hot is exclusive to homosexuals, which is rubbish.

So in Jean's mind, there are only gay and straight people. Nothing else. Bi people don't exists.

In Bobby's case, her reasoning is that he's "full gay" is because Bobby dated Kitty Pryde which didn't work out... and it somehow became evidence that excludes bisexuality as one of Bobby's possible sexual orientation. So the implication here being Jean believes his failed r/s with women is a direct reason why Bobby's "full gay" rather than bi. All in all, Jean is just smacking her labels on Bobby rather than allowing him to self identify and come to terms with his sexuality on his own.

Outing him before he's ready is already rude enough. And now she's telling him what he really is, based entirely on her standards.

Nope. That's exactly my argument.

The way I see it, there was more denial than confusion on older Bobby's part. Kitty wasn't the main argument fodder either. The logical premise of Bobby being gay that Jean based her views from came not from any of his past failed relationships, but simply from the fact that she is psychic and she knows what Iceman genuinely feels within. The reference to Kitty was just a device to bring older Bobby out of self-denial to terms with his true sexuality, a conclusion which more importantly, he came to himself.

Nothing about shoving any view upon Bobby when it was originally one of his own inside him.

All that being said, Jean's mental probing and outing of Bobby may not be completely apposite nor the perfect approach, but there certainly was nothing vulgar about her intentions anyway you see it, just pure unbridled concern from a person who wanted the best for her friend.

[EasleyLim]

Nope. That's exactly my argument.

The way I see it, there was more denial than confusion on older Bobby's part. Kitty wasn't the main argument fodder either. The logical conclusion of Bobby being gay that Jean based her views from came not from any of his past relationships, but simply from the fact that she is psychic and she knows what Iceman genuinely feels within. The reference to Kitty was just a device to bring older Bobby out of self-denial to terms with his true sexuality, a conclusion which more importantly, he came to himself.

Nothing about shoving any view upon Bobby when it was originally one of his own inside him.

All that being said, Jean's mental probing and outing of Bobby may not be completely apposite nor the perfect approach, but there certainly was nothing vulgar about her intentions the way I see it, just pure genuine concern from a person who wanted the best for her friend.

I'm not sure if you're aware but older Bobby is canonically straight. And if Bobby is really "full gay", then he's really bad at it, judging from the amount of ladies he fancied/dated in Uncanny, X-Factor, Champions and The Defenders. Now, Jean do indeed read people's innermost thoughts so surely *she* can't be wrong either. So based what is already established (i.e the entire continuity of Bobby's backstory) vs this one issue of Jean reading his mind and suddenly declaring Bobby to be gay, I'm inclined to believe Jean is just imposing her standards and labels on Bobby. And that he's really bisexual or else his entire backstory will make no sense (it would also imply that being gay is a choice or "a phase". You can't have gay younger Bobby and straight older Bobby. That would fuck up the entire story. Hence leading to issues that I've listed out in my first post.

then again, all the time travelling makes no sense and bendis basically just ruins people's shit.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Bern

[Muscleanstr8btm]

I am wondering if The Beast was his first ever mutant 'gay' bromance/crush since both of them always together fighting bad people.