Comic book plots have always been an opportunity to give a metaphorical voice to minorities from all walks of life. X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Batman and Spiderman are all examples of this phenomenon. X –Men especially, has always induced grins from the queer community as the characters discover they have special powers with the onset of puberty, which isolate them from the rest of society.

While improving the fashion sense of straight men everywhere, and inspiring underground vogue culture do not have quite the same effect as manipulating metal with one’s mind or walking through walls, they are interesting take son growing up knowing you are different; they give readers the opportunity to experience the loneliness and frustration that accompanies living outside the bounds of popular cultural conceptions.

The opportunity for queer comic writers to document their lives through humour of politics has been extremely important in breaking through the metaphors and exposing queer culture to comic readership.

Ground breaking works such as Dykes to Watch Out For, Strangers in Paradise, A.U.N.T.I.E, and Chelsea Boys hitting the main stream has helped to flesh out queer culture in a new medium. With every issue providing a different focus, from queer family life to politics to adult comics to educational coming out stories, the angles are endless.

The success and longevity of Queer comics come thanks to the dedicated writers, publishing companies, and independent store owners who have fought to retain the original content in a visible medium, despite constant attacks from the government, Christian coalitions and right wing censorship.

Jayson is one such comic that is celebrating 25 years of misadventures. The brain child of Jeff Krell, who began the comic in 1983, has made appearances in Philadelphia Gay News, Gay Comix, and Meatmen with the syndicated strip.

The characters that colour this world are Jayson and his loyal best female friend Arena Stage, the cross dressing queen Robyn Ricketts, and Jayson’s previously puritan mother Bertha – she breaks with the norm and vehemently defends her son’s sexual orientation, with the point of a pitch fork in some cases.

While relying on stereotypes works for the comic within these four characters, it grows tiresome as the story expands to other characters in the Jayson universe: a washed up closeted gay movie star, sperm hungry lesbian power lawyer, and religious fanatic farmers.

Jayson has its moments and provides the intended light-hearted fluff with a queer theme. The largely non-political strip does handle some interesting issues: skimming the surface of the gay porn industry, closet fame, self hating gay justifications, gender variance and parental motivations. Jayson exposes the serious issues that surround queer life and sensibility without delving in to the heavier issues.

Pick up one of Krells graphic novels for a relaxing read, and support queer comics and their freedom to explore queer themes.

Jayson Goes to Hollywood

http://www.ignite-ent.com