ArtsSentertainment IComics’inserts discuss sex and its risks Character speaks frankly of diseases and prevention By Anne Steyer Staff Reporter “Life ... is a disease sexually transmitted and invariably fatal.” So begins “Death Talks About Life,” the six page insert published in three of DC Comics’ mature line publications — “Hellbla/.er,” “Shade, the Changing Man” and “Sandman.” DC’s conception of Death is not as a grim reaper carrying a scythe. Instead, Death is an attractive, friendly, young, immortal woman — a popular recurring character in the comic “Sandman” and the star of her own three-part comic miniserics, “Death: The High Cost of Living.” Written by “Sandman” writer Neil Gaiman and drawn by Dave McKean, the insert is a public-service message that talks frankly about acquired immune deficiency syndrome, sexu ally transm itted diseases, safer sex and condom use. It is serious, funny, and informative. The insert is part of DC’s “Get the Facts” campaign that, according to DC publicity man ager Martha Thomases, was over a year in the making. »i nomascs saia wnccis siaricu turning wncn DC became aware that teens and young adults were the fastest growing demographic group of HIV-positive cases. , That age group makes up most of DC’s customer base. Thomases said. In addition to the insert in the mature line, DC ran full-page announcements in all its superhero titles, featuring familiar superheroes such as Robin, Green Lantern and the Flash. A variety of writers and artists worked on these ads. Gaiman was approached to do the insert, Thomases said, beotusc he’s such a popular writer. “Neil obviously cares about the subject matter,” she said. “That is obvious through his work.” Gaiman’s comic has featured gay and les bian characters, and homosexuals are often the most highly profiled — although certainly not the only — AIDS victims. Gaiman said he turned down the offer at first. He said he didn't want to do a benefit book because most of the people who would buy such a thing would already be informed. “Preaching to the converted is no good,” he said. He offered instead to do a story that could be inserted into the comics and reach more people, but he insisted upon being given the freedom to be explicit. Gaiman said he told DC he wanted to talk about anal sex, oral sex and hypodermic needles, and that he wouldn’t do it otherwise. DC agreed. Gaiman said he was drawn to the project because “people get AIDS and die and that’s really shitty.” He expressed sadness and outrage about the , disease, mentioning a friend who had been afflicted with AIDS. “He died because he didn’t spend 25 cents for a piece of rubber,” Gaiman said. “That’s kind of stupid.” Gaiman said Death was the most appropriate choice to discuss sexual activity and its conse quences. “She’s appropriate—thatisthcendrcsultof AIDS. She s sensible — there aren’t a lot of characters in the DC universe that could talk about these things unblushingly,” Gaiman said. “And she’s friendly, she’s attractive, and she’s unfuckcd up.” -44 He died because he didn't spend 25 cents for a piece of rubber. That’s kind of stupid. - Gaiman, comic book writer -ft - Gaiman did his homework, reading every thing he could find on the subject. He went to an STD clinic in London and look a copy of every leaflet it had available. He also talked with doctors and other professionals in the medical field. i nc story was taken to various AIDi> agen cies, he said, and it also went to the Gay Men’s Health Clinic in New York. Gaiman said they were very helpful there and made some sugges tions as to how to make the insert better. “A man down there said he preferred the term ‘safer sex’ to ‘safe sex’ because there’s really no such thing as 100 percent safe sex,” Gaiman said. “Condoms break.” Gaiman has received mostly positive feed back, although some said he should have pro moted abstinence and chastity more. Both alternatives were mentioned in the insert, but more space was given to a detailed description of the proper application of a condom — demonstrated on a banana. Gaiman said he was pleased with how the project turned out, and was pleased with DC for doing it. “I was trying to write something for our audience, the 16-25 age group,” Gaiman said. “An age group that is the fastest rising group of positive eases (of HIV).” Gaiman is not alone in his concern for DC’s readership. “Through this (promotion), we hit every one,” Thomases said. “Everyone who reads a DC comic will see at least one — cither the insert or the ad.” Thomases said the initial plan was to run the fFOR CEAtONSTRATION PURPOSES, I* l THIS IS A BANANA, By THE WAY. HOT J I \AN ERECT PENIS. I IT AT THE VP, / faue£ZH6 BETWEEN TOUR \ I 7HUM8ANPF0KEFIN6eR, ) l WHILE ROLLINS THE COH0OP ] \ POWN THE 8ANAHA. A ^. PENIS $uk£ meters. HOA/gVtArPBPm THE \ concern, OTMEEW«£ IT I .