There probably isn't a queer in North America who doesn't know what Pittsburgh's Liberty Avenue looks like. Queer As Folk has made it famous for its non-stop gay action.

Sorry, but the real Liberty Avenue looks nothing like the Mecca portrayed on the silver screen. QAF's version is actually Toronto's Church Street.

Woody's the spot where the boys hang out actually exists, on Church Street. The real Babylon is Fly, just off Church. So what is the real Liberty Avenue like?

Well, first, a couple of words about Pittsburgh itself. The city was founded in 1758, and built its reputation on steel, manufacturing, and shipping (its the biggest inland port in the US). Pittsburgh has a population of just over 350,000 people, meaning the gay population is around 35,000.

There's a vibrant gay community, but it is far from the in your face scene the TV show portrays. With one of the biggest and best universities in the US, the city has some hot numbers. But, don't expect to see them cruising their way down Liberty Ave.

Don't expect dozens of Rainbow flags hanging from lampposts along the street. And, don't expect big clubs and bars like you see on TV either. Most clubs are small and intimate. They are located downtown, in the lower numbers on or just off Liberty, nestled between new skyscrapers, and abandoned buildings.

The area is part of a major urban renewal plan, and somewhat removed from decent hotels. On top of that, they are all several blocks from another, and the area is not one where you want to wander around alone late at night.

Like most cities the size of Pittsburgh you won't find cabs cruising the streets any more than guys. Call a cab before you leave one club for another.

Pittsburgh gays are getting a little tired of people telling them "this looks nothing like the TV show!", so don't use is as an opening line.

"We're not like that," says a bartender at Pegasus, one of the bars on the real Liberty Avenue. "Gays here tend to be a lot more quiet and discreet."

"If I acted like those guy on the street I'd be beaten to a pulp," chips in a customer.

Many of the customers know each other. The community is close knit and most people believe the show has painted them in a bad light.

After a night of clubbing (most bars close at 2am) don't expect that all night diner you see on the show. It doesn't exist, and any other food joint will be long closed.

Once you have abandoned the TV images for the real Liberty Avenue, you can begin to enjoy yourself with what's here, and there are some fun spots:

Pegasus (818 Liberty Ave.; open until 2 a.m., closed Sundays). A high-energy music dance club that features dancers.

Images (965 Liberty Ave.; open until 2 a.m. nightly). Strippers (although no full nudity).

Sidekicks (931 Liberty Ave,: open until 2 a.m.) Classy atmosphere with a piano.

Tilden's (916 Liberty Ave., second floor; open until 3:30 a.m. nightly). A private after-hours club. You have to be a member or a guest of a member to get in. DJs play progressive house.

Jitter's (address kept secret) You have to know someone to get in here. It is strictly speaking illegal and resembles a '20 speakeasy.

2 The Laramie Project - A brilliant stage invention retains its power on the tube.

3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Tara dies; Willow gets nasty; fans revolt. We enjoyed it all.

4 Six Feet Under - David and Keith have an angry, sexy fight. About time.

5 Primetime Thursday - Rosie O’Donnell comes out. A moving case study in making the personal political as well.

6 Bobbie’s Girl - A sweet tale of lesbian parents that earned laughter, tears, and a family audience.

7 American Idol: Finale - We voted for Kelly. Often.

8 Once and Again - Jessie’s teen same-sex crush. Sweet and sensitively done.

9 Queer as Folk - Brian loses Justin. With a sexy fiddler waiting in the wings, our boy is growing up.

10 The Amazing Race - What do Oswald and Danny—two gay Miami pals—do in the middle of a $1 million race? Shop! Now, that’s reality TV.
- from The Advocate, January 21, 2003

The new "Rage" comic book features an original Rage and Zephyr adventure -- written by "Queer as Folk" executive producers Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman -- as well as full-color cover art by legendary comics artist Jerry Ordway ("Superman," "The Power of Shazam!") and panel art by Phillips. The comic book also includes a behind-the-scenes sketchbook that depicts how the characters were created.

Phillips -- who has drawn many famous comic book superheroes, including Spider-Man, Wonder Woman and Silver Surfer, over the course of his career -- was less than enthusiastic the first time he saw the black-masked Rage, whose muscular torso is covered by a skintight, sleeveless, black bodysuit. "The first time I saw him was in a series of little sketches, and being a comic book elitist I was like, 'That's not a comic book superhero. His outfit just has a rip in it,'" Phillips says laughing, referring to the slash across Rage's chest. "'Where are his boots? He doesn't have a cape.'" But Phillips said that as he learned about why Justin and Michael were inspired to create Rage, he began to better understand and appreciate this unique and sexy superhero.

In drawing the panels for "Rage" (Phillips drew five pages of the comic book; the rest -- including major fight and sex scenes, were done by another artist), Phillips wasn't striving for perfection. "We wanted it not to look as slick as, say, a "Superman" issue, because the whole idea is that the characters from the show did it." (In fact, the credits inside the front cover read, "Story By: Michael Novotny, Art By: Justin Taylor.")

Phillips sees "Rage" as a viable property with lots of potential. If "Rage" was made into a regular comic book, "It would have to be a lot different from what this first one was, because this one was very tied to the show. For the book to have a life of its own, you would probably have to get a seasoned comic book writer in there, someone who really knows the market," Phillips says. "It's like when you adapt a movie to TV or if you try to take a comic book and make a movie out of it. You have to change the pacing and how it works."

Would Rage's sexual orientation be much of an issue? Well, certainly, gay characters are becoming more prevalent in comic books, with Terry Berg recently busting out of the closet in "Green Lantern." (Berg is an intern who works for Kyle Rayner, a.k.a. the Green Lantern.)

Phillips has drawn gay and lesbian characters for comic books such as "Body Doubles," and he would like to see more gay characters inhabiting the comic book world. But he doesn't think dropping gay characters into storylines solely for political reasons is a good idea. There has to be a compelling story. "If you have a good story, and the character happens to be gay, that's OK. But if the story is just about being gay, then everybody's like, 'Eh.'"

Best Triangle:
Justin, Brian and Ethan on "Queer as Folk." As we saw at the end of last season, Justin (Randy Harrison) walked out of Babylon with his new lover Ethan (Fab Filippo), leaving Brian (Gale Harold) in the dust. Of course I was cheering Justin's decision -- after all, Brian isn't exactly the picture of loving attentiveness -- but why do I suspect their relationship is far from over? I'm sure we'll see the drama pick up again when "Queer as Folk" starts its third season in March.