There’s a new superhero team in the mix and guess what-they’re all gay! I guess you could say they’re super gay. I mean, with a leader who goes by FabMan and a team that has a giant, anthropomorphic bear who goes by the name of Bear and wears a kink harness, it would be hard to say that Joe Glass‘s The Pride is not super gay.
I am going to be very honest: At first I was a little annoyed with this series. I felt like I was getting hit on the head over and over again with stereotypes and clichés. As I read on, I found myself relating to and understanding the struggles that the team has to face-not only with the outside world, but within the gay community as well. It’s also funny-very, very funny!
The Pride has two lesbian characters-Evangeline AKA Frost AKA the “Ice-Cold Headmistress keeping the masses in line” and Queen Sapphire AKA Muscle Mary.
These two come from very separate and unique backgrounds. I really love learning backstories to characters and Glass does an amazing job including these in every trade.
I have to say, one of my favorite characters is Queen Sapphire. This noble character comes from the hidden Island of Labrysia-which always made me giggle because I read it as the hidden island of Labia. The Island is home of the Sapphonisi, “a secret nation of mighty womyn” with “power, compassion, and sisterhood” as their goals. Everything was pretty cool and chill until a group of men showed up. (Typical men, amiright, ladies?) Anyways, these dudes show up and kill Sapphire’s mom! Everyone is super mad and wants to kill the men, but Sapphire speaks up and tells them to give them grace and let them live.
After the murder of her mother, Sapphire exclaims: “I shall go unto the world of man, and look for the good that dwells there. And if I find it wanting, then shall we see fit to correct them. And with the Labryx of Metis, I shall have the Strength to spread our message.” She’s essentially saying, “I’m going to go into their world, find the goodness, and beat the crap out of any evil or wrong doing.”
Muscle Mary is one rad chick. We first meet her sticking up for women who are getting abortions, catching a brick that was thrown at her, and crushing it with her bare hands.
I know why you’re all here. Lets get down to the nitty-gritty! The drama! The sex! Okay, you actually don’t get to see any sex-but you do get to see characters in bed and making out with each other.
Look, I may be reading into this, but I feel like Frost might just be a bit of a dominatrix. With that buttoned-up top, tight vest, and icy exterior you know that girl is a freak!
We don’t get to see too much of her past, but what Glass does choose to reveal is pretty interesting. We find out that Frost comes from a very rich British family who disowned her when she got her powers. Well, I should say modified her powers. Glass reveals that she paid for her powers, but he doesn’t say why or where.
The Pride does a great job showing the heartbreak that homophobia causes. I felt myself being frustrated with these heroes and the scenarios they are placed in. As the series continues we learn the back-story of other heroes, like Wolf, who was fired from the mainstream group because he was gay.
The group sits him down in a corporate-like meeting and asks him to leave because he didn’t fit the groups “brand” and they were afraid that the group would seem “weaker to evildoers because they had a gay man on the group.” It didn’t matter that Wolf had just saved the entire group or was an integral part of the team-the only thing that mattered was that he was gay. Tsk tsk tsk.
I also found it funny that the main villain is a Reverend with a thick southern accent. The Reverend is up to some freaky stuff, man. Let me tell ya! I wont give too much away, but let’s just say that the Reverend’s henchman, Basher, does in one of the team members and takes him back to a secret lab. Okay, that is exactly what happens-but I wont tell you who or why!
The Pride is easy to read and is very enjoyable. I’m excited to see what else The Pride series and mini-series has to offer. Glass does a great job tackling LGBTQ issues while maintaining a fun and engaging atmosphere.
The Pride can be purchased as digital PDFs (excluding in the EU due to EU VAT laws) and print, along with limited edition special art prints by Cory Smith (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Secret Wars Journal) and Kevin Wada (Marvel and DC cover artist) via the online store at www.thepride.bigcartel.com as well as Comixology.com.
