Issue(s): Nomad #11
Cover Date: Mar 93
Title: "Criss Cross"
Credits:
Fabian Nicieza - Writer
Rick Mays - Penciler
Rick Mays - Inker
Hector Collazo - Assistant Editor
Glenn Herdling - Editor

Review/plot:
Nomad's travels bring him to a bar on "Flatsies" night.

A point is made early on that not all transvestites are gay.

It turns out that someone is murdering the Flatsies, particularly people that are new to the scene. A special forces operative, Codey Varney, who was kicked out for being gay, is the prime suspect.

But a murder happens outside the bar while Nomad is there. Varney is outside, and Nomad tackles him, but Nomad then confirms that Varney's gun was not fired. The husband of the woman that Nomad talked to earlier, Herb Seigal, then approaches him. Note the typo.

Seigal asks Nomad to find the killer. He says the Flatsies don't want the publicity of a trial, and he initially asks Nomad to kill the killer, but Nomad says he doesn't kill, so Seigal then just says to just drive him out of town.

As he investigates, Nomad talks to all the Flatsies and he learns that they are "just people" from all walks of life.

Nomad continues to suspect Varney, and gets into a fight with him.

But the meeting with Varney is inconclusive. So Nomad decides that he has to go undercover, and he dresses up as a Flatsy at their next meeting.

He's actually coordinating with Varney, who watches him from a sniper's scope when Nomad leaves the bar. And the killer turns out to be Herb's wife. We don't find out why she's been killing people.

This is a pretty typical issue of Nomad, but that's sort of the point. The "transvestites are people too" message might feel a little patronizing, but not too much, in my opinion. And this is one of those cases where it's probably impossible to put yourself in the mindset of people at the time; this might have been a lot more daring than it feels now. I definitely think it feels respectful. My modern perspective could be wrong about that, too; one person writes in (to issue #14) to say that Nomad in a dress caused him to "laugh so hard, I'm afraid my... issue is no where near mint condition anymore". However, i agree with another letter writer who says, "The humor was neither disrespectful, nor at the expense of these individuals, but instead was aimed at Nomad's first-time experiences in an unfamiliar environment." For what it's worth, even the first letter writer i quoted says to ignore any negative letters, and no truly negative letters are printed.

Statement of Ownership Total Paid Circulation: Average of Past 12 months = 117,217. Single issue closest to filing date = 187,200.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This story takes place in Albuquerque. It's been four days since Nomad was in Phoenix last issue. And the story lasts for about a month, since Flatsies night is once a month.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I think this reads as very progressive especially for a 90s Marvel comic. There was a big 'think of the children' thought at the time.