World Enough and Time

Latest news headline: Stan Lee to create first gay superhero.

Say what? If you look up 'first gay superhero' on Wikipedia, you get Extrano at DC, from 1988. And what about Northstar, a superhero so gay he had a press conference about it, but never had a boyfriend? At least he had the good taste to think Gambit was cute.

There are so many gay superheros, there are websites devoted to listing them. And the bi ones. And the trans ones. Remember Paradox, the bisexual shape-changer? I loved him. Her. Whichever. So obscure, he's not on Wikipedia. And the subject shouldn't ignore Apollo and Midnighter, who are not just gay, but a dramatically gay couple. In my favourite era of Legion of Super-Heroes, Element Lad was gay, as were Lightning Lass and Shrinking Violet.

Considering that the 'first gay superhero' phrase doesn't even specifically refer to comic books, I'm not sure the first gay superhero wasn't Achilles, from three thousand years ago.

I love media hype. And I hope Thom Creed is a raging success.