Queers have long enjoyed the burden and honor of being considered our nation's tastemakers. Need better hair? Cooler digs? Wittier repartee? They know who to call.
But it looks like we're about to be replaced or, maybe, like the sad silver screen star, we already have and just haven't noticed. Hollywood -- and all its attendant press, hangers-on and star-makers -- have at long last discovered comic geeks. "These Comic-Con people, they have their ear to the ground. They are tastemakers," said actor-writer Marlon Wayans. (Hollywood Wiretap.) "This is becoming like Sundance but with cooler movies," producer Daniel Alter said. (The Hollywood Reporter.) "It's not a comic-book convention, it's a pop-culture convention," said Jeffrey Godsick of 20th Century Fox. (USA Today.)
Comic correspondent Malice reported back from three days of geekery with her girlfriend in tow. They hit the reception for the annual gathering of queer comic book creators and fans, boozing it up and talking about cool things they saw at the convention. She also stood in line with some 5,000 other fans for a sneak peak of Spider-Man 3 raw footage, which she reports is "fucking amazing." At the Kevin Smith panel, in response to someone asking him how he felt about working with a dance troupe in his latest film, he said, "Well, it was great. I must say that I'm the gayest straight filmmaker." And then, Malice reports, he did jazz hands and said "FOSSE!" Take that, Ang Lee.
ETC.: In my distraction of dressing SuperQueer in a purple kilt, I missed a shout out for the home team in Sci-Fi's Who Wants to Be a Superhero? show: Levity: Fighting for minorities and people who are "different." ... Especially devoted to protecting gay people from harassment. [Thanks to Adam for the heads up!]
Photo: Getty Images.
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