The Gay League is one of the first and largest groups in the world for LGBT comics fans.<\/p>\n
The group had its start in the summer of 1997 after a man enigmatically referred to as \u201cUlu Vakk\u201d (that\u2019s Color Kid from the Legion of Substitute Heroes) attended Andy Mangels\u2019 \u201cGays In Comics\u201d panel at San Diego Comic Con. The panel served as inspiration for bringing LGBTQ+ fans together online. It seemed the perfect solution to the few people who were posting campy and very gay remarks on the old DC Comics message board (that was then a part of AOL at the time), and soon a very informal e-mail list was born.<\/p>\n
That initial list grew and grew and KEPT growing, until it became too big to contain in just e-mails. Anton Kawasaki, one of the original founding members, proposed the idea of a making a website where we could take the list (and the group as a whole) public. Anton enlisted the help of Drew Moore for graphics, and later \u201cZan\u201d Christensen made the site even cooler! Joe Palmer took over as administrator, and the Gay League grew to hundreds, then thousands of members. Local Gay League groups began to meet up in cities, and there were even a few \u201cGay League Convergences\u201d in NYC where members traveled from all over to meet.<\/p>\n
And then\u2026the website was the target of a rather nasty hack, and most of the content was taken down. While the website continued on throughout the years, it was never quite the same \u2014 with most of the social stuff unfortunately removed. You can\u2019t keep gays and their comics down, however \u2014 as the Gay League was later reinvented as a very active group on Facebook. Joe eventually added Patricia Jeres and Steven Leitman as co-administrators.<\/p>\n
Anton decided to bring back the website to its former glory with redesigns in 2015 and 2025 \u2014 and the Gay League site is once again THE social site for LGBTQ+ comics fans!<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”flexbox-item” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/03\/GayLeagueConvergence.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”right” animation_duration=”1300ms” animation_intensity_slide=”40%” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”||on||||||” text_font_size=”12px” ul_font=”||||||||” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n
An early \u201cGay League Convergence\u201d (early 2000\u2019s?) \u2014 outside The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n
“Why a website for LGBT comics fans?”<\/strong><\/p>\n As mentioned above, the Gay League has been around in some form or another since 1997, with a few LGBTQ+ individuals finding and connecting with each other. Most people who have read comics all of their life know that being a comics fan can sometimes get them treated like a pariah. That attitude’s changed in recent years — thank goodness — with the growth of “geek” culture, and the popularity \u00a0of superhero films, Comic-Con, and genre TV. But it wasn’t always that easy, and comics fans often sought each other out.<\/p>\n When you add LGBTQ+ on top of that, you fit into an even SMALLER circle of people, and sometimes it’s hard to connect with other comics fans who don’t share the same experiences\/point of view as you. That’s why we created the Gay League in the first place, so LGBTQ+ fans could have a group they can more easily connect with. Is the world becoming a more accepting place for LGBTQ+ individuals? Absolutely! (Although it still has a long way to go). Some people may think a group like this is completely unnecessary in today’s world, but we still think the LGBTQ+ comics fan experience is unique, and we want to create a safe place for those fans to congregate.<\/p>\n (P.S. — Yes, we really are inclusive off all genders and orientations despite the name “Gay League.” We weren’t very forward thinking before registering the domain name over two decades ago).<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#FFFFFF” module_class=”overlayred” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#999999″ background_image=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/checkerboardpart1.jpg” parallax=”on” parallax_method=”off” custom_padding=”100px||100px||false|false” top_divider_style=”slant2″ top_divider_flip=”horizontal” bottom_divider_style=”slant2″ bottom_divider_flip=”horizontal” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/gay-league-logo-small.png” title_text=”gay-league-logo-small” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”400px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_text_align=”center” header_3_font=”Lemon Milk||||||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_font_size=”4em” background_layout=”dark” header_3_font_size_tablet=”3em” header_3_font_size_phone=”2em” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n Joe took over as the web owner and main moderator of the Gay League in early 2000, and eventually expanded the group through the formation of a popular Facebook group. He has been the main contributor to the Gay League site, overing reviews, news and more.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_team_member name=”PATRICIA JERES” position=”Co-Administrator” image_url=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Patty-Jeres.jpg” facebook_url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pattyjeres” twitter_url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/pattyjeres” linkedin_url=”https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/pjeres” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Lemon Milk||||||||” header_text_align=”center” position_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”left” link_option_url=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/members\/pattyjeres\/” border_radii_image=”on|50%|50%|50%|50%” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]\n Patty once edited much of the work of cult cartoonist Matt Howarth (Those Annoying Post Bros<\/em>), but she is perhaps best known as the former Director \u2013 Marketing Communications at DC Comics. She also served on Prism Comic’s Board as Talent and Industry Relations Chair.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_team_member name=”ANTON KAWASAKI” position=”Web Designer” image_url=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Avatar.jpg” linkedin_url=”https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/antonkawasaki” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_font=”Lemon Milk||||||||” header_text_align=”center” position_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”left” link_option_url=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/members\/anton-kawasaki\/” border_radii_image=”on|50%|50%|50%|50%” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]\n Anton worked in the comics industry for a dozen years \u2014 first as a comics store owner, and then as a Marketing Writer and Collected Editions Editor for DC Comics in NYC. He now lives in Barcelona and works for This Way!<\/a> games. Visit his website<\/a> to discover more.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#848484″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”4px” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_4_font=”Lemon Milk||||||||” header_4_font_size=”26px” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n Candise Branum<\/p>\n Ronald Byrd<\/p>\n Elizabeth Fernandez<\/p>\n Patricia Jeres<\/p>\n Taylor Johnson<\/p>\n Anton Kawasaki<\/p>\n Patrick Lagua<\/p>\n Melony Mazur<\/p>\n Mike McDermott<\/p>\n Terence W. Ng<\/p>\n Joe Palmer<\/p>\n Sylvan Valentine[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_4_font=”Lemon Milk||||||||” header_4_font_size=”26px” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n John M. Eagen<\/p>\n Frank Gembeck<\/p>\n Martin Gray<\/p>\n Dale Lazarov<\/p>\n MikiShawn<\/p>\n Eric N<\/p>\n Sidney Osinga<\/p>\n Fran\u00e7ois Peneaud<\/p>\n Vitoria Rae<\/p>\n Bill Reid<\/p>\n Bill Walko[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Gay League is one of the first and largest groups in the world for LGBT comics fans. The group had its start in the summer of 1997 after a man enigmatically referred to as \u201cUlu Vakk\u201d (that\u2019s Color Kid from the Legion of Substitute Heroes) attended Andy Mangels\u2019 \u201cGays In Comics\u201d panel at San […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18100","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18100"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32488,"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18100\/revisions\/32488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}ADMINISTRATION<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_team_member name=”JOE PALMER” position=”Administrator” image_url=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/JoeSquared.jpg” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Lemon Milk||||||||” header_text_align=”center” position_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”left” link_option_url=”https:\/\/gayleague.com\/members\/joepalmer\/” border_radii_image=”on|50%|50%|50%|50%” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]\n
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS<\/h4>\n
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS<\/h4>\n