Posted in: Boom, Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: al ewing, bisexual., loki, marvel, pride
Al Ewing, Who Confirmed Loki Was Bisexual, Says He Is As Well
Given the gender and sexual fluidity of the Norse God Of Mischief, Loki, as well as the various physical forms they have taken over Marvel's history, they were defined as bisexual/pansexual as well as genderfluid was hardly a surprise, even if the TV show has only just caught up with the comics. But six years ago… it was a very different time.
Before comic book writer Al Ewing took over writing the Loki character for Marvel, the character had become more expressive in his sexuality. In Young Avengers, he had been portrayed as pansexual/bisexual fluid in a couple of panels. But when Al Ewing wrote the comic Loki Agents Of Asgard (for which he gets a special thanks in the Loki TV credits), that wasn't quite as emphasised. Al Ewing had expressed his intentions previously on Tumblr, saying, "Yes, Loki is bi and I'll be touching on that. He'll shift between genders occasionally as well." However, Bleeding Cool had learned that Marvel PR killed an interview by a high profile mainstream website with Al Ewing for the launch of that series, that focused around the character's "queerness". And the comic book, though showing a genderfluid Loki, didn't choose to go any further. Nowadays, Marvel would probably have killed for that coverage. What a difference half a decade makes.
It just came to mind today when reading Al Ewing's new blog, where he talks about his own bisexuality publicly for the first time, and struggles openly with himself over whether he even has the right to use that term to describe his own reality. It is both funny, touching, and insightful and it's well worth the read. And it might even give see some of his comic books be seen in a new light – not just Loki, but he wrote the wedding of Billy and Teddy – Hulking and Wiccan – in Empyre as well, and a bisexual Star-Lord in Guardians Of The Galaxy.
We Only Find Them When They'd Dead #7 by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo is published by Boom Studios today, in all good comic shops. It's rather good as well.