Transgender Women in Four Colors

I’d write about the latest anti-LGBT ruling by the Supreme Court, but I’m sure you’re tired of reading political rants. How about something completely different? Comic books (or graphic novels if you prefer.) I learned to read by looking at comic books. I used to have a huge collection, but I’ve sold off most of them because bills.

In any case, transgender people have recently been getting positive representation in comics. It used to be that gender swapping was done as a comedic trope (see Jenny North’s amazing website for a good collection of silver age transgender appearances) or they were the villains, like the Ultra- Humanite or Nigel Frobisher.

However, in the past few years, there’ve been more positive depictions. For example, Mantra in one of the independent titles. In the big two publishers, some early positive (?) depictions were Sir Tristan (preferred name) in the maxi-series Camelot 3000 (1982)–a reincarnated knight of King Arthur’s court who is now in the body of a beautiful woman. There’s Wanda Mann, who appeared in the Sandman arc Game of You (1993) whose depiction is a little problematic but mostly positive. Shvaughn Erin was a police officer who became involved with Element Lad of the Legion of Super Heroes, and was outed in 1992 when she could no longer get her feminizing drug. An actual transgender superheroine was Kate Godwin aka Coagula who appeared in Doom Patrol beginning in 1993, but, upon the reboot, was quickly killed. There’s also Lord Fanny in the Invisibles (1994) who is a transgender prostitute sorcerer.

Now in DC comics there are several transgender characters including Nia Nal aka Dreamer, who began as a character in the TV Arrowverse and was played by transgender heroine Nicole Maines. Here is a website with a list of current DC transgender superheroes, and here’s one for Marvel. My favorite TG character in DC comics is currently Doctor October (2011), a scientist for A.R.G.U.S. who while it’s strongly implied is transgender, they never really come out and say it. She is a friend of Batman’s who sent her a card when she transitioned

Marvel also has some transgender characters, but several are just shapeshifters. I really don’t read Marvel anymore, so I can’t say I know much about them. One I remember is Konrad “Konnie” Weiss, a man whose soul was transferred to a woman that Elektra was supposed to kill (1997). Konnie eventually made peace with her new body, but it was kind of played for laughs.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the brilliant series Astro City (multiple publishers) which has several transgender characters, including a wonderful story in issue 16 (2014) of the newest run (volume 3). Astro City is one of the few (only?) series I follow these days.

This little list is FAR from exhaustive. For example, I only mentioned Mantra (1993), who is a soldier reincarnated in a woman’s body. There are others I’ve never heard of I’m sure, as I rarely read comics now (can’t afford them.) In any case, at least in the world of superheroes, transgender people are getting a fairer opportunity than we are in real life. I sometimes wish superheroes were real, and could help us, but alas, all we have are ourselves. The fight is ours.

Be safe.

Tags: comics, featured, Transgender

Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment