Father Figure - Truth For Youth #04-02 (HOMO.02)
Art by Danny Bulanadi - © 1999 Revival Fire Ministries
Chad is grieving over the recent death of his lover, Jerry. When Jerry's wife and son take an interest in Chad's immortal soul he comes to learn about what God says about homosexuality and a so-called method by which he can be "set free."
First Published: December 20th, 2017
Page 1 ⇑ ⇓
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 Cate |
The Truth for Youth comics are interesting. While now they have a sort of manga style (to appeal to the kidz), judging from Father Figure and some others, they were originally drawn in a more traditional comic book style. Regardless of the style of drawing, however, the goal is the same: to make a very conservative interpretation of a book written in the Middle East thousands of years ago seem cool and contemporary to your average middle or high school student. It's about as cringe-worthy as it sounds, and while Father Figure features an older protagonist than their newer comics (I'd say Chad is in his 20s or 30s), it's pretty clear no-one involved with this comic has had any interaction with the demographic they're so desperately trying to reach. |
 Jessica |
"Its hard heavy beat." Do we always have to be so suggestive in our word choices when we do these gay tracts? |
| Cate |
Yeah, dancing and playing and, uh, "doing new and exciting drugs," with someone who is dead sounds like kind of a bummer. |
Page 2 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
...He was also the lovechild of Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck, but that's neither here nor there. Ah, yes, if only a girl- any girl!- in high school had "had time for him," this guy would be straight as an arrow. Though at least he only became gay and didn't go off and join the Red Pill or something. |
| Jessica |
That guy's a father figure all right! He must be in his early 40's. |
Page 3 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
"Shallow and cheap"? Huh, funny. I normally find people doing drugs and trying to hook up to be super profound. Clearly Chad goes to the wrong clubs. Also, is that a nipple-less boob or something on the person snorting coke? That's...interesting. |
| Jessica |
He's hanging out at a DISCO?!? I though this was written in 2002? When was the last time anyone saw a disco? |
Page 4 ⇑ ⇓
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| Jessica |
If you just had the funeral and you feel guilty for cruising in a bar so soon THEN LEAVE! You work there or something? |
| Cate |
Don't you understand, Jessica? Gays are always either cruising for sex, or dying of AIDS. There is no middle ground. |
Page 5 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
HIV Positive. Called it! |
| Jessica |
Yep. If you're gay you'll get HIV. Without fail. |
| Cate |
Also, I like to assume that all the pallbearers were this guy's lovers. He had eclectic taste. Hmm, I can't see why that Christmas gift wasn't a big hit. "Her emotion caught in her throat...much like her husband had caught in my throat." |
Page 6 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
"Jesus loves you even more!" And have you seen how he's hung? *ba-dum tish* |
| Jessica |
That's pretty magnanimous of them. Loving the guy who screwed around with their father/husband. |
| Cate |
It looks like our man Chad is turning into a super hero. The Masked Homosexual to the rescue! |
Page 7 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
For some reason, all these big, beefy guys are giving me flashbacks to Fred Carter's work. Do you think the Crusaders are going to make an appearance? |
| Jessica |
Maybe they add all the beefcake dudes to appeal to their target demographic. Like gay people will be more likely to read if they can oogle the drawings at the same time. |
Page 8 ⇑ ⇓
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| Jessica |
"Faggit!" <sp> |
| Cate |
Forget the spelling errors. I'm far more concerned by the fact that floating fried eggs seem to be hovering behind him. |
| Jessica |
He doesn't really come off as gay. Leather jacket and all he seems rather butch, actually. Or maybe my gay-dar is just broken. |
| Cate |
Well...it does like he's doing a model walk there. You know, "I'm too sexy for this tract." |
Page 9 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
Ah, so that's why he was cruising so soon after the funeral. Needed a new sugar daddy. |
| Jessica |
That's an awfully nice house Jerry bought him. AND he was supporting a wife and kid at the same time? What did the guy do for a living anyway? If you ask Tim Todd, he'll probably say he was a professional homosexual. |
Page 10 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
I'm trying to figure out what that picture on the wall is supposed to be of. A giant green heart rising over a valley? So much for the idea that gay guys are good decorators. |
Page 11 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
Wow, Sherry's a bit passive aggressive, isn't she? "Hmmm, what should I get my barely-closeted husband for Christmas? I know! A Bible with all the anti-gay bits highlighted! That'll save my marriage!" |
| Jessica |
Hopefully she didn't start out with those passages from Romans. Deuteronomy is where you want to begin. Tell him about gays being put to death, that'll get him on your side. |
| Cate |
Also, that is a horrible font choice. Maybe it's clearer in person, but online...my eyes hurt just looking at it. Anyway, Chick wouldn't approve here: This is clearly not the King James Version. |
Page 12 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
"I didn't want to read anymore." Well, that makes two of us. |
| Jessica |
Tim Todd has an uneasy bearing on the whole "Born this way" line of thought. |
| Cate |
He really does. At first it seems to imply Chad’s bad relationship with his dad and his inability to get a girlfriend in high school made him gay (or I guess “gay” in scare quotes). But that’s never brought up again. Guess it doesn’t matter since Jesus’ll straighten him out regardless. |
Page 13 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
God that's a creepy picture. The kid looks like a middle aged bobble head. |
Page 14 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
Oh yay, product placement. A regular Bible didn't do much for Chad here, but the super special Truth 4 Youth one leads him to salvation. |
| Jessica |
This is just like all those Chick tracts where someone is saved after being given a Chick tract. Infinite recursion, indeed. |
| Cate |
"Jesus will take you as you are..." Well that's nice. Jesus isn't usually shown as so accepting in these - "...and change you." Ah. There we are. So much for free will, eh? |
Page 15 ⇑ ⇓
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| Cate |
Not to pull a Godwin's, but um, this panel looks a little Hitler Youth-y. |
| Jessica |
All of the old Truth for Youth comics have these ultra-jutting chins in them. Maybe that is why they ultimately switched over to the manga style they are so well known for. |
Conclusion ⇑ ⇓
| Cate |
Seriously, this was a super dry tract. Basically, if Jack Chick is the crazy street preacher shouting about how homosexuality is a sin and all gays are going to burn in hell, this cartoon is the equivalent of that one older relative you avoid at Thanksgiving who just doesn't understand why a man would want to have sex with another man, when there are so many pretty women around, and, by the way, when are you going to get married, Chad, hmm? And so on, until someone gets the bourbon away. But forget all that, because now the groundwork has been set for a Truth 4 Youth/Crusaders Crossover! Watch as Tim, Jim, and Chad try to do the Lord's Work with no shirts on! Thrill as tensions rise.... over which translation of the Bible to use! See them get down on their knees...in prayer! Coming soon: Totally Heterosexual Studmuffins For Christ! |
Further Reading ⇑
- Product page at Revival Fire Ministries
- ⚜ Vintage Page
Jessica
Cate