DC to Come Out of the Closet

A little less than a year ago, Dan Didio proclaimed to The Advocate that, “One of the things we’re very focused on doing for these types of stories is rather than [change an existing] character, we want to make sure that this is the basis of who that character is right from the start. So if we’re going to introduce a gay character …we want to make it a new character and make sure that is an iatrical part of who he is, or who she is, right from the start so we can really lean and grow with her or him.” However at yesterday’s Kapow! convention in London, Bleeding Cool announced that Didio was questioned about this statement and he stated DC Comics was about to reintroduce a previously existing DC character who was previously straight and now will be “one of our most prominent gay characters.”

Dan has previously ran his mouth much to the chagrin of his colleagues, but this time, it seems to have merit. DC is no stranger to characters with a homosexual orientation (just take a look at Batwoman, Apollo, Midnighter, and Voodoo!), but they have yet to reach the level of Marvel, who has teenage super-couple Wiccan and Hulking AND a rumored engagement story for long time outed hero, Northstar.

This announcement is going to piss off a lot of geeks (but then again, doesn’t everything piss us off?), but let’s take a moment and think about this. I’ve hashed this to death in a wonderfully troll-free environment and some of the points brought up were touching and valid. I personally am 100% in support of this new diverse addition…IF it’s for the right reasons and not just shock value. I am vehemently against this change in orientation if it is purely because it’s “progressive” or because some guy on staff thinks Catwoman swinging both ways is “hot”. Fucking gag me. If you’re going to do this DC, show some balls. Give us one of the “stars”, be it Bruce Wayne, Diana of Themyscira, Hal Jordan, Oliver Queen, or even Clark Kent. As much as I would love to see the introduction of a brand new character, there hasn’t been much in the way of character creation at DC lately (with the exception of Teen Titan Bunker, who coincidentally IS gay), so I can see the purpose in an established character having a change of orientation.

As this news became wider spread, ABC News picked up the story and received a quote from Courtney Simmons, DC’s senior VP of Publicity which stated:“One of the major iconic DC characters will reveal that he is gay in a storyline in June.” This leaves us with several people to speculate with, including noticeably absent Wally West.

As for WHO the newly gay character is…I suppose we’ll find out in June. Any guesses?

UPDATE 5/22/12: Marvel Comics officially announced on The View this morning that Northstar will indeed be marrying long time boyfriend, Kyle. How exciting!