by mpalmie2 on October 21, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
By Nikki Idelson ’22
Fans of the Superman comics are being graced with a new issue this November. This installment of the “Superman: Son of Kai-El” series will push the boundaries of comic books in a way that no issue in the series has done before. In this forthcoming issue of this “Superman” comic book, the fifth in the series, Superman will be depicted as bisexual.
According to CNN, those that know the comics well will know that “every comic iteration of Superman has been besotted with longtime love Lois Lane.” However, in this new issue, the love interest for Superman—who is not Clark Kent, but rather his and Lois’ son—will be unlike any explored in the comic book series thus far. CNN explains that the comic book “will confirm that the new Superman—Jon Kent—is bisexual after falling for Jay Nakamura, a male reporter.”
The issue, which promises readers unexpected twists and turns, will follow Jon Kent “becoming Earth’s new Superman” and “grappl[ing] with the immense weight of his new gig.”
This is where Jay Nakamura comes into the story. He acts as a comforting shoulder for Kent. Nakamura is depicted as a “bespectacled writer with a bubble-gum pink mop,” but not much else is known about the character at this time.
Released “images from the comic show [Kent and Nakamura] sharing a kiss and sitting together atop a building, their legs dangling off the edge.” The writer for this installment, Tom Taylor, commented on the news of Superman being depicted as bisexual. According to DC Comics, he said, “Superman’s symbol has always stood for hope, for truth, and for justice. Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics.”
Evidently, this new Superman comic will not only provide readers with enjoyment in its depiction of the hero’s adventures, but also provide inclusion for members of the LGBTQ+ community. As comic books have historically depicted relationships between a man and a woman, including earlier Superman comics, this latest installment in the “Superman” series will be pivotal in showing that love can be found in all different types of relationships.
In the past few years, DC Comics, the company under which Superman is licensed, has become increasingly inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. According to CNN, they have incorporated “the character Tim Drake, one of the many Robins to fight alongside Batman, [who] accepted a date from a male admirer” into their comics. Another example of DC’s LGBTQ+ inclusion are comics about “Batwoman, also known as Kate Kane, who at one point was punished for her relationship with another woman under the US military’s former ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.”
DC Comics has certainly made great strides in inclusion by incorporating characters of all different backgrounds and sexualities into their stories. Fans of the Superman comics should be sure to check their local comic book store or website on Nov. 9 to pick up a copy of this historic comic book.