The history of LGBT characters in the comic book industry has proved controversial. The Comics Code Authority banned any suggestions of homosexuality in comic books until 1989 in America, and it wasn't until the 2000s that LGBT characters started to feature in more stand-alone stories.

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Nowadays, modern audiences demand diversity in popular culture that reflects life. LGBT characters have moved from the periphery to the forefront in comic books, growing in popularity and power. Here are ten of the most powerful LGBT characters to feature in comic books.

10 Deadpool

Deadpool is a beloved comic book character, known for his wit and his unparalleled healing factor that surpasses that of even Wolverine. The Merc With a Mouth has been confirmed to be pansexual, with Deadpool writer Gerry Duggan confirming in 2013 that Wade Wilson is attracted to "anything with a pulse."

Deadpool's pansexuality was addressed in director David Leitch's 2018 sequel Deadpool 2, as the titular character played by Ryan Reynolds shared obvious chemistry with Colossus.

9 Northstar

Northstar, real name Jean-Paul Beaubier, is one of the first openly gay characters in American comic book history. He is a mutant who was formerly a member of Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight, possessing the ability to fly, travel at superhuman speed and project energy blasts.

The character debuted during the height of the AIDS scare and was explicitly stated as gay in 1992's Alpha Flight #106. His marriage to Kyle Jinadu in 2012's Astonishing X-Men #51 was the first depiction of a same-sex wedding ceremony in comics.

8 Mystique

Mystique's bisexuality was long eluded to in Marvel comics, and her sexuality is one of its longest depictions of LGBT representation. The shapeshifter had a tumultuous romance with Irene Adler aka Destiny until Destiny's untimely demise.

Uncanny X-Men #265 was the first publication to directly confirm that Mystique and Destiny were in a romantic relationship. Despite having many love affairs throughout the years, Mystique's love for Destiny remains one of her most meaningful partnerships.

7 Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy is a powerful force to be reckoned with, recognizable in popular culture as well as among hardcore comic book fans. Her immunity to toxins and affinity with botany make her a formidable foe, though she has been depicted more as an antiheroine lately in the same vein as her canon girlfriend Harley Quinn.

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Ivy and Harley's relationship was eluded to initially in Bruce Timm's Batman: The Animated Series and the pair became famous after their partnership with Catwoman during Gotham City Sirens. The duo has since been involved in a relationship in recent DC Comics, much to the delight of fans.

6 Wiccan

Wiccan is another Marvel comics character who made his debut in Young Avengers #1 in 2005. Like Scarlet Witch, Wiccan possesses the ability to manipulate magic and has proved himself to be a valuable member of the team.

Wiccan is known for his relationship with Hulking, sharing a kiss with his teammate for the first time in Young Avengers: The Children's Crusade #9. An Asgardian, Wiccan also shares similarities with Thor that provide a natural opportunity for his character to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

5 Hulkling

Hulkling, real name Theodore 'Teddy' Altman, is another member of the Young Avengers who made his debut in the same comic as Wiccan. Hulkling possesses the ability to shapeshift and has been known to shift into the Hulk, as well as having superhuman strength.

Hulkling was originally intended to be a female character and love interest for Wiccan named Chimera, using her shape-shifting abilities to mimic a man's form. However, the writers scrapped that idea and decided to pursue an openly gay relationship between the characters.

4 Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is one of the most recognizable and popular characters in comic book history. As one of the founding members of the Justice League, she has featured at the forefront of nearly all of DC's major crossover arcs and made her live-action debut in Patty Jenkins' 2017 film.

The exact nature of Diana's sexuality has been eluded to in comic books throughout history. Writer Greg Rucka confirmed this in 2016, stating that she is canonically queer as it is "only logical" giving that the Amazons live in an all-female environment.

3 Iceman

Jean Grey outing Bobby Drake

Iceman is one of Marvel's oldest characters and original X-Men members, having debuted in the comics during the 60s. Bobby Drake's sexuality was never addressed then, though he has since come out as gay after an altercation with Jean Grey in 2015's All-New X-Men.

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A teenaged version of Iceman who has been pulled out of time has his mind read by the telepath, outing that he is gay. In Uncanny X-Men #600, the teenaged Bobby confronts his adult counterpart, who finally admits to repressing his sexuality due to fear of further persecution. Iceman is also an Omega-level mutant, making him one of the most powerful LGBT characters in the Marvel universe.

2 Apollo

Apollo is another of Marvel's first openly gay characters, originally debuting in the Stormwatch series. He possesses several incredible powers, including psionic powers, reality manipulation, immortality, invulnerability, flight and the ability to convert solar power into energy.

Apollo is known for his relationship with Midnighter, who was a fellow member of The Authority. Both characters were married and adopted Jenny Quantum, a teenage superhero with the ability to warp reality.

1 Alan Scott

Alan Scott originally debuted in DC comics in the 1940s and was the first character to bear the Green Lantern moniker. The title of Green Lantern changed hands to Hal Jordan during the 1950s, with the two characters revealed to be parallel counterparts from Earth-One and Earth-Two. During a drastic DC reboot, his character was revealed to be gay in James Robinson's Earth-Two series.

This version of Scott differs from his counterpart in DC's regular universe in many ways, still using a ring but not a lantern. Robinson said that his power in the series is "up there close to Superman."

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