trans themed storyline

DMRiley · 11 January, 2015, 01:38:57 PM

This may seem odd or maybe not, I'm hoping there could be a storyline where a key character could be a male disguised as a daredevil female adventurer, office worker, drugs boss, or something androgynous.

I don't know if there has been such a transgender themed storyline in 2000ad, but I'm putting a rare suggestion out there anyway.

ZenArcade · 11 January, 2015, 01:55:34 PM

Maybe the Biz droid will reintroduce Joe Pineapples cross dressing side. Z

The Enigmatic Dr X · 11 January, 2015, 02:02:33 PM

ZenArcade · 11 January, 2015, 02:05:00 PM

Great stuff, the prog is filled with instances of TG. Z

Bolt-01 · 11 January, 2015, 02:19:50 PM

Bison...

TordelBack · 11 January, 2015, 03:12:01 PM

There's also Judge Macho (I think) undercover in heels and a dress (Restricted Files 02?), and I'd swear Slaine has worn a dress to show his feminine side too but I can't find the story (Queen of Witches?). And I'm sure there are many others. You'll note that almost all of the examples so far exist mainly to provide opportunities to laugh at highly masculine figures in women's clothes, which is to do with where the background of the comic and its readership.

There are more serious exceptions, including the aforementioned Bison, and the rather good storyline where Slaine's eternal love Niamh is reincarnated as the studly-if-genocidal Simon De Montfort, a situation which Ukko tries to poke fun at, but actually fails since the feelings involved are genuine.

Steve Green · 11 January, 2015, 04:25:29 PM

I guess the first character in a transgender role beyond those mentioned was possibly the Glyph in Halo Jones, a person who repeatedly underwent body changes and became ignored by everyone.

They end up saving Halo and Toy sacrificing themselves in the process, but no-one notices them apart from 'something' being missing like a piece of furniture has gone.

Steve Green · 11 January, 2015, 04:36:11 PM

There have also been at least a couple of body swaps in Dredd.

Tomb of the Judges(?) where a female judge is driven insane, and her body is donated to a male judge who has been mortally wounded.

America - Bennett Beeny has his own brain transplanted into the body of America Jara, who is killed by the Judges, and then makes himself pregnant.

TordelBack · 11 January, 2015, 05:02:32 PM

Dammit Steve, those are great examples, wish I'd thought of them. All sympathetic portrayals and treated seriously, unlike the drag-as-comedy ones I recalled. Despite Bennett Beeny's importance as a character, the Glyph might be the best developed, but his/her story certainly doesn't have an easy message.

One of the issues with the OPs question is that the basic idea of a male character disguised as a female just doesn't have much of a SF concept angle to it: the examples we've come up with are mindswaps, bodychanger mishaps, brain transplants, all SF ideas in themselves. Despite not being human or strictly male, Joe Pineapples may still be the 2000AD character who deliberately wears women's clothing without it being an accident, a necessity or played solely for laughs.

Might throw Al Bestardi into the mix here - while obviously not Trans-themed, the idea of male pregnancy means that the whole of Al's Baby deals (humourously) with the overthrow of clearly defined gender roles.

DMRiley · 11 January, 2015, 05:34:47 PM

Blimey, didn't know there were quite a few references to this

might look up some of it myself

Quote from: TordelBack on 11 January, 2015, 05:02:32 PM
One of the issues with the OPs question is that the basic idea of a male character disguised as a female just doesn't have much of a SF concept angle to it: the examples we've come up with are mindswaps, bodychanger mishaps, brain transplants, all SF ideas in themselves. Despite not being human or strictly male, Joe Pineapples may still be the 2000AD character who deliberately wears women's clothing without it being an accident, a necessity or played solely for laughs.

Good point, it shouldn't be a surprise if something comes up in a future comic strip

Spikes · 11 January, 2015, 06:52:23 PM

There was, of course, poor old Judge's Percy and Glass from this tale...

Dunk! · 11 January, 2015, 08:18:14 PM

Great character and a fav pin up.

Definitely Not Mister Pops · 11 January, 2015, 08:26:41 PM

I think this thread demostrates that the prog is quite inclusive and Tharg is quite open-minded. None of the examples given feel like forced PC-box-ticking exercises, the writers wrote them because they thought it would make a good story.

Although in the interest of balance, it should be pointed out that prog 1066 still exists.

ZenArcade · 11 January, 2015, 08:32:01 PM

Uuuugh, those wern't the days. The sense of the prog being cutting edge thankfully saw off that particular immature want. Z

Mardroid · 17 January, 2015, 07:46:59 PM

Quote from: Steve Green on 11 January, 2015, 04:25:29 PM
I guess the first character in a transgender role beyond those mentioned was possibly the Glyph in Halo Jones, a person who repeatedly underwent body changes and became ignored by everyone.

They end up saving Halo and Toy sacrificing themselves in the process, but no-one notices them apart from 'something' being missing like a piece of furniture has gone.

That bit where Halo sketches at the end I found very touching...