DC Comics has announced that Jon Kent, the Superman of Earth and son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane is bisexual.
Jon Kent, currently known as “the Superman of Earth,” will go public with his sexuality in the November 9 issue of “Superman: Son of Kal-El #5” when he starts a romantic relationship with reporter Jay Nakamura, indicating the Kryptonian apple does not fall far from the tree.
Lots of stuff happened to the super-tyke, including but not limited to the kind of narratively convenient rapid aging that a lot of sitcom moppets undergo.
Introduced in July 2015, Jonathan Samuel Kent has been through some huge shifts in the past six years. After surviving a major multiversal event that “fixed” the shattered DC Universe, Jon became Superboy and often teamed up with the Damian Wayne Robin as the “Super Sons.” While he started out as a pre-teen, Jon did something that rarely happens in comics: He actually aged. After a mission into space with his grandfather, Jor-El, Jon returned to Earth as a 17-year-old despite only being gone for a few months.
With his powers almost fully developed, his father has entrusted Jon with protecting the planet as Superman. And, now, the character is about to make his boldest move yet.
The decision to have the superhero currently carrying the mantle of the Man of Steel come out as bisexual is the most high-profile example yet of comic book publishers expanding the scope of LGBTQ representation within their pages.
In August, DC published an issue in which Tim Drake aka Robin, Batman’s loyal sidekick also came out as bisexual. Other major LGBTQ comic characters include DC’s Batwoman, Harley Quinn and Alan Scott (aka the first Green Lantern), and Marvel’s Iceman, America Chavez (aka Miss America) and Northstar, one of the very first openly gay comic book characters when he came out in 1992.
Tom Taylor (“Dark Knights of Steel”) wrote “Superman: Son of Kal-El #5,” and John Timms (“Harley Quinn”) is the artist.
Taylor said in a statement;
“Over the years in this industry, it probably won’t surprise you to hear I’ve had queer characters and storylines rejected. I felt like I was letting down people I loved every time this happened.
“But we are in a very different and much more welcome place today than we were ten, or even five years ago. When I was asked if I wanted to write a new Superman with a new #1 for the DC Universe, I knew replacing Clark with another straight white savior could be a real opportunity missed. I’ve always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes. Today, Superman, the strongest superhero on the planet, is coming out.”
DC chief creative officer and publisher Jim Lee added:
“We couldn’t be prouder to tell this important story from Tom Taylor and John Timms.
“We talk a lot about the power of the DC Multiverse in our storytelling and this is another incredible example. We can have Jon Kent exploring his identity in the comics as well as Jon Kent learning the secrets of his family on TV on Superman & Lois.
“They coexist in their own worlds and times, and our fans get to enjoy both simultaneously.”
In the issue, Jon Kent’s Superman will find comfort in Jay’s arms after he’s totally wrung out from trying to save the world. The story is unfolding, according to a press release, “in the main continuity of the DC Multiverse.”
