Stan Lee Developing a Gay Superhero Television Series for Showtime

Posted on Thursday, November 13th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

I understand that Stan Lee has created some of the biggest superheroes of all time, but it seems to me that he has run out of good ideas. In recent years Lee’s contributions have included a risque animated superhero tv series Stripperella, POW Entertainment direct-to-dvd animated movies Mosaic and The Condor, an upcoming Playboy playmate superhero tv show, and the Who Wants to be a Superhero reality show (which is actually a guilty pleasure). Point is, when I here that Stan Lee is involved in a new project, I’m not expecting the next Spider-Man.

Showtime is teaming with Lee to develop an hour long television project based on Perry Moore’s book Hero, about the life of a gay superhero. I’m not against the idea of a gay superhero, Rober Smigel’s The Ambiguously Gay Duo is one of the funniest shorts to be shown during Saturday Night Live (quick trivia: did you know that the main characters Ace and Gary were/are voiced by Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell, pre-Daily Show/Colbert Report?). But I’m guessing that the tv series will just aim for sensasionalistic instead of good.. The official book description follows:

Perry Moore, the executive producer of Disney and Walden Medias film adaptation of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” now tells an unforgettable story about the coming of age of a young superhero. Intermingling superhero fantasy with relationship and sexuality issues, HERO follows the tumultuous life of Tom Creed, a teen with a lot to hide. Although he?s a star basketball player, Tom is alone with burgeoning superpowers that he feels he must keep from his father, a fallen, embittered superhero. Asked to join the League, Tom is excited to find himself surrounded by others with special powers, like the ability to start fire, spread illness, or see the future. But for all this, he must still face his greatest secret and come to terms with who he really is. Winner of the 2008 Lambda Literary Award in the Children’s/Young Adult category.

Discuss: Would you watch a television series about a gay superhero?

source: THR

Comments

Captain Awesome

You say you're not against the idea of a gay super hero then cite the "Ambiguously Gay Duo"?

haha, come on.

I'd watch this if it's done well. Not just for the gimmick of having a gay superhero. But if it actually tells a good story behind the character.

ANGRY BROOMSTICK

no, because I'm sick of superheros in general.

orange cinema

i agree that stan hasn't given us the best new projects in recent years, but this is not his own creation - like the others. i'd be curious to hear the specific details of his involvement, in order to guage how i feel about his role in the project.

but as for the show itself; SHO & HBO are both pretty much in the pocket recently, and if a show is just plain good, then i'll watch it - regardless of the tagline. i think it'd be narrowminded to judge a show based on the tagline alone, for example "a show about small-town high school football" sounds bland, but friday night lights is one of the most compelling tv shows i've ever seen...so "a show about a closeted gay superhero" could also turn out to be great, as it certainly sounds like a new/fresh premise. if its executed well, then it could be pretty awesome.

has anybody here actually read the book? is it good? do you recommend it?

Nathan

it's commonplace now for homosexuality to be so open like it is. I do have disagreements about homosexuality but not everyone thinks the same or lives the same lifestyle. So, yeah, I wouldn't mind watching a show about a gay superhero. Problem is...I don't have Showtime.

Michael Sean Wright

While I'm not here to defend Mr. Lee's recent output like Condor, I will say that his characters have always struggled with deep personal issues.

Peter Parker was the shy science nerd who could never talk with girls. The males in the X-men were a twisted mess as well. Lee understood, perhaps better than any comic writer, that an interesting hero is always conflicted. I'm not surprised that he would tackle the issue of sexuality and identity in his latest venture.

I would also argue in favor of having high expectations for HERO. Lee is still vibrant as a writer. I hope this vehicle will allow him to stretch out even more. He created the modern serial and it's his to re-invent. GO STAN GO!

TheDaftPunk

No. I'm really getting tired of purposely trying to be edgy, or preachy, or politically correct.

Silas

I hope it's an awesome gay show for kids! It should teach kids how to be gay! Gay is the way!! I'm so happy Stan is doing this! Props to Stan for supporting the gay people and this glorious lifestyle! Thanks for posting!

Andrew

The story is obviously rooted in someone's life, and is based on very real things. I don't think that makes it edgy, preachy or politically correct, I think it's just a story that could possibly be interesting. Or it could suck, and either way it won't be because of the homosexuality of the character.

B-Ray'n

Hellz yeah I'd watch it. Been waiting for a gay superhero show.

Ghost

I dig whatever The Man does.

JayCampbell

This sounds interesting certainly... I can't help but being reminded of Kavelier and clay... I'd watch it for sure

cib3k

If it's a comedy and it's well done, I'll watch it. If it's a drama, I probably won't. I just don't care much for gay characters. Can't relate to them, find them too different and boring. Same with Angels in America - in spite of the talent involved, all the stuff about the life and hardships of the homosexual human male left me cold and bored, so I tuned out somewhere in the middle. It's like watching an accountant talking about his daily work and seeing him interact with other accountants - I'm not interested. I'm not into that and I just don't care. Now, if you take the "accountant", keep the details about his "work" to a minimum, and present him as a particular human being in an interesting context, then I might watch. If you make him funny, I'll also watch. Otherwise, no.

Sergemeister

Can anyone disable that Nike ad that gets in the way?!? GIZ!~~

BobC

Why does every character who is gay have to be a big deal? Why can't it just be a throwaway detail like most gay people I know?

Any of the guys in Resevoir Dogs could have been gay.
A guy from Saving Private Ryan could have been gay,
Admiral Ackbar could be gay.
Why does sexuality have to be worn on a character's sleeve?

Nealwood

If you want to read a story where the hero's homosexuality is just a throw-away detail, then you should start with "Of Merchants and Heros" by Paul Waters. Set in ancient Greece and Rome, it's the story of a young man's coming of age, includes many heroic exploits, and tells the story of his first love. I can't wait for it to be made into film.

cib3k

My comment is awaiting moderation. I can't figure out which word triggered the filter.

Paul

If it's good, which it won't be.

Siri

I am hoping your question "Would you watch a television series about a gay superhero?" means "Would you watch Stan lee's take on the gay superhero". This has nothing to do with political correctness. I can't wrap my head around the fact that you ask people if they would or wouldn't watch a super hero series solely based on the fact that the hero's gay. If you do mean the first, i guess both /film and it's readers are a lot redder in the neck than i (a dutch woman) always thought.

orange cinema

@ bobC

i understand what you are saying, and i wholeheartedly believe the gay community would love to have it that way - but the problem is that their civil rights are not the same as everyone elses. just as many other races and the female gender use to (and some stilll do) have to fight for equality, the gay community's fight is on-going. until that day of equality comes, it is completely understandable that fictional works about their life will reflect thier struggle, and contain deeper messages.

i promise you, they would love to just have things be not so 'highlighted', they way they are for the straight people. you also have to remember that this is the entertainment industry we are discussing, and entertainment has always provided a platform for messages. not to mention, in recent weeks we have discussed the lack of superheroes that aren't white, so why can't we discuss a lack of non-staright superheroes as well?

just look at some of the sad and ignorant comments that are posted on this page. it completely reflects the fact that they are still unnaccepted by so many. how can we fault them for taking a stand in the literary medium?

if some of these rude comments were of a racial nature, i doubt they would even be allowed. so why then, are the gay bashing ones accepted?

Siri

cib3k, i feel your pain.

/film, maybe you can post a list of them pesky keywords? I am quite sure i wasn't hate-speechy and actually semi-intelligent. :)

Nish

I kinda disagree that the gay aspect should be a throwaway detail. Its going to be a major part of the characters conflict, not only does he have to keep his identity secret, he has to hide his sexuality, he can never really be open with other people super or not. I only hope that the words "super" and "gay" are not uttered in the same sentence, otherwise, he will come off as a south park character.

Schneid Remarks

Before anyone makes a decision on this, I strongly suggest you read the book.
Perry Moore's Hero is one of my all-time favorite books, and honestly one of the best looks at what a "Realistic" world filled with superheroes would be like I've ever read, and that includes Watchmen.

The gay aspect of the character is played to the right degree, it is an issue for him, as it is for any gay youth, but it is not the forefront of the story. Tom is a great, realistic character and I hope that people don't look this as "That show about the gay superhero" but as "The show about the superheroes in the real world."

HOGAN'S HEROES

I read the book last year and being a straight guy at times I kept asking myself if the gay plot of the book was even necessary because the story stands on it's own as a teen who is the son of 2 very famous Superheroes of the olden days and how he's on a shitty probational low end rung of the books version of the Legion of Super Heroes. So he's got to prove himself, deal w/ his team members, solve some murders, stop bad guys...all of that was exciting enough. Kinda felt the homosexuality issue dragged it down at times. But the book is solid and it pays great nods to elements of super-hero nostalgia from our favorite DC & Marvel legends which was fun to pick up on. When reading it, you could definitely see it play out in your head as a movie or TV show...

Pete (original)

why watch a gay superhero? he'll never get the girl.

ben candle

as a gay guy who's kind of annoyed by hollywood's tendency to trot out only the effeminate kind of queer guy when it wants/needs a queer male character on screen, i'm hoping they show a more real-world, regular-guy who happens to be gay and show some restraint with it. But if Stan Lee has a major hand in it, i don't see "new classic" or even "class" being the name of the game. :( Here's hoping tho! also: The Midnighter is AWESOME!!!!!!111!!

Bryan S

Your right Pete (Patirica)! He will never get the girl.. He'll only get the hottest sex of his life without all the begging, whinning, and BS that accompanies heterolife. Perhaps it would be best to stick with chik-flix disguised as superhero flix that you are accustomed to. Dont forget the kleenex!

YoungZe

Jesus he is 85 years old. Sure he runs out of good ideas.

Hendo

nope.

johnm

gay superheroes? cmon now lee! it's just not an image the american people want to see. but if so, might just as well screen asian movies.

Brian

Thanks Stan for ruining one of the few last good things about movies....Superheroes. My respect level for him has just gone down a LOT.
What a stupid idea.

Mikey M

Hey Daft Punk, because someone is portraying a lifestyle that is pretty common place nowadays. Why is that being preachy?
No more preachy than having Heteroes kiss and make and and also be superheroes on Screen. To different sides of a coin.
Wake up. Its 2008.
Being gay is just like being Hetero except you have to go up against different struggles and that's what this book portrays.

gracklebaum

@silas: sarcasti-tard

@BobC: kudos

@Pete: oh, he'll get the girl, he just won't want her. girls love gay dudes.

da' joka'!

What are they gonna call him "Gay-man"?

JBizzell

Agreeing with DaftPunk. Mikey M... point is, they're advertising it as a "gay superhero". They're purposefully using that angle to be edgy and push boundaries. Why not make an awesome superhero, but not mention he's gay, just let the show go by itself. Hollywood still treats gays like freaks, whether they're putting them in movies/shows or not.

JJ

Might be an interesting character, though I find it ironic and rather distastefull that one of his superpowers is to spread illness. Talk about a hang up on stereotypes!

perry moore

Hi there,
I'm Perry Moore, and I wrote HERO. If you want to know more about the story, I agree with the comment that you should read the book, which speaks for itself. You may be surprised. And please feel free to contact me at perrymoorestories.com. I enjoy the feedback. Thanks for an interesting discussion, and here's to a great show at a magnificent network!
All the best,
Perry

j. another smith

"Im not against the idea of a gay superhero, Rober Smigel’s The Ambiguously Gay Duo is one of the funniest shorts to be shown during Saturday Night Live".

Yes Peter Sciretta, that is no actually a positive example of a superhero or gay people, it is just pitiful for you to use that as an example. Perhaps the fact that you used that pitiful example as your reason for not being against a gay superhero (even though the way its made is making fun of gay people and superheroes in general) is the reason now something like this should be made , the skit may be a funny skit (snl) but it can not exactly be taken as an example of your or anyone's "gay tolerance". I can not wait to read "Hero". I do hope this film or "television project" is made with quality.

Qat

Would definitely watch- also, dunno if you can edit your post or not, but you spelled 'hear' 'here...' anyway, I'd only watch it if it were good... sounds interesting, though!

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