Hasta La Gadget!

G.I. Joe is about to go full-on homo(erotic) ― or at least one of the covers of an upcoming issue of the beloved comic book is.

The franchise, which has been offering fans stories about the “real American hero” and his comrades and enemies for over 50 years, recently asked acclaimed artist Ed Luce to design a variant cover for writer Aubrey Sitterson’s “G.I. Joe” #7.

The resulting art, due in stores on July 5, features The Dreadnoks, a biker gang that regularly appears in the comic book, covered in muscles and body hair, and engaged in some sensual bad-boy wrestling.

Luce, who created the queer “Wuvable Oaf” comic book series, recently chatted with HuffPost about the inspiration for his new “G.I. Joe” cover, the reactions he’s seen and more.

What inspired the homoerotic cover of “G.I. Joe” #7?


It was “G.I. Joe” writer Aubrey Sitterson. He has a unique, fun take on the familiar “G.I. Joe” team with this new book. He’s really interested in pushing the boundaries of the concept, honoring long-term fans but also engaging people that are primarily interested in more quirky indie comics. That’s why he’s invited some staples of the indie comics world to do covers ― folks like Tom Neely, Benjamin Marra and Brandon Graham. 

He’s also a fan of my comic “Wuvable Oaf,” published by Fantagraphics, which features a group of large, very bear-y looking dudes as main characters. So he thought I would offer a new spin on these beefy, macho military types. I was only too happy to oblige … I was definitely a fan of the ‘80s toys and cartoon.

Was there any hesitation over doing the variant cover in this way?
I wouldn’t say there was hesitation … certainly never from the writer, editor or the publisher, IDW. They’re very progressive with their releases. They’ve done great things with another Hasbro property, “Jem and the Holograms.” I did get a note from the first sketch I did, requesting that a certain character’s posterior be a little less arched, which kind of made me chuckle, because with female comic characters, that’s often been a selling point. They call it “broken back pose,” when you see the woman’s chest and butt at the same time … which is ridiculous and just not physically possible. But that request to tone down the one Dreadnok’s rear was it. Everyone involved seems to love the cover.

Was there a particular aesthetic you were inspired by or going for? I love all of the fur and I get a Tom of Finland vibe.
I was mainly drawing furrier, grittier versions of all these characters I loved growing up. So not to sound too arrogant, but I was giving them “Wuvable Oaf” makeovers. More body hair, a little chubbier, grimier. The original characters were always a bit too manscaped for my liking. I know my audience and I definitely wanted to give them incentive to seek out this book. I also wanted to remain as true as I could to their ‘80s costumes … because those are some classic “Mad Max” heavy metal/punk looks.

Has there been any pushback from readers?
Twitter whining. But what doesn’t inspire that these days? Honestly, that was the only conversation I checked in on. It’s interesting when someone clearly doesn’t like something that has a queer point of view. They’ll focus on something else and nitpick it to bits, just so they can voice their outrage without being called homophobic. A few tweets took umbrage with the idea that this was the first openly homoerotic take on these characters. They insisted someone else must have done this before, without citing any examples, of course. Some were frustrated that we were sexualizing these male characters at all. I’m curious if they have a problem with how Baroness and Scarlett [the two main female “G.I. Joe” characters] are drawn?

There were a few comments from gay men about the cover not going far enough. I guess that’s what fan art is for, right? I can’t go there in a licensed cover version … sorry, guys.

What are your thoughts in general about queer imagery ― especially obviously sensual or sexual imagery ― in comics? 
I think there needs to be more of it, now more than ever. And I think it needs to be as diverse as possible, encompassing all sexualities, gender identities, colors. People look to comics for comfort, connection and representation. They want to see themselves and I think honest portrayals of queer sensual or sexual imagery are a key component to acceptance, both of self and from society.

Can we expect more of this?
Yes … at least on my part! I did two queer-themed covers for Image Comics’ Pride Month campaign, one for Rick Remender’s “Deadly Class” #29 and Donny Cates’ “Redneck” #3. Those will both be available on June 28. Proceeds from these variants go to the Human Rights Campaign. And “G.I. Joe” #7 comes out on July 5!

For more info about the “G.I. Joe” comic books, head here.

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Janet Mock’s second book, Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me, includes a heart-wrenching essay in which Mock reveals that she was raped in college.

The 34-year-old author and trans rights activist published the excerpt on Mic.com on Tuesday. Mock wrote that she didn’t tell anyone about the incident until now.

In the excerpt, Mock wrote that she was raped in November 2003 by a man named Anthony who she “frequently made out with during study sessions,” after he invited her over to his apartment to hang out. When Mock arrived they began flirting and watching TV. Mock wrote that things soon escalated when Anthony wanted to do more than just kiss her. There was a struggle between the two and Mock tried to fight Anthony off, but eventually he ended up raping her on his bed.  

Mock wrote that she quickly realized that Anthony felt entitled to do whatever he wanted with her body.

“He felt he deserved to have my body because I had come to his room and he desired me. Walking past the threshold of his room was consent enough,” she wrote. “Having made out with him before was consent enough. Being forced into a corner so I had no choice but to yield was consent enough. Saying yes or no didn’t matter.”

My body, no matter how much I grew to accept it, could be violated, I realized.
Janet Mock

Mock explained that she’s been dealing with the trauma of that night ever since. The 34-year-old wrote that she never felt “deserving” of an audience to tell her story to, so she stayed silent.

“As someone who has been open about so many of my experiences ― from my family’s economic struggles and my teenage transition to my experiences working in a strip club, I am still reeling with the fact that I remained silent about this,” she wrote. “The only thing that has made me feel confident enough to share this now is knowing that I am not alone.”

As a trans woman, Mock wrote that it took a long time to accept and love her body. And as a trans woman she will always have to be weary of that same body being violated.

“My body, no matter how much I grew to accept it, could be violated, I realized,” Mock wrote. “No matter how much I learned to embrace it, it couldn’t always protect me from unyielding force.” 

Head over to Mic to read Mock’s full book excerpt.  

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Anita Pallenberg ― model, actress, It girl, style icon and former partner to Rolling Stones rocker Keith Richards ― has died. She was 73. 

The sad news was confirmed by friends of Pallenberg, including Stella Schnabel and Bebe Buell, on social media. Richards, who has not publicly commented on Pallenbger’s death, is reportedly “devastated.” 

A cause of death has not yet been released.

“I have never met a woman quite like you, Anita,” Schnabel wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of her and Pallenberg.

“You showed about life and myself and how to grow and become and exist with it all. The greatest woman I have ever known,” she added, according to People. (Schnabel has made her Instagram account private.)

”I will love you forever, dearest Anita,” Buell wrote alongside a vintage photo of a smiling Pallenberg. “Sleep with the special angels, Gods & Goddesses.”

Pallenberg was born in Rome in 1944 to an Italian father and German mother. In her teens, she began modeling and, according to the Guardian, even spent time at Andy Warhol’s Factory in New York.

In 1965, Pallenberg met The Rolling Stones backstage at one of their concerts and developed a relationship with guitarist and founding band member Brian Jones. After about two years, in 1967, Pallenberg left Jones for Richards as the previous relationship reportedly became violent.

Pallenberg and Richards, who both struggled with drug abuse, remained in a relationship until 1980 and had three children together: Marlon, Angela and Tara, who died during infancy. 

Pallenberg became a muse for the Stones, providing backup vocals for their hit “Sympathy for the Devil” and reportedly giving the band feedback on their music, according to the Guardian.

She also appeared in a number of films, including “Candy” (1968), “Barbarella” (1968), “Performance” (1970) with Stones frontman Mick Jagger, an episode of “Absolutely Fabulous” in 2001 and Harmony Korine’s film “Mister Lonely” (2007). Pallenberg also tried her hand at a career in fashion, graduating with a degree from renowned school Central Saint Martins in 1994. 

She is survived by two of her children, Marlon and Angela, and five grandchildren. 

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