DC made major headlines when it announced that Jon Kent, the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane and the star of Superman: Son of Kal-El, will be coming out as bisexual in Issue #5 in November.
The writer of the series, Tom Taylor, explains that choosing to have a major DC character come out as bisexual was a choice born in part by a desire to not miss the opportunity to expand the sort of heroes that the DC Universe has for a wider audience, rather than simply another straight White hero.
In an interview with IGN about the news, Taylor noted, "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."
Speaking to the theme of missed opportunities, Taylor also noted that he had previously tried to introduce LBGTQIA characters into his work and those previous attempts were unsuccessful. "Over the years in this industry, it probably won’t surprise you to hear I’ve had queer characters and storylines rejected," he said. "I felt like I was letting down people I loved every time this happened"
John Timms, the artist on the series, concurred with Taylor's thoughts, adding, "It is a pretty big deal doing it with Jon Kent as Superman. As we have seen Jon grow up in front of our eyes, it will be interesting to see him not only trying to find himself as a person but a global super hero in the complex atmosphere of modern life. On the other hand, I hope this kind of thing will not be seen as a big deal in the future. You could visualize how it could pan in the future when the most powerful man in the world is part of the LGBT community. So many things are on the horizon and beyond."
Superman: Son of Kal-El #5, by Tom Taylor, John Timms, Gabe Eltaeb and Dave Sharpe, goes on sale Nov. 9 from DC.
Source: IGN