Thread by @bsb1945

Since Batman and his sex life blew up Twitter yesterday, I suppose I would a bad comics historian if I didn't give you a THREAD on sex and comics. So here we go! (Cover your eyes, kids 👀) #twitterstorians

If you weren't paying attention yesterday, Batman trended for most of the day because of a Variety article that mentioned (as an aside) that DC wouldn't allow Batman to perform oral sex in their "Harley Quinn" animated series. Here's the article: variety.com/2021/tv/featur…

Here's the part that really blew up the Twitters: "Superheroes don't do that."

So, sex has always been a major issue in the world of comics. Why? Because of the popular perception that cartoons are for kids! Through the second quarter of the twentieth century, there were a series of social campaigns against comics content.

In the mid-1950s, the fight went all the way to the US Senate in a wild set of hearings (TN's Estes Kefauver was the chair) where the comics industry was put on trial. In the end, the senators judged that comics weren't actually a danger, but the cultural consequences were done.

In the short term, this controversy meant the death of one of the most creative and edgy forces in midcentury comics: EC Comics. For a great recent investigation on that classic, check out @QianaWhitted's book.
amazon.com/EC-Comics-Soci…

The long term ramification was that the US comics industry began self-censoring as a defense against future public campaigns. This is the origin of the Comics Code Authority.

The Code outlawed virtually all instances of sexual content, including nudity, "suggestive and salacious illustration," "illicit sex relations," and "sexual abnormalities." This is to say that comics would help hold the lines of midcentury sexual norms.

The place to start reading about the various iterations and adaptations and eventual demise of the Code, check out Amy Nyberg’s “Seal of Approval.”
amazon.com/Seal-Approval-…

So let's talk specifically about Batman and sex. First of all, of course, is the innuendos of Batman and Robin's relationship. Apparently it became quite the unspoken joke during midcentury to suggest a suspiciously close relationship between the caped crusaders.

This dynamic is precisely what Dana Carvey (and thereafter SNL) picked up on with the infamous "Ambiguously Gay Duo" animated sketch.

None of this meant that Bruce and Dick were gay (or bi). But it wasn't passing the notice of creators and audiences alike, either.

Sex and seduction were a key dynamic in the Adam West Batman TV show of the mid-1960s, as well. Many remember this show as having made a joke of Batman, but the truth is that it fairly accurately recreated the dynamics of that era in the comics.

Much of this sexual undertone centered on Julie Newmar's Catwoman (fitting for our present discussion!). This version of the character used her feminine sexual power to manipulate a very susceptible Batman. Sexual tension was fundamental to the relationship, but never consumation

There has been controversy over Bruce Wayne's relationship with Talia (daughter of villain Ra's al Ghul) which resulted in the birth of Damian Wayne. This character's backstory has been rather muddled to make him a byproduct of "genetic engineering" rather than sexual intercourse

In 2018, a now infamous scene in "Batman: Damned" depicted Bruce Wayne naked in the Batcave with his "bat member" in view. This sparked a controversy that resulted in DC having the image recolored to eliminate frontal nudity.

But there are definitely recent examples of exploring Batman's sexuality. In @FrankMillerInk & @JimLee infamous "Allstar Batman and Robin," Batman engages in a highly sexualized encounter with Black Canary.

In 2016, DC Animation released an adaptation of Alan Moore's famous story "The Killing Joke" in which the writers interjected a new sex scene between Batman and Batgirl (daughter of Batman friend, James Gordon). Fans were very unhappy, not about the sex, but the pairing.

In @TomKingTK run on Batman, the writer leaned heavily into the relationship between Bat and Cat, even going so far as to (nearly) having the two marry. The interactions between the two certainly suggested that they enjoyed a "no-holds-barred" sexual relationship.

The success of their soap operatic relationship has led to a popular spinoff focused specifically on the pairing of Catwoman and Batman by @TomKingTK and @Clay_Mann_.

So this bring this thing home: what does this discussion of Batman's sexuality have to say about American culture? I few things, I think.

First, this concern reflects our nation's anxiety about children and sexuality. Throughout our history there has been great debate over what should be taught to kids and by whom. This debate has only intensive in wake of the 1960s/'70s "Sexual Revolution."

Because many assume that cartoons and comics are for children, they is an anxiety that sexual content might defile the presumed innocence of minors. I've written about this in my book CHARLIE BROWN'S AMERICA.

Second, this present episode reveals the continued discomfort of mainstream media producers (and consumer groups) with depictions of explicitly *female* sexual acts. There is no coincidence that DC execs were outlawing Batman performing oral sex on Catwoman.

Finally, the reaction of fans and creators yesterday reveals something interesting about Batman: there has long been a battle between executive owners and creators/consumers over *who OWNS the character*.

Of course, the technical/legal answer is that DC owns Batman. But this character has become so integral to American culture that many others feel ownership in this character and openly act on those feelings, like they did yesterday online. Consider some examples:

WARNING: These are graphic, kiddos!

Example A

Example B

Example C

Example D (referencing the former Robin)

Example E

Anyways.... you get the point. This is a fight over childhood, over women's sexuality, over cultural ownership. All taking place in the world of Batman, believe it or not.

And I didn't even say anything about Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman....