Our #Superman comes out.
Happy #ComingOutDay🏳️🌈.@DCComics @thedcnation @johntimmsart https://t.co/sXD9wBW4A5 pic.twitter.com/vWkiQiuAGs— Tom Taylor (@TomTaylorMade) October 11, 2021
For Coming Out Day, it was announced that Jon Kent, son of Lois Lane and Clark Kent and the current Superman, is bisexual.
We just keeping winning, guys.
Superman: Son of Kal-El is a comic run from DC that’s been going on since July 27, 2021 that explores Jon Kent taking on the iconic mantle of his father as Superman. In its upcoming 5th issue, by writer Tom Taylor, artist John Timms, colorist Gabe Eltaeb, and letterer Dave Sharpe, we will not only see him confirmed bisexual, but kissing another lad.
“I’ve always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes and I’m very grateful DC and Warner Bros. share this idea,” Taylor said in a statement to DC, according to CBR. “Superman’s symbol has always stood for hope, for truth and for justice. Today, that symbol represents something more. Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics.”
“We couldn’t be prouder to tell this important story from Tom Taylor and John Timms,” DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee said as well. “We talk a lot about the power of the DC Multiverse in our storytelling and this is another incredible example. We can have Jon Kent exploring his identity in the comics as well as Jon Kent learning the secrets of his family on TV on Superman & Lois. They coexist in their own worlds and times,and our fans get to enjoy both simultaneously.”
#Superman and Jon Kent trending.
Nice one, people. Have another cover of Jon Kent and Jay Nakamura.#NationalComingOutDay pic.twitter.com/IqOFF6TViK— Tom Taylor (@TomTaylorMade) October 11, 2021
This news follows the announcement from back in August that Tim Drake is also queer.
We are seeing a lot of superheroes, big ones at that, join the LGBTQ community, and that has been exciting. At the same time, Glen Weldon for NPR made a point that being cynical is apt when the characters coming out as queer are not the true “big” names.
“Finally, they start nudging a few top-tier characters out of the closet — but are always careful never to send ’em out without first attaching an all-important asterisk, as a bulwark against any backlash from homophobic readers (and/or stockholders):
Robin’s queer!*
*Not the original Robin, or the Robin that’s currently Batman’s sidekick, but the Tim Drake Robin, the third character to assume the title.
Superman’s queer!*
*Not the Clark Kent Superman, but his recently-introduced son.”
Yes, it would matter more, in many ways, if it were Dick’s Robin, or if it were actually Clark’s Superman, but legacy characters are still a part of these stories. Also, to people who actually do like comics, they are still going to have this representation. It matters to have a bisexual Superman, even if it is not Clark Kent.
(via CBR, image: DC Comics/IGN)
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