SERIES SATURDAY: Young Heroes In Love

This is a series about … well, series. I do so love stories that continue across volumes, in whatever form: linked short stories, novels, novellas, television, movies. I’ve already got a list of series I’ve recently read, re-read, watched, or re-watched that I plan to blog about. I might even, down the line, open myself up to letting other people suggest titles I should read/watch and then comment on.

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To say that Young Heroes in Love was one of DC Comics’ more eclectic offerings of the late 1990s would not be an understatement. It ran 18 issues, from 1996 to 1998, and I remember enjoy its quirky take on a group of early-20s heroes just trying to make their mark in the greater super-hero world while also navigating their own hormones. I liked it enough that it’s one of those short-lived near-forgotten series that has had a permanent home in my comics collection, surviving multiple downsizings and moves.

And yet, I can’t recall having reread it since it was first published. So I was overdue but a little nervous to actually do it. Any time I consider revisiting something I haven’t read or watched in a decade or more, there’s always that question: will it hold up to my memory?

Happy to say that Young Heroes in Love pretty much does. It’s not perfect, but it’s still good – and when it’s really good, it’s really really good.

Writer Dan Raspler and artist Dev Madan co-created the team and concept, and you can tell from the first issue that they’re just having total fun with the idea of, as Wikipedia puts it, a super-hero garage band. These folks know they want to be super-heroes, and that the best way to make a name for themselves is to work together – but they’re really not very good at that last part yet. Given time, maybe they would be – but Raspler never got to explore that far since the series only ran 17 issues (plus a weird DC 1 Million crossover issue).  When the team encounters more famous heroes, like Superman (during his “electric powers” phase) in issue #3, they fall all over themselves fan-boy and –girling while also trying to impress. They even offer the Man of Steel (Electric? Whatever) membership! Most of the run is one endearing attempt after another to “make it big.” They go up against several giant monsters as well as a serial kidnapper and a villain team with a “rat” theme (Raspler’s hysterical take on the long history of villain teams built around a common theme, most famously represented by Marvel Comics’ Serpent Society). They have their biggest case fighting Batman’s enemy The Scarecrow, but they don’t make a big splash in the news. They do make a big impression on fans in Japan and end up the subject of a manga magazine – mirroring the success lots of young bands have overseas long before they become popular here at home.

Dev Madan’s art in the early issues sets a matching serio-comic tone, slightly cartoonish but not over-exaggerated. It took a little getting accustomed to (in my memory, the art was a bit more realistic). The characters all have distinct looks that stay consistent throughout the issues Madan illustrates (although the same can’t be said for the issues drawn by other artists), and he’s really good at giving the characters a variety of body types. Frostbite’s angular build contrasts Off-Ramp’s scruffy dad-bod (a term that I don’t think had been invented yet in 1996, but which totally fits the character). Bonfire is petite, Monstergirl is more full-figured. The diversity in body types of most of the team becomes extra apparent whenever Hard Drive (the telepathic/telekinetic leader) shares panels with Thunderhead (the team tank): both are broad-shouldered, muscular blonds (although Hard Drive’s blond hair is close-cut and Thunderhead’s is a typical shaggy rocker-do). I have to think making the Brain and the Brawn look so much alike was a conscious decision on Raspler and Madan’s part.

Okay, technically, Hard Drive isn’t the brains of the outfit – the diminutive Junior is the smartest guy in the room (at least until the team meets a particular pre-teen genius), but he’s often overlooked by his own team because he doesn’t have any other power other than being small – which does enable him to solve a case all by himself at one point, proving his worth to the cops if not to his own team. And Junior isn’t the only tiny member of the team: Zip Girl joins a few issues in, and she’s not only small, she can change sizes (to lead a normal life out of costume) and she can fly. Junior doesn’t mind, because he’s in unrequited love with her.

Which brings us around to the title of the book. They’re not just The Young Heroes – they’re Young Heroes in LOVE. The soap opera aspect of the book is nearly pitch-perfect, from budding crushes and unrequited love to one-night stands (and a subplot where Hard Drive tries to brainwash Bonfire into being in love with Thunderhead because it’s better for the team dynamic than her total sexual attraction to her power-opposite, Frostbite, and in which its very clear Hard Drive is in the wrong. Yes, he gets his come-uppance eventually). It being the late 90s, it’s not surprising that the majority of the relationships (the good and the toxic) are heterosexual. But not quite all of them. I’d forgotten just how (as comics writer Steve Orlando recently put it) “ahead of its time” this book was in, near the very end, giving us a relationship between a comfortably bisexual character (Frostbite) and a newly-out-of-the closet character (Off-Ramp). And it’s clear this was not a “the book’s being cancelled and no-one is likely to use these characters again, so what the hell” last minute decision. In early issues, we see Frostbite’s glances and flirting with Off-Ramp. Off-Ramp himself spends the early issues not showing attraction to anyone else on the team, mooning over a string of unsuccessful relationships with women. But the character blurbs at the start of the issues often included phrases like “who knows what Off-Ramp loves” – clear hints that sooner or later, Off-Ramp would have a romantic connection with someone. (And no – Off-Ramp’s coming out is not instigated by any kind of mind-control on Hard Drive’s part.)

If there’s one thing that might be deemed problematic about the book, it would be that the main cast is very, very, very white. Monstergirl, aka Rita Lopez, is an alien shapeshifter who hatched from an egg and imprinted on the Latino parents who raised her as their own (shades of Superman’s origin!). She’s the only Person of Color in the main cast (Yes, Frostbite is also not white: but he’s a blue-skinned ancient snow elf from northern Canada, so I’m not sure he counts). And there are only a couple of non-white supporting characters (including Junior’s childhood best friend who is now a cop). This is not something I consciously noticed in 1996-98, and I’m not sure it made a conscious impression on most readers at the time. There was no mention of it on the letters page at least. Which is surprising, given this was only a couple of years after the debut of Milestone Comics, an independent imprint published/distributed by DC. I’d like to think that if Raspler and Madan were pitching the book today, the cast would have been a bit more diverse.

I’d also like to think that if there had been more time, some of the fascinating background world-building would have been explored. Monstergirl’s alien uncle shows up eventually to reveal her true nature, but we never really get to learn anything about Frostbite’s people (for instance, are they connected at all to Justice League member Icemaiden’s community?), nor about the intriguing society of Travelers that Off-Ramp is apparently a member of. In fact, for most of the run everyone on the team seems to forget that Frostbite isn’t just another Young American Hero. Just like they seem to forget Monstergirl’s erratic behavior or Bonfire’s deep knowledge of the super-hero world except when mentioning it is needed to drive a plot point.

Soap opera romance, deep ruminations on the nature of celebrity and teamwork, tweaks on classic comic book conventions, young characters who are earnest and endearing but not perfect and whose bad decisions come back to haunt them, interesting world-building that never gets fully developed, and character traits that somehow get completely forgotten from issue to issue: holy shit – Young Heroes in Love was a CW Arrowverse show before there was an Arrowverse!

I doubt that Young Heroes in Love is on DC’s priority list for collection in trade paperback or hardcover (although, considering the recent collections of First Issue Special and Wanted, I could be wrong about that). But the individual issues seem to be available for only a few bucks each through places like Midtown Comics.

NEW FEATURE GRAPHICS!

For a while now, I’ve been considering commissioning new graphic headers for some of the regular/semi-regular features on the blog. Features like the book reviews, interviews and even “Series Saturday” tend to lead off with a photograph or book cover and so don’t really need a unifying header. But Reading Round-Up, Sunday Shorts and the new Top Ten(ish) don’t usually have a header of any kind, and boy were they feeling left out.

Enter Scott Witt: long-time friend/brother, former housemate, great cartoonist and all-around nice guy. Scott created three headers featuring his character Mopey the Platypus. Mopey is a coffee-drinking, moody, sarcastic writer waiting for his big break. Yes, he’s based on me.

Mopey has appeared in most iterations of Scott’s The World of Witt — in comic strip form, as part of several card games and board games. It’s an honor to be Tuckerized into Scott’s world. A world you can check out on his Patreon, and his Instagram.

And now: Mopey the Platypus in: New Graphics!

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PRIDE 2020 INTERVIEW: Sam Lant

This year’s final official Pride Month (EXTRA!) interview is with actor/writer/director (and my nephew) Sam Lant:

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Hi, Sam! I hope you’re staying safe and healthy during current events. What are you doing to stay creatively motivated in these unusual times?

Mostly I’ve taken things slow and allowed myself to use the time as a break. When the pandemic started, I saw a post that said something along the lines of don’t pressure yourself to make the next great work of art during the lock downs and honestly that was really freeing. Taking the time to just take care of my plants, hang out with my dog, and watch some movies has renewed my creative motivation and changed my perspective of what impact I want to have on the world.

 

You now identify as non-binary, but you’ve had quite a journey from confused kid to accepting who you are. Instead of a specific question, I’m going to just ask you to talk about that journey a bit.

I grew up very self-conscious about my body and my sexuality. Coming from a small town I didn’t get the exposure to the amazing LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles my late teen years.  I had no clue that there was more to sexuality and gender than Lesbian, Gay or Straight. As I grew up, and I expressed more interest in things that fell out of the stereotypical norm for straight boys, I started realizing that I wasn’t a straight male. Without understanding gender and having a very limited knowledge on sexuality I just assumed well I must be gay. The older I got though the more I realized that that assumption I made was ridiculous because I never once had been romantically attracted to a guy. At that point, I thought I was broken. I wasn’t gay, but I didn’t feel like I was a straight male either. For a long time I was constantly at battle with myself hating my body, hating myself for wanting to wear make-up like my female friends, and feeling like I had to hide from the world. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I was exposed a more well-rounded LGBTQ+ community and I realized that all the self-conscious feelings about my body and discomfort around it was due to gender and what I was experiencing was dysphoria. I learned about the transgender community, read about trans people’s experiences, and realized so much of my life made sense. I felt like I had figured out what had been haunting me my whole life; but was still terrified about the idea of telling friends or family. So, I still hid from the world. I did my make-up in secret and snuck my female identity into small accessories like rocking hot pink sunglasses. Eventually I got more confident and I came out to a few people but always would immediately go back into hiding myself again. It wasn’t until I was 18 or 19 that I found a great group of friends that were confident in their sexualities and genders which gave me the confidence to start wearing makeup and feminine clothing around them. The uncomfortable feelings I felt whenever I looked in the mirror started to fade away, the more confident I got the more traditionally female clothing and makeup I wore. After a while though, again, I started to feel discomfort and like I was still missing a big part of myself.  I couldn’t understand it and I felt awful. It was like a was a kid again just lost and confused about who I was. I fell back into depression and self-hate. I thought I was a fraud for a while.  Eventually I just had to say “fuck it.” I’m myself, I’m who I want to be. I don’t fall into any category perfectly, I don’t perfectly fit the ideal male image and I don’t perfectly fit the ideal female image, but that’s perfectly okay. For the longest time I was basing myself on what society deemed to be masculine and feminine and letting my personal identity be determined by how I dressed. For the first time I felt completely free of dysphoria and any self-hate. Instead of dressing a certain way because society deemed those clothes more female or male, I started dressing in clothes that I deemed an expression of who I am. For some people gender and sexuality fall into categories perfectly, but for me sexuality and gender are nonbinary. I fall into multiple categories and am full of wonderful contradictions that make me uniquely myself.

 

Of course, since June is Pride Month, I have to ask: how has being non-binary influenced or informed your acting and your interest in writing/directing? And is it at all different from when you started acting?

When I was younger, I was scared that if I let people know I was LGBTQ+ that I would limit myself to the roles I could play. I didn’t want people to see me and think he can only play the nonbinary characters or the trans characters. Now I realize that I don’t want to work with people who are going to cast me based on gender, so I’m much more open about who I am. I’ve also realized that I’m very critical of myself and would love to start letting myself be uninhibited by my criticisms when acting much like I had to stop over criticizing my identity.  With directing, writing and acting I’d like to start making films that have characters as unique and wonderful as my friends I’ve made. My friends all have wonderful identities that showcase the beauty of gender and sexuality that if I could make characters even half as well rounded and amazing as them, I’d be happy.

 

What inspires you?

My mom’s work ethic, she works so hard despite having so much struggle in her life. My friends confidence and attitude toward life even when things got tough during the pandemic. My dog’s ability to be happy and wag her tail over the smallest things in life. Film wise I’m a huge fan of Kevin Smith, I think Chasing Amy is an amazing film. I also love Tarantino. For TV/Film... I’m a huge fan of Stranger Things, Scream, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Graduate.

 

What does your creative process look like?

 Oh gosh, controlled chaos? I don’t necessarily have a set process, I have a lot of tools for acting, writing, and directing but not every project calls for every tool so there isn’t really a set in stone way I do things. Its more about letting things come naturally to what make sense within a scene.

 

What are you working on now? Do you have anything coming out that you’re allowed to announce yet?

Right now, I’m mostly working on not catching covid-19, I have asthma and my lungs are just trash so staying home and staying healthy is my main focus. I have a few projects filmed before lockdown that I can’t announce yet, but as soon as they get finished and I get the okay to talk about them I’ll let you know.

 

And finally, where can people find you and your work online?

I am currently not really using social media. I don’t feel it is being used for the greater good. I don’t believe it is being used as intended and it is having negative impacts on our lives.  So, I guess you can check out to my IMDB ... all the projects are updated as I am able to announce them.  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3137618/ 

 

Sam Lant is actor/screenwriter/director living in Burbank, CA.   Most known for his role of Dave the teenage party crasher in the cult classic Project X, he can also be seen in various independent films and on Fox’s Last Man Standing.  He is currently attending college to earn a degree in directing with hopes to make thought provoking artistic films.  He loves food, flying squirrel onesies, unplanned adventures, playing video games, and his dog Harmony. 

PRIDE 2020 INTERVIEWS: John "Jack" Curtin

Today’s Pride Month (Extra!) Interview is with theatrical and television/film hair and make-up artist John “Jack” Curtin:

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Hi, Jack! I hope you’re staying safe and healthy during current events. What are you doing to stay creatively motivated in these unusual times?

When the COVID-19 Pandemic shut down the entertainment industry in March and closed the Make-up Artists & Hairstylists Local 798, IATSE office, I started feeling anxious. I started making masks in an attempt to do something to calm those feelings. It actually worked to up my mood and reignited my creativity for sewing. I sent a bunch of masks to our mutual friend Karen Toth Seymour for her and the nurses she works with. I made them for my staff and Executive Board. Then I had a conversation with a friend who participates in Krew de Pink, a breast cancer charity in New Orleans. They have an annual Art Corset auction to raise money. So I pulled out my patterns and books from college and started making a corset to be auctioned. Now I plan to work through my fabric stock making things!

 

Since June is Pride Month, I have to ask: how has being gay influenced or informed your work in the theatre?

Being gay while working in theatre has been a mixed experience. While homosexuality is common in the arts and theatre, there have been issues.

I started out touring the country in the early 1990s as a wardrobe supervisor and truck loader. The touring company was a family where we could all be who we are; when we entered the theatre, we had to gauge how out we could be. In some places it was best not to be ‘found out’, in others we were ‘gay ambassadors’ educating people that we are all the same, no matter who we are attracted to. I have been cursed out, spit on and even been on the receiving end of a gun. Conversely, I had people thank me for being an “out gay man” as it helped them on their journey to come out.

When I started working on Broadway in the late 1990s, I thought I had left all that behind. Sadly, while it was ok to be gay, there were still people who would voice their negative opinion openly. I actually had a stage hand beg me not to let on we knew each other as he was seeing my roommate and we worked on the same show with his father.

Thankfully, we have evolved! The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which Local 798 is a charted member of, created the IATSE Pride Committee. Discrimination based on sexual orientation will not be tolerated. At last year’s Pride March, all Locals of IATSE marched as one as LBGTQIA+ people.

I am the Local 798 Pride Committee Coordinator, overseeing the NY and GA Local 798 Pride Committees, and looking to create committees in every state in our jurisdiction. We need to keep informing people about the LGBTQIA+ community, and win the protections we need to insure our rights.

 

I would love to hear a bit about your history doing hair and make-up for live theater and for television.

As I mentioned, I started out in Wardrobe as I studied Costume Design & Construction in college. While on tour, I started taking care of the show’s wigs, and started developing an interest in hair styling. I took the time to go back to school and received my Cosmetology License from New York State. I have been fortunate during my career to meet great mentors and found great opportunities. My tenacious attitude and strong work ethic helped as well. Broadway Wig Designer David Lawrence gave me my first break on a Christmas show in Chicago, and then Dream, the Johnny Mercer musical. While working with David at Bob Kelly studio I met many other Broadway designers, and was introduced to Michael Ward. Michael asked me to supervise a little show called The Lion King. It was the pinnacle of my Broadway career.

As you know, it is still running some 20 years later. My experience with work prior was a six to nine month run, then move to a new project. At the end of year two, I should have moved on as there was no creativity for me. At that time I became an Educator for Paul Mitchell as a creative outlet. I worked hard and became a Color Specialist and finally a Senior National Educator. After 5 year on The Lion King I chose to go back to salon work and take a break from theatre.

Theater and the Arts had a different plan for me. I did not take well to salon work, and after about a year was back swinging (filling in) on Broadway shows. I found a home at 42nd Street for the last 3 years of its run. During that time, I studied and took the Journeyman Upgrade test Local 798 offered. After 42nd Street closed, I started working in film and television, “day- playing” as needed. I was working with film legend Colleen Callaghan on a low budget film called Joshua. She recommended me to Department Head Kidnapped, which I had to leave early to again assist Colleen on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (on the Louisiana location) which won the Oscar for Make-up and Hair. This is what sparked my love of working on period shows.

Thankfully, earlier in my career I met Jerry DeCarlo who became my mentor and good friend. I assisted him on Carol and The Knick, both garnered various nominations; Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards, Emmy Awards and BAFTA. I also assisted Jerry when he ran background on Bridge of Spies and Vinyl.  If you would like to see all of the work I have done go to https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2226766/.

 

Which leads me to ask: what’s the process like for developing a character’s look? How much say/lee-way do you have? And is it different for live theatre versus working on a television show?

The process to develop a character’s look is a long and involved one. After reading the script at a table read with everyone involved, there are discussions with the Director, Costume Designer, Actors and Production. We all bring our research to the table and discuss the direction the character will go. We then have wigs made, hair colored and cut as agreed upon. Then the look is screen tested and any alterations are done to finally reach the final look/s.

Hair/Wig Designers have a good deal of input as we do the research and present it. That said, compromises have to be available to allow all visions room to exist.

 

What inspires you?

Love and Life are my prime inspirations.

I look back on my life and am happy with the majority of it. I regret we were not able to be our true selves in our youth, and that we were taught the wrong messages regarding LGTBQIA+ people. That said, I am so proud of how far we have come, and having been a voice for change. The beauty of life and its ability to endure and blossom is awe inspiring.

I have celebrated Love in my life, and am grateful and humbled by it. I celebrated New York Marriage Equality while working on Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and by getting married the following November in my home state of New York. The Love my husband and I share is the warm comfort in happy times and the steel needed to endure the hardships. As Whitney Huston said “Learning to love yourself is the greatest gift of all”. That self-love has been my sword and shield against the adversity of life, and has helped me grow into my true self.

 

What are you working on now?

I am working for all working people who have been marginalized by reversals of Workers Rights by the current administrations National Labor Relation Board. Specifically, Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists in the Entertainment Industry. 

In 2014 I became the Sergeant at Arms of my Local and became more involved. I also was the Education Director and worked hard to create a Membership Orientation Class for new members. In 2016 I made the choice to step away from working at my craft and to run for the office of Secretary Treasurer. It was a hard decision to make, but I saw a need to work for my Local and the membership. I won my election and took office in December of 2016. I am currently in my second term.

I was fortunate to join Local 798 in 1996, and work under Collective Bargaining Agreements which provide good wages, health, annuity and pension benefit so I will be able to live well now and retire with dignity. It was time for me to step up and insure that what was created by those who came before me to be available to those who will come after me.

Also, as I mentioned previously I have returned to creating through sewing. I’m starting with this Art Corset which I will post on my social media platforms (currently Facebook and Twitter, I have to get back to Instagram). After that I am researching male corsets and may create a second for the Krew de Pink auction. From there who know what else I will create!

 

And finally, where can people find you and your work online?

Most of my film and television work can be found on many of the streaming platforms currently available. For a complete filmography you can visit https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2226766/.

 

John “Jack” Curtin is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Local 798, IATSE. Jack is an Emmy and MUHS Guild Award Nominee and worked on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button which won the Academy Award for Outstanding Make-up and Hair. Film Credits include Wonderstruck, Bridge of Spies, Carol, Deliver us from Evil, Almost Perfect, A Little Help, Make Yourself at Home, Spinning into Butter and Joshua. Television Credits include The Path, Vinyl, The Knick, The Americans, America’s Got Talent (guests), Kidnapped and Law & Order. Broadway Credits Include  Pricilla, Queen of the Desert, La Cage aux Folle, Grease (2008), Coram Boy, 42nd street, The Lion King, and Dream.