Superhero comic books have come a long way from the days when they kept it simple and avoided topics that the Comics Code Authority (CCA) — the comic industry’s self-regulatory watchdog — deemed controversial, abnormal, or perverse. Consequently, when it came to a character’s sexual orientation, superhero titles stuck to the traditional heterosexual love between a man and a woman. Indeed, even if a love interest was an alien or an android, one partner in a couple was always male and the other female. But, as the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community became more widespread in real life, publishers and editors increasingly began to reflect the diversity of their fan bases’ sexual preferences in superhero titles.
While many praise comic book publishers for increasing the number of LGBTQ+ characters in their titles, others argue that simply labeling a character as LGBTQ+ means little if their representation lacks authenticity, reinforces stereotypes, or fails to develop their character fully. With June being Pride Month, there’s no better time to take stock of the LGBTQ+ superhero community and celebrate those heroes who truly embody the values Pride Month was created to honor, namely resistance to discrimination, awareness of the community, solidarity between different LGBTQ+ groups, and visibility.
1) Superboy ( Jonathan Kent)
Queer characters have been featured in comic books for over three decades, making it unsurprising, nowadays, when a character is depicted as or comes out as gay or bisexual. However, the moment Superman’s son, Jonathan Kent, kissed his male friend Jay in Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 by Tom Taylor and John Timms was different. It’s no exaggeration to say it was the kiss felt around the world. That’s because Superboy is unlike any other queer character in mainstream superhero comics. Not only is he a recognizable name in his own right, but his parents are pillars of the DC superhero community—and global cultural icons.
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As demonstrated by the attention he garnered in revealing his queerness, Superboy would make an excellent poster boy for Pride Month. Without saying a word, his notoriety alone raises awareness about the queer community. Moreover, his father – the embodiment of traditional superhero values – accepting him for who he is sends a powerful message of support for his son and the queers everywhere. Indeed, depending on how DC develops Superboy’s story, he could become the most impactful and empowering queer character ever.
2) Jean-Paul Beaubier (Northstar)
In 1992, just a few years after the CCA began loosening its restrictions on the depiction of same-sex relationships, Alpha Flight’s Northstar broke barriers by coming out as gay in Alpha Flight #106. While he wasn’t the first superhero to reveal his queerness, he was the first prominent hero of a major mainstream super-team to do so. Later, Northstar continued his groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation in Astonishing X-Men 51 with his marriage to his long-time partner, Kyle Jinadu – another first for a hero of his stature. This marked a significant milestone in the increased visibility of LGBTQ+ characters in mainstream comic books.
As one of the “OG” queer superheroes, Northstar embodies the spirit of Pride Month by honoring the bravery and legacy of pioneers who paved the way for others. By being a mainstream superhero and a member of two of Marvel’s most popular teams, he demonstrated that queer heroes can operate effectively at an elite level while fearlessly promoting acceptance of LGBTQ+ issues. Indeed, he is one of the giants whose shoulders later queer characters stand on.
3) Batwoman (Kate Kane)
Kate Kane’s Batwoman has been a trailblazer for queer characters in the DC Universe for years. Her coming out as a queer in Detective Comics #859 marked the first time a character openly identified as a lesbian in DC’s pantheon of superheroes. Since then, her journey as a lesbian hero has served as a model for the sensible and sensitive portrayal of a queer hero within the mainstream superhero community. She is unapologetically queer; her identity is not suppressed but rather made an integral part of her character, and she consistently smashes stereotypes about queer superheroes.
Beyond the pride she embodies as a queer superhero — and the role she has played in paving the way for LGBTQ+ representation — Batwoman also champions the values of Pride Month through her resistance to oppression. In Detective Comics #859, while serving in the military, Kate Kane refuses to comply with the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which at the time regulated sexual orientation in the armed forces. Instead of hiding her identity, she openly declares herself a lesbian as an act of protest, encouraging others to embrace their queerness without fear. Despite her immense potential as an officer, she is discharged from the military for daring to defy the status quo.
4) Ms. America (America Chavez)
While there have been controversies about her backstory, one element that has never been questioned, downplayed, or ignored is her sexual orientation. To be sure, since she first appeared in the Marvel Universe in Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta’s Vengeance #1, she has been portrayed as a queer character. Accordingly, not only is America Chavez the first queer Latina to headline her own series, but she is also one of the first characters whose queerness was clearly established from the beginning. The openness of her sexuality, along with the central role America has played in several of Marvel’s major events, makes her a perfect example of how LGBTQ+ characters have become vital parts of the comic book community.
As a woman, a Latina, and a teenager, America embodies Pride Month’s commitment to expanding intersectionality within the queer community and strengthening solidarity among queer individuals across all communities and groups. She challenges the notion that queer representation should look or sound a certain way. Moreover, she shows how her gender, youth, and ethnicity do not conflict with her queerness, but rather reinforce it. Her identity and acceptance within these intersecting worlds illustrate that queer heroes emerge from diverse backgrounds — ones that often overlap, as America herself exemplifies.
5) Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley)
Poison Ivy’s queerness had always been a subtle subtext in her story since her early appearances in the Batman universe. However, it wasn’t until her portrayal in Harley Quinn (2015) that it was officially confirmed. Rather than presenting Ivy’s queerness as a sudden “shock” reveal, the series organically developed her relationships—particularly with Harley—making it one of the most authentic depictions of queer love in comics, according to many fans. After all, love for someone else rarely happens at first sight; it deepens and evolves over time.
As a queer character, few embody the spirit of Pride Month more than Poison Ivy. First, she is unapologetic about her bisexuality—she embraces it fully. Her entire vibe says, “I like men and women. Deal with it.” Second, her environmental advocacy not only reflects her deep connection to nature but also aligns with the spirit of radical resistance that helped ignite the first Pride movement. She’s not just queer—she’s a revolutionary. Finally, she represents the marginalization that still defines much of society’s relationship with the queer community: her ideas are dismissed as foolish, and she’s rarely taken seriously, despite the depth of her convictions.
6) Wiccan (Billy Kaplan)
The revelation that Wiccan is queer is eye-opening for a number of reasons—but not simply because he is the Scarlet Witch’s son or because he “came out of the closet.” What sets Wiccan apart from many other queer characters is the emotional depth and detail given to his internal struggles leading up to his coming out. At first, Wiccan didn’t fully accept himself and even created alternate realities as a way to escape from confronting his identity. What sets Wiccan apart, then, is not just that he is a queer superhero, but that his story portrays the deeply human process of making a perceived weakness into an absolute strength.
Wiccan stands out as a powerful representation of Pride Month’s focus on resilience in the face of oppression, even when that oppression is self-generated. Initially, Wiccan was paralyzed by his own fear and denial regarding his identity. However, he eventually overcame these doubts to embrace his queerness and, in the process, found his soulmate, Hulkling. It’s an amazing story of perseverance in the face of hostility, both from his personal demons and from external forces – exactly the type of outcome Pride Month was established to facilitate.
