In an open letter, award-winning science fiction author David Gerrold has asked DC Comics for balance — and a job.
In response to the publisher hiring Ender’s Game author and gay-marriage opponent Orson Scott Card to contribute to its Adventures of Superman anthology, Gerrold suggests DC hire an “openly gay writer,” which he happens to be.
“I see that you have hired a writer for Superman who has written strongly of his opposition to equal rights for LGBT people. And I see that there is an online petition protesting that move,” he wrote on Facebook. “Perhaps you could balance that decision by hiring an openly gay writer to draft a Superman story for a future issue.”
Gerrold brings an impressive resume to the table, having written numerous science fiction TV shows, novels, nonfiction and even some comics. His credits include episodes of Star Trek (including the famous “The Trouble with Tribbles” episode), Babylon 5, Land of the Lost, The Twilight Zone and even The Adventures of Superboy — so has some experience with the Last Son of Krypton. And he wrote two issues of the Babylon 5 comic, published by DC Comics, as well as Star Trek manga. His novelette The Martian Child won Hugo and Nebula awards.
Gerrold writes:
Dear DC Comics Editors,
I see that you have hired a writer for Superman who has written strongly of his opposition to equal rights for LGBT people. And I see that there is an online petition protesting that move.
Perhaps you could balance that decision by hiring an openly gay writer to draft a Superman story for a future issue.
I hereby volunteer.
I have been a fan of Superman since Bud Collyer played him on the radio. (Before TV was invented.) I can remember Brainiac’s first appearance, and Bizarro too. And I cried when George Reeves died.
I do have some small credential as a writer of science fiction and fantasy. I have published a few books and written a few teleplays. (You can look me up on the internet.) I have also written some mangas, and I wrote two issues of the Babylon 5 comic you published ten years ago.
I have some very good ideas that I think would work well for the series. I’d like the opportunity to write for you the very best Superman story ever.
Sincerely yours,
David Gerrold
“The Trouble With Tribbles”
Land Of The Lost
Twilight Zone
The Martian Child
(and a whole bunch of other stuff)
I see that you have hired a writer for Superman who has written strongly of his opposition to equal rights for LGBT people. And I see that there is an online petition protesting that move.
Perhaps you could balance that decision by hiring an openly gay writer to draft a Superman story for a future issue.
I hereby volunteer.
I have been a fan of Superman since Bud Collyer played him on the radio. (Before TV was invented.) I can remember Brainiac’s first appearance, and Bizarro too. And I cried when George Reeves died.
I do have some small credential as a writer of science fiction and fantasy. I have published a few books and written a few teleplays. (You can look me up on the internet.) I have also written some mangas, and I wrote two issues of the Babylon 5 comic you published ten years ago.
I have some very good ideas that I think would work well for the series. I’d like the opportunity to write for you the very best Superman story ever.
Sincerely yours,
David Gerrold
“The Trouble With Tribbles”
Land Of The Lost
Twilight Zone
The Martian Child
(and a whole bunch of other stuff)
DC responded to the backlash to Card’s hiring earlier this week, saying, “As content creators we steadfastly support freedom of expression, however the personal views of individuals associated with DC Comics are just that — personal views — and not those of the company itself.”
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