Culture

The best and worst reactions to DC Comics’ new Superman coming out as bisexual

Bisexual Superman Jon Kent

Jon Kent, aka Superman, is bisexual. (DC Comics)

The news of DC’s bisexual Superman has delighted many die-hard comic book fans, but conservative commentators are finding it hard to bear.

DC Comics announced yesterday (11 October) that Jon Kent, the firstborn son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, will take over the mantle of Superman after his father’s departure from Earth – and he’ll be in a relationship with a man.

The story will be revealed in the 9 November issue Superman: Son of Kal-El #5, which will see Jon fall in love with reporter Jay Nakamura.

It’s a small detail that will allow LGBT+ people “to see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics,” writer Tom Taylor said, but many pundits are finding it hard to see the positives.

Predictably the most hysterical takes came from Fox News, where journalist Raymond Arroyo furiously questioned why DC Comics was “sexualising superheroes”.

“Call me when they have a gender-stable aisle with superheroes whose sexualities we know nothing about. Why are they sexualising superheroes?” he asked Laura Ingraham.

“I was a Batman and Superman and Spider-Man kid. I loved those heroes. We just wanted them to get the bad guys, not a venereal disease. Leave our comic book heroes alone.”

Never mind that Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and scores of other characters have been portrayed in heterosexual relationships for decades – the sight of Superman kissing another man makes it suddenly sexual, apparently.

Then there was former Superman actor Dean Cain, who portrayed the Man of Steel for four seasons on the 1993 TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

Also appearing on Fox, Cain spoke dismissively of the new LGBT-inclusive storyline. “They said it’s a bold new direction. I say they’re bandwagoning,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s bold or brave or some crazy new direction. If they had done this 20 years ago, perhaps that would be bold or brave. But brave would be having him fight for the rights of gay people in Iran where they’ll throw you off a building for the offence of being gay.”

He said he’d like to see Superman fighting the “real evil in the world today… real corruption and government overreach”.

Great news: Superman already did that, as one actual comic book fan helpfully pointed out.

Fortunately, many other fans were happy to explain why a bisexual Superman isn’t the catastrophe Fox News would have you believe – and it’s entirely in keeping with the comics.

Here are some of the better takes out there.

 

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