Well, this was certainly a surprise. It’s not often a writer asks for something specific only to be given it shortly thereafter, and I find myself in that very position today. In May, in the lead-up to PRIDE, I co-wrote an article on Trans representation at Marvel comics. We discussed the introduction of Jessie Drake, a character widely regarded as Marvel’s first Trans character. The book (Marvel Comics Presents #150-151) was fairly lopsided, with parts seeming to be sympathetic and kind to her, while others were iffy to say the least. This can partially be expected given the comic was published in the 90s, however this particular character never appeared again following that two-issue arc.
I mused on what a modern story examining her today would look like. Fast forward a month, and Marvel actually did it! Let’s look into this to see what I thought, and, while we’re at it, touch on the other stories featuring Trans characters in the issue. [Read more…] about Trans Representation in Marvel Voices: Pride