Archie Comics’ first gay character Kevin Keller to wed
The first gay character in Archie Comics, Kevin Keller, will get married in an upcoming issue.
In the storyline, in Life With Archie #16, Kevin returns to Riverside as an adult after serving in the Army.
With friends keen to know how he met Mr Right, he announces his wedding.
However, the happy news coincides with Archie and Veronica’s split.
Kevin first appeared in Veronica last autumn, with some critics expecting a token character.
But that issue, 202, sold out, prompting Archie Comics to issue a reprint for the first time in its history.
The character appeared in a mini-series this summer and will also have his own eponymous solo title, to be released early next year.
Veronica writer Dan Parent was nominated for a GLAAD award for his creation.
Speaking last year, Archie Comics co-chief executive Jon Goldwater said: “The introduction of Kevin is just about keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive.
“Archie’s hometown of Riverdale has always been a safe world for everyone. It just makes sense to have an openly gay character in Archie comic books.”
Mr Goldwater added that people who might be offended by a gay storyline “aren’t the kind of people we want reading our comics anyway”.
