Lando Calrissian Featured For 'Star Wars' Pride Month

The administrator of Cloud City and rebel hero Lando Calrissian, together with a number of other LGBTQ+ characters, is set to appear on Pride month variants of Marvel's Star Wars comics in June.

A total of six cover variants are to be issued in celebration of Pride month, donning titles across different time periods in the Star Wars universe - Star Wars #14, Darth Vader #13, Doctor Aphra #11, Bounty Hunters #13, The High Republic #6, and Star Wars: Wars of the Bounty Hunters #1. Apart from the flamboyant scoundrel, character appearances include Doctor Aphra, Sana Starros, Rae Sloane, Yrica Quell, Terec, and Ceret.

The Doctor Aphra #11 cover has been recently finished and released by artists Jan Bazaidua and Rachelle Rosenberg, featuring Sana Starros against the deep space background with a rainbow streak. Meanwhile, the other covers remain in a work-in-progress status rendered by artists Javier Garron, Babs Tarr, Jacopo Camagni, JJ Kirby, and Stephen Byrne.

Fan favorite Lando Calrissian is well-known for its vibrant personality and charm, and behind the scenes are recent discussions on his (potential) pansexuality. Back when Solo: A Star Wars Story was released, co-writer Jonathan Kasdan had this to say about the suggestion of Lando as pansexual:

"There's a fluidity to Donald and Billy Dee's [portrayal of Lando's] sexuality ... I would have loved to have gotten a more explicitly LGBT character into this movie. I think it's time, certainly, for that, and I love the fluidity - sort of the spectrum of sexuality that Donald appeals to and that droids are a part of. He doesn't make any hard and fast rules."

Donald Glover a.k.a. Childish Gambino, the actor behind the young Lando in Solo, echoed such comments, humorously noting the character's intense sexual prowess:

"There are so many things to have sex with. I didn’t think that was that weird. Yeah, he’s coming on to everybody. I mean, yeah, whatever. It just didn’t seem that weird to me ‘cause I feel like if you’re in space it’s kind of like, the door is open! It’s like, no, only guys or girls. No, it’s anything. This thing is literally a blob. Are you a man or a woman? Like, who cares? Have a good time out here."

Star Wars fans' understanding of Lando Calrissian has come a long way since his flirtatious and charming greeting toward Princess Leia on Cloud City. Some have even pointed out L3-37's joking remarks in Solo of Lando and Han flirting further support the claim of Lando's pansexuality and even the possibility of something going on between the two best friend smugglers.

While nothing has been outright confirmed, romantic relationships and sexuality issues are increasingly addressed in the galaxy far, far away. In the sequel trilogy, for instance, fans have speculated that Finn and Poe had some sort of flirtatious relationship, a narrative further exacerbated by actor Oscar Isaac's responses in interviews. In any event, opening up the door of possibility of Lando being pansexual is therefore a major, conducive step to internalizing the notion of sexuality diversity in the Star Wars universe.

Some critics have addressed the writers of Solo as having conflated pansexuality with promiscuity. On the flip side, some have expressed their frustration toward the post-release explanation being too passive, as such pansexuality was not actively incorporated into the Star Wars storylines. Whatever the argument, however, Star Wars is no stranger to leaving character relationships open to fans' imaginative interpretation, and only time would tell if similar sexuality topics are to be brought up in future Star Wars projects.

Written By Geoff Lo

Source(s): CinemaBlend, ComicBook.com

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