DC Pride 2023 #1 Midnighter’s Lesson in Queer History

Josh Trujillo needs to write queer history comics, and nowhere is that more evident than in this section of DC’s Pride anthology. The story is rather simple and lacks something when it comes to Apollo and Midnighter. Although one does not need to know their backstories to read this segment? it’s not entirely original in concept. But it does have an important message. Trujillo demonstrates his love and understanding of the community and its history.

The story sent a clear message to the broader LGBTQIA+ community; it brings together different generations of LGBTQIA people. But it is a note on our time’s prevailing and never-ending bigotry. Yet, it is ultimately a hopeful message. It says that sometimes it is so easy to get stuck on the bad and the negative that we forget entirely the progress that has been made and all the good that’s come once an understanding of how far things have come, how far the community has come, and what kind of future is being forged. Of course, there are still battles to fight, but there are many ways to wage and win them without steeping to the same love levels of those who hate the community.

There are some fantastic side characters introduced in this that I would love to see team up with Apollo and Midnighter as part of the future adventure, and it would be great to see how Josh would write an Apollo and Midnighter series if he hasn’t. Additionally, further development of Midnighter’s growing irritation with the seemingly ever-growing amount of bigots is another thread that could be followed.

That all being said, the story itself was hurt by the limited pages. It’s clear that Trujillo has more to say on the issues here, and one can look forward to hearing him say that in future work.