DC Comics revealed its latest Superman, Jon Kent will be bisexual.
Its next comic book issue is yet to release in November and Jon will be seen having a relationship with the same sex – his friend Jay Nakamura.
The plot is a part of ‘Superman: Son of Kal-El’. It is a series revolving around Jon who takes on the mantle of Superman from his father Clark Kent.
Superman’s identity was revealed on National Coming Out Day, an annual LGBT awareness day started in the US.
When the series was released in July, Jon fought wildfires triggered by climate change. He also scuppered a high school shooting and protested against the expulsion of refugees.
What Superman should be
In the initial part of the comics, Jon became friends with Jay – a bespectacled, pink-haired reporter.
Furthermore, DC Comics said the friends will be romantically involved in its next (fifth) issue after Jon “mentally and physically burns out from trying to save everyone that he can”.
Still, the storyline is yet to be exposed but according to the images shared by DC Comics, it seems that Jon and Jay share a kiss.
Tom Taylor, the writer of the series told – in the beginning when he was offered the job, he contemplated “what Superman should be today.”
“It struck me that it would be a real missed opportunity if we replaced Clark Kent with another straight white saviour,” said Mr Taylor.
He was surprised to hear that DC Comics itself thought about Jon being bisexual – even before he could pitch the idea to them.
“There’s been a real shift over the last few years – ten years ago, five years ago this would have been more difficult, but I think things have shifted in a really welcome way,” said Mr Taylor.
In addition to this he said, despite criticism from “trolls” on social media, reaction to the storyline has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We have people saying they read this news today and burst into tears – people saying they never thought in their life that they would be able to see themselves in Superman… literally the most powerful superhero in comics,” recalled Mr Taylor.
“You’ll always have people who’ll use the old line of ‘don’t put politics into comics’ – forgetting that every single [comic book] story ever has been political in some way,” he said.
“People who don’t realise that the [Marvel comic series] X-Men were an analogy for the civil rights movement.”
“We try to bring those people with us, but we are writing for the people who will hopefully see this Superman… and say ‘This Superman is like me. This Superman is fighting for things that concern me’,” he added.
