DC Comics' hero Green Lantern comes out gay in the upcoming comic book Earth 2.
Earlier this month, DC Comics co-publisher Dan Didio told an audience at the Kapow comic convention in London that an established character will come out gay.
Didio told attendees that the publisher was preparing to reintroduce an existing DC character who would now be "one of our most prominent gay characters."
The announcement followed on the heels of a marriage proposal for a gay couple in the latest issue of Marvel's Astonishing X-Men, prompting a strong backlash from Christian conservative group One Million Moms.
Earth 2 writer James Robinson told Entertainment Weekly that making Alan Scott (the Green Lantern) gay was his idea.
"The original version of Alan Scott was an older man, and he had a superpowered son, Obsidian, who was gay. The fact that Scott was young now [thanks to a universe-wide reboot] meant Obsidian no longer existed," Robinson said. "I thought it was a shame that DC was losing such a positive gay character. I said, 'Why not make Alan Scott gay?' To Dan Didio's credit, when I suggested it to him, there wasn't a moment's hesitation."
"I want to stress that Alan Scott is a gay man, but that's just a part of who he is," he added. "He's a businessman. He's a hero. He's a lot of different things. His sexuality is a part of him, but it isn't his defining trait. He's an interesting, complex character that I think people will respond to on many levels. He's the epitome of heroism. I hope that he's a positive representation of a gay man."
Related: Marvel and DC Comics show their pride this June
Earlier this month, DC Comics co-publisher Dan Didio told an audience at the Kapow comic convention in London that an established character will come out gay.
Didio told attendees that the publisher was preparing to reintroduce an existing DC character who would now be "one of our most prominent gay characters."
The announcement followed on the heels of a marriage proposal for a gay couple in the latest issue of Marvel's Astonishing X-Men, prompting a strong backlash from Christian conservative group One Million Moms.
Earth 2 writer James Robinson told Entertainment Weekly that making Alan Scott (the Green Lantern) gay was his idea.
"The original version of Alan Scott was an older man, and he had a superpowered son, Obsidian, who was gay. The fact that Scott was young now [thanks to a universe-wide reboot] meant Obsidian no longer existed," Robinson said. "I thought it was a shame that DC was losing such a positive gay character. I said, 'Why not make Alan Scott gay?' To Dan Didio's credit, when I suggested it to him, there wasn't a moment's hesitation."
"I want to stress that Alan Scott is a gay man, but that's just a part of who he is," he added. "He's a businessman. He's a hero. He's a lot of different things. His sexuality is a part of him, but it isn't his defining trait. He's an interesting, complex character that I think people will respond to on many levels. He's the epitome of heroism. I hope that he's a positive representation of a gay man."
Related: Marvel and DC Comics show their pride this June
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine
