DC Pride #1: Constantine, Extraño and Midnighter in ‘By the Victors’

In “By the Victors” we see writer Steve Orlando reunited with Midnighter for a story in the DC Pride anthology that is in all honesty a no-brainer, much like many of the others included but predicated by a run for Midnighter that is certainly required reading. While this might not be a strict continuation of that run, it finds a new sense of importance nonetheless.

Neo nazi vampires don’t really stand a chance against both Midnighter and Extraño (Gregorio de la Vega) in this story but it’s so much more than just superheroes taking on bloodsuckers as usual. This is a story about the life-draining straightwashing of history and our role in ensuring the importance of representation throughout time. It plays out wonderfully as a barroom story told to none other than a flirtatious John Constantine, and though it works just fine as a superhero comic taking out baddies, there is more depth than meets the eye. The main problem, if we are to find one, is really the lack of on-the-panel queer content aside from the flirting and insinuation but that doesn’t make the themes handled any less significant.

To say the DC Pride anthology is an important comic is an understatement, it carries a weight of representation for the publisher that they have strived to do better with, often falling short but still making attempts to bring their queer characters to the forefront. There are a lot of stories in these pages that find relevance for a myriad of reasons, but in “By the Victors” we find a story that is about the history of erasure and the symbolic nature of their attempts to straightwash as much as they possibly can. Maybe it’s more meta than even DC realizes or maybe it’s exactly what they were looking for in such a story, either way I’m very happy the creative team was able to pull it off. Ultimately, we find the superheroes punching baddies to represent so much more and it doesn’t hurt to have Constantine’s good looks framing the story either.

Stephen Byrne takes on double duties with the artwork on illustrations and colors, helping to elevate the story within just a few pages. The Count Berlin vampire is a nice horror element to contrast Midnighter’s punches and Extraño’s spells, bringing some spectacular visuals that are easy to appreciate. Paired with Josh Reed’s straightforward letters, the artwork carries you through the story effortlessly and to enjoy Midnighter beating down a vampire with his fists and helps you to think about what the story is trying to convey.

Overall, “By the Victors” is a strong addition to the DC Pride anthology that has a voice and even a precedent that makes it more than worth checking out for any fan. It is a story that feels like it wants to say something important, and while the message might hit home more for some than others, it truly earns its place in the anthology by giving a chance for these characters to shine in a way that simply doesn’t happen enough.

If you want to see DC continuing to attempt to do better in queer representation, to see more these stories and hopefully not necessitated by Pride Month, instead allowed to flourish in the normal lineup, supporting this comic is a great place to start. So whether it is digital or at your LCS, find a way to read the DC Pride anthology because you will be glad you did!