My cousin introduced me to The Authority during its first run from the late ’90s into the new millennium. I was struck by Bryan Hitch’s clean and detailed art, as well as the shocking amount of violence doled out by writer Warren Ellis. I didn’t follow the series after the creators left, but I remembered the name of the title when Mark Millar courted controversy by having Apollo kiss Midnighter. I watched the news wide-eyed, thinking, “They’re talking about a comic book!” DC recently brought Stormwatch back and, with it, the characters of Midnighter and Apollo. Their relationship has yet to materialize, but as a reader and a fan, I want to see it, and I want to see it done well. But homosexuality in comics seems to cause an uproar. What’s the big deal? Why do media outlets report on controversy found in comic books? In my view, there’s more to it than two men kissing. (more…)