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In case the articles, essays and opinions throughtout this site just weren't enough for you, here's my online diary (a.k.a. 'blog'). It's as close as you'll come to the inside of my head, so don't say I didn't warn you
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   Wednesday, June 21, 2006

   WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE

Finally, it's done. A couple months ago, Steven the editor asked me if I'd be willing to do a piece for fab on gay fans and did I know anything about science fiction? I laughed out loud.

After weeks of research, nearly ten hours of interviews and six drafts, I'm not laughing any more. The article I thought would be a joy to write became a millstone around my neck. Sometimes being too close to a topic can be as big a burden as not knowing enough about it.

But it's done -- my first 4000-word piece (or 3000, once the butchers are through with it) and I'm thrilled. My only regret is that the article is too long to include the sidebar Steven and I wanted to do -- a humorous little stripe of "sci-fi's gayest moments." Thanks to the wonders of the Blog, however, here it is:


COMET DUST: Tiny but brilliant gay moments in sci-fi pop culture

Barbarella (1968)
The entire movie. Seriously.

Logan’s Run (1976)
Michael York’s teleporter brings potential dates right into his apartment – one of whom is a man. Later, Farrah Fawcett turns up at the “New You” laser plastic surgery clinic. Too camp!

Flash Gordon (1980)
A hunky blond hero, a fey villain in fabulous outfits and a soundtrack by Queen make this goofy sci-fi flick gayer than Queer as Folk.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – “Rejoined” (1995)
Okay, they weren’t lesbians but this was still the hottest girl-on-girl make-out since Bound.

Starship Troopers (1997)
Hunky Casper Van Dien accidentally kills a fellow soldier. His military punishment involves being stripped, chained and whipped. Straight geeks are suddenly watching gay S/M porn!

The Fifth Element (1997)
As always, no actual gay characters but it’s got the wildly queeny Chris Tucker, a dyed-blond Bruce Willis, a fight scene set to opera-funk and costume design by Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – "Doppelgangland" (1999)
Willow sees the other-universe version of herself: “That’s me as a vampire? I’m so evil and skanky…and I think I’m kinda gay.”

Farscape – “Rhapsody in Blue” (1999)
Sure, astronaut John Crighton is straight and surrounded by sexy space chicks but a hot stud being bounced around a spaceship in his underwear certainly helped a show pick up new gay fans.

Smallville – most of it! (2001 – present)
In this version of Superman’s teen years, Clark Kent and Lex Luthor keep looking at each other like they’re about to make out at any moment. Rumour has it the producers had to tell the actors to knock it off but they were too late – straight girls love TV’s hottest gay couple!

X2: X-Men United (2003)
Ian McKellen’s sly villain Magneto almost kills Rogue, leaving her hair white. Reunited in the gay-subtext sequel, he purrs, “I love what you’ve done with your hair.” Ooh, snap!

Doctor Who – “Bad Wolf” (2005)
Searching for the Doctor, Captain Jack is captured and stripped naked by two female robots. Suddenly, he pulls a gun on them.
ROBOT: “That’s a Compact Laser Deluxe! Where did you get that?”
JACK: “You really don’t wanna know!” He shoots them and escapes.

Battlestar Galactica – “Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2” (2006)
The shocking season finale: abruptly, it’s one year later…and Apollo is married and fat!
Nooooo!!

Labels: comic books, Doctor Who, fab