October 12 is celebrated in the US as “National Coming Out Day.”
DC is making much ado of it, too, announcing that Jonathan Kent — the son of Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman and Lois Lane -- is bisexual.
As if to emphasize their point, the DC website also unveiled an illustration featuring Jon sharing a passionate kiss with his pink-haired, glasses-wearing love interest, reporter Jay Nakamura.
According to DC Comics, their love story is set to unfold in the next issue of “Superman: Son of Kal-El #5” coming out this November.
Its writer, Tom Taylor, expressed elation with the development in a statement.
“I’ve always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes and I’m very grateful DC and Warner Bros. share this idea,” he said.
“Superman’s symbol has always stood for hope, for truth and for justice. Today, that symbol represents something more,” he added. “Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics.”
DC Chief Creative Officer and Publisher Jim Lee, meanwhile, said they “couldn’t be prouder to tell this important story.”
“We talk a lot about the power of the DC Multiverse in our storytelling and this is another incredible example,” Lee said.
The announcement received mixed reaction.
Some of the comments:
"Are they going to change his name to Superbi?"
"Superman's real kryptonite is finally revealed.....guys in hoodies!"
"Hollywood is trying to make Superman gay and he is not. Just rename the new version Thooperman so we can all know the difference and avoid seeing it."
"It's part of a growing trend of incremental progress for queer representation in comics."
"Can't believe what they're doing to Superman, can you imagine if the heroes of Greek myth were bisexual?"
"Another nonsense we don't need..."
"Homophobic peeps are now raging with anger knowing that superman’s son is bisexual hahahaha..."
Note that only three months ago, DC Comics also announced that Robin, Batman's sidekick, is also bisexual.