Superman Joins the Growing List of LGBTQ+ Superheroes

DC Comics have announced the superhero’s son, Jon Kent, is bisexual

The latest issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El is coming out in November. And, with it comes the arrival of a new “21st Century Superman”, written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by John Timms that has had a lot of hype.

This new Superman turns out to be the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. He’s also a journalist and has supernatural powers, but he comes into the world with different ideals. He's fighting against enemies that his father has never faced, dealing with issues related to the climate crisis and standing against the deportation of refugees. He’s also openly bisexual and in a relationship with fellow journalist, Jay Nakamura.

A new era for Superman

Summing up the reason behind his decision to stretch the boundaries of Superman’s representation, Taylor said in a statement: “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.”

In an interview with The New York Times, he also said, "The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity.”

Arguably, Superman will now be one of the most famous LGBTQ heroes - but he’s not the only one. Here are ten well-known comic book characters and superheroes who have also come out in recent years.

1. Shatterstar and Rictor

First coming into Marvel’s The New Mutants in 1991, Rictor and Shatterstar developed an intense friendship and bond that was revealed in 2009 to be a romantic relationship. Totally groundbreaking for its time, this news led many fans to reread the story in another light, understanding the development of this super-powerful but also superhuman bond.

2. Mystique

Although her natural appearance features blue skin and yellow eyes, the X-Men universe’s complex villain Mystique is a shapeshifter who can mimic the appearance or voice of any person. She’s also over 100 years old and clearly wears it well.

Through the comics, Mystique maintains a long-lasting relationship with fellow mutant Destiny, and together they adopted and raised Rogue. Often considered homoflexible, Mystique has also been romantically tied to multiple male characters.

3. Iceman

As an adult, this X-Men superhero has had female partners, but his teen self is attracted exclusively to men. When the Iceman (ironically) broke the ice and came out in 2015, many X-Men fans were unsurprised as the comic series has already shown its stance on queer representation back in 2012 with the first gay wedding between Northstar and Kyle.

4. Northstar

In the 1980s, Alpha Flight superhero Jean-Paul Beaubier (aka Northstar) was the first of Marvel’s characters to come out as openly gay. For many years, the editors had to push back against readers who didn’t accept him, but in 2012 love won and the world watched him propose to his boyfriend, Kyle Jinadu. And a seriously romantic proposal it was, with Northstar running at the speed of light to get down on one knee with an engagement ring.

5. Karolina Dean

In the first issues of Runaways, we meet Karolina Dean who would go on to become one of Marvel's most famous lesbian characters. One half of “Deanarou”, Karolina gets together with the group’s bisexual leader, Nico Minoru.

6. America Chavez

Also known as Miss America, like her creator Gabby Rivera this superhero is a Latinx lesbian. Although America first appeared in 2011 in the limited series Revenge of the Villains, during the 2016 New York Comic Con, Marvel announced that the character would have her first solo series. The news was a big moment for the comics, ushering in a new era of representation.

7. Batwoman

With a passion for social justice and driven by righteousness, while Batwoman guards the city streets against crime we also get a glimpse into her personal life and relationships with other women. In 2020, when the film adaptation of the comic was announced, Ruby Rose (the actress originally cast to play the role, although she was later unable to do so) made a statement saying:

“The Bat is out of the bag and I am beyond thrilled and honored. I’m also an emotional wreck.. because this is a childhood dream. This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on tv and felt alone and different.”

8. Wiccan and Hulkling

When Marvel decided to form a teenage superhero gang for a new generation in the Young Avengers, gay heroes Wiccan and Hulkling were a natural (or supernatural) choice for a couple, living without prejudice.

9. Daken

Of course, it’s not all rosy in the world of queer comic book romance. Marvel’s antihero Daken emits pheromones to manipulate others which has allowed him to amass (and control) an incredible collection of lovers. With controversial morals, Daken turned to a life of crime, combining all his powers to get away with it - it’s something his fans are fascinated by.

10. Destiny

Destiny - aka Irene Adler - has been Mystique’s partner (mentioned above) in the X-Men saga since the 1980s, however it took decades for the screenwriters to actually confirm their relationship. Over the years, there was always a lot of intrigue and speculation around a lesbian romance between the two mutants, but Marvel didn't put a label on the relationship until

Would you like to see more queer representation in comics?

Learn how to create your own superheroes by signing up for the Domestika course, Illustration for Comics: Anatomy of a Superhero. Led by Marvel and DC Comics illustrator Ariel Olivetti, you will learn to draw the skeleton, muscles, and poses in order to transmit the true power of your characters.

You may also like:

- #CreateWithPride: Your Favorite LGBTQIA+ Icons
- Drawing Tutorial: How to Create a Superhero Comic Page
- 7 Mesmerizing Comic-book Character Timelapse Videos