HE TOOK ME AWAY FROM YOU...

fuckyesdeadpool:

Every single month when Spider-Man/Deadpool is released arguments start about whether it’s queer baiting or not. Given what’s happened in the last issue the argument has intensified so I want to know from everyone what they think.

Here is some context if you don’t know what’s going on because I’d also like people from other fandom to give their opinion since they’ll have some objectivity: Deadpool is canonically pansexual and we’ve seen him with women and men but most of the serious relationships have been with non-binary people. 

Spider-Man it isn’t so straightforward, especially now. Spider-Man is supposedly by default heterosexual even though fans have made great arguments for why they think he’s bisexual. It doesn’t matter whether or not you agree with subtext because we are specifically looking at straightforward canon but as far as I know Spider-Man has never said what his sexuality is. He’s always flirted with men in a humorous way but the evidence that people point to in the argument for him being bisexual is his longtime domestic partnership with Johnny Storm. They never say “we are dating” but they were together for a long time and what was obviously a domestic partnership

Still, debatable on whether this is canon because neither of them say they are dating anyone, it just seems that everybody knows already, and you never see them be overtly sexual with each other. As always I want to point out that proof of sexual interaction should not be a requirement because you don’t want to perpetuate the idea that anyone has to prove their sexuality, especially bisexual people but let’s consider that besides the point.

The two of them haven’t been together in years but a few months ago it was confirmed that Johnny Storm is bisexual and that he had been dating Daken but they had an uncomfortable breakup

Many fans are saying that this proves that his past relationship with Spider-Man was romantic because we now know that Johnny is bisexual and he was clearly shown in that domestic relationship with Spider-Man.

Does this count? Does Spider-Man have to be seen telling someone that he’s bisexual? Do one or both of them have to be seeing explicitly saying they had a romantic and sexual relationship?

Now the second issue that concerns Spideypool

As I said before Deadpool is pansexual and the only arguments against it are that pansexuality doesn’t exist so we are going to ignore that argument. Deadpool has been shown to have a crush on Spider-Man that’s gotten more serious throughout the years. This has been consistent in all alternate realities/mediums

Yes, I am including the unofficial porn parody because I’m that kind of person

Spider-Man has hated him until very recently, last year actually. Starting in the Spider-Man/Deadpool series Spider-Man actually spent time with Deadpool and realized that he had always judged Deadpool based on his reputation and he commits to being a good friend to Deadpool even though he continues to rebuff his advances.

Then:

Now:

issue 1

issue 12

The Spider-Man/Deadpool series is also a special case when you consider it in the context of fan service or queer baiting. The series was proposed by people who ship Deadpool and Spider-Man and enough people wrote in that Marvel actually did it and it’s become ongoing because the sales numbers are great.

Something else that might factor into your decision is that the series was more or less a gift to the fujoshi and its of like an adventure in tropes, especially romantic tropes

lots of hurt/comfort

protective and damsel in distress moments

The double date couple with the exception to the rule trope

revealing private parts of one’s life in confidence

the “X is unconscious, now’s my chance”

alone together on a holiday

the “I got you a little something…” trope doubled with the matching “couple” sweaters you saw above

and obligatory shirtlessness (Dramaworld fans will get this)

There are a ridiculous amount more but the one everyone’s talking about right now is the soulmate trope

Okay, now, is this queer baiting?

No one believes that Marvel has an actual intention to canonize Spider-Man being bisexual because it would be a risky business move as he is the character they market toward children. That being said, they’ve done it with other characters that seemed just as unlikely to become uncloseted. Because no one believes that Spider-Man is going to come out of the closet they also believe that this story is not going to end with them getting together which is a lot of the reason people call it queer baiting.

The series itself is about their relationship while they both try to maintain being superheroes so does the fact they each have opposing sexualities give more credit to the queer baiting argument?

Whether or not you believe Spider-Man is heterosexual, let’s assume he is for second. This is essentially a story about a queer lower classmen who has confessed to an upperclassman who then rejected him but becomes his friend.

Considering this does happen even amongst IRL, making it a legitimate story about what it’s like to be pansexual to some degree, is it still wrong to tell these stories because they don’t have HEA endings?

I know this is been long but please weigh in, what is your opinion on Spider-Man sexuality and what is your opinion on whether or not the series Spider-Man/Deadpool is queer baiting?