The first issue nicely sets up the persecution and retaliation of the Merry Men.
But I thought, What a great basis for a revisionary take on the character, and then I realized I’d better do it myself, or I’d be bitterly envious of whoever did. I was intrigued and did some more searching - well, as with everything related to Robin Hood, there was basically just conjecture, nothing definitive. Rodi: I’m a history buff - ancient and medieval especially - and I was lurking around some websites when I came across the question “Was Robin Hood gay?” Which was basically speculating that the historical person or persons who inspired the legend might have been sexual outlaws instead of garden-variety brigands. The Advocate: What was the inspiration for this new take on Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men? The Advocate chatted up Rodi about his new series, what inspired him to delve into the Robin Hood mythos, and how impactful this comic book is as an allegory for our modern cultural landscape. The comic is a grounded, realistic look into a world where Robin Hood, still the familiar rogueish leader living in the woods with his band of outlaws with a good cause, is now also a badass homosexual who rises up in the face of discrimination and oppression. Merry Men might sound at first like a delightfully campy series, but it is quite the opposite. Titled, simply enough, Merry Men, the comic book is written and created by out writer Robert Rodi, with art by Jackie Lewis, and features a bold new story that recasts the familiar medieval characters as gay men. Comic book publisher Oni Press recently released the first issue of a very queer new take on literary hero Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men.