This weekend, at Kapow! in London, DC Comics co-publisher, Dan DiDio announced that the company will reintroduce a previously existing DC character who was straight and will now be “one of our most prominent gay characters.”
Why the sudden switch? Not too long ago, DiDio did an interview with The Advocate stating they weren’t going to change any character’s sexual orientations during the DC relaunch. Looks like time has changed the way the company thinks.
The big question now, is what character DC will change, and if that character is really that prominent. Did Grant Morrison give everyone a heads up in his recent Playboy article, or will the company select a known name in the DCU who isn’t a prominent hero?
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B’wana Beast?
Will (s)he be the most prominent gay character or is one of their prominent characters coming out as gay?
Being “the most prominent gay character” isn’t saying much, since there’s currently . . . two?
Well, more than two… But not many more.
Batwoman, The Question, possibly Element Lad, Bunker, Midnighter, Apollo, Pied Piper, Obsidian, Danny The Street….
Um… That’s more than I expected to remember, honestly. Voodoo is bisexual, I believe…
Does it count if you’re a different species?
Is New 52 Question gay?
All we’ve seen of her is a picture.
Ice Maiden (Sigrid, Not Tora) is also bi-sexual…
Perhaps they will bring Triumph back and make him be gay as originally intended by his creator…
This is going to be one of those. “Ohhh… Wait who?” moments.
Or we can all have a good laugh when it ends up being Vibe (since he’s apparently making a comeback)
how old is the kid who is shazam?
One of the Earth 2 guys i think
Earth 2 Batman
Comics Alliance recently had an article pertaining to characters who they think should come out, but of all the ones listed, I thought the case was the strongest for Tim Drake (aka Red Robin). That would fit the criteria of being “prominent” without being an “A-List” character… and let’s face it, in the New 52, Tim may lead the Teen Titans, but he hasn’t gotten as much love as Dick Grayson or Damian Wayne since the relaunch.
(http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/05/11/spandex-closet-gay-superheroes-need-come-out/)
i guess if they were willing to completely throw out his relationship with Stephanie Brown, Arianna Dzerchenko (sp?), and the girl who had a mob boss for a father… I doubt they want to get rid of the Spoiler connection, as they supposedly want to reintroduce her some day, and since she’s not a prominent character they may need another hero to help bring her into the fold…
It’s going to be Bruce Wayne/Batman. And they’ll be putting him in the Rainbow Batman costume. DC got tired of all the Dark Knight stuff and they’ll be turning him into the Fabulous Knight. Ouch! I sprained my sarcasm!
What if DC announced that they were turning a previously gay character straight, would people consider that just as progressive?
Nah, they’d prolly just bitch and moan just as much as people who are against a straight character turning gay.
I suppose Wonder Woman would be too much of a “well, duh…”?
Then again, I know nothing of the new backstory for WW. She coulld be an ex-pro football team cheerleader from Iowa that got bit by a radioactive mascot, staggered into the street and was hit by a bus, had a near-death experience where she was shown her Amazon heritage by the Spirit Of Bitterness and woke to find herself with superpowers now for all I know.
I kind of think it’s going to be Powergirl.
That’s where my money is.
Better question instead of why and who, is really who thought this was a good idea?
I suppose an arguement could also be made for why anyone should really care in the first place
I think it will be a B-List character. I didn’t read it as being a major name becoming gay, as much as “When you think of LGBT characters in comics, you will think of this one.” They announced on Free Comic Book day people that would be in the JLA later this year. I bet that will be how they do it. All jokes aside I really do believe it will be Vibe.
Really? Cause I’m thinking Gypsy woulda fit that bill a lot better than Vibe.
Call me cynical all you want but this strikes me as headline pandering. Create some press to gin up sales numbers. There are factions that go to war on both sides when ever this issue comes up and Companies are getting better and better and exploiting it.
Death is so over done in comics now characters are now coming out closest for sales.
This is simply about the bottom line nothing more nothing less.
Not really seeing this as a big deal honestly. So what if one of their main characters “becomes” gay? This is a stunt nothing more. Thank you, next window please. I’ll be a little surprised if its Batman (but not really). Wonder Woman would be interesting but not surprising. Again how is this gonna make them money again by jumping on the “gay” bandwagon?
I would still say it’s Vibe, as he’s coming back into the comics and I doubt any one would be overly upset if they changed his sexual orientation… I mean… It’s VIBE… Come on!!!!!!!!!!
The history of gay characters in comics is that when people try to do things with them that doesn’t show that character in a good light some people take to seeing that as an attack on gay characters rather than simply plot.
Now I can’t look into the hearts of other men and women to understand why they do what they do. But many people claim to be able to and wish to share those ideas on the internet. Say this is Batman or Superman is now gay is this going to hamstring the writers to do anything with Batman or Superman that doesn’t show that character in a positive light. History suggests this is likely the case.
I’d love to live in world where this isn’t about money and single issue politics but being cynical his is the most likely case unless presented with over whelming evidence. As loud as the cheers are for this now. Expect the nerd rage to be 100 times louder if they try to reverse it or the character dies.
I’ve got 5 bucks on Poison Ivy