7 Canon LGBTQ Superheroes Who Should Come Out on Screen After Loki
Marvel’s Loki gave LGBTQ superhero representation a big boost last month when the Asgardian—the Tom Hiddleston character fans know and love from the Thor and Avengers movies—asserted his bisexuality.
In the Disney+ series’ third episode, Loki says he has had “a bit of both” after Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) asks if there were any special princes or princesses in his life.
“From the moment I joined @LokiOfficial it was very important to me, and my goal, to acknowledge Loki was bisexual,” director Kate Herron tweeted after the episode dropped. “It is a part of who he is and who I am too. I know this is a small step, but I’m happy, and heart is so full, to say that this is now canon in #mcu.”
With that Marvel-ous step forward, we’re thinking about LGBTQ comic book characters who could also come out on screen—or just be out, for that matter. Here are some contenders…
Bunker
the only thing good about the new 52 was miguel barragan aka bunker, an openly gay mexican superhero and a member of the teen titans pic.twitter.com/XcOnCkZqMa
— matty, ceo of atom eve (@godlycia) August 26, 2018
The superhero born Miguel Jose Barragan made a loud and proud debut in Teen Titans #3. “[There] are gay people who you wouldn’t know are gay right off the bat, but there are others who are a [bit] more flamboyant, and we thought it would be nice to actually see them portrayed in comics,” blogged artist Brett Booth.
Hulkling
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Marvel wed two male superheroes for the first time in 2020 when this Young Avengers member—who, in his superhero alter-ego, bears a not-so-passing resemblance to the Incredible Hulk—got hitched to husband Wiccan in Empyre #4.
Karma
KARMA! ❌-Men portrait painting 51! Love this character so much – one of the OG New Mutants crew 🙌. #xmen #newmutants pic.twitter.com/CK6T6cd5il
— Ty Romsa (@TyRomsaArt) February 24, 2021
This telepathic New Mutants hero—who was left out of the 2020 film of the same name—came out as lesbian in a 2009 issue of the comic series, in which she described unreciprocated feelings for Kitty Pryde.
Lord Fanny
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A Brazilian witch assigned male at birth, Lord Fanny used her magic powers as one of the titular teammates in Vertigo’s The Invisibles series. CBR.com deems Lord Fanny “one of the best and most positive trans characters in comics.”
Jessie Drake
Hey Marvel, can you bring back Jessie Drake? She’s a mutant and your first trans character, and I feel it’s about time you addressed mutant intersectionality with trans people. pic.twitter.com/4lNsXV0gG7
— Tux (Marvel era) (@tuxedosaurus) March 6, 2021
Marvel’s first confirmed transgender character, a mutant with the power of emphatic metamorphosis, made her debut in Marvel Comics Presents #150 in 1994. And she resurfaced this year in Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1.
Midnighter
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A member of the super-team The Authority, Midnighter was the first gay male superhero to lead the cast of a mass-market comic, according to Advocate. He and his partner, Apollo, have drawn parallels to Batman and Superman, respectively.
Northstar
Also, happy seventh wedding anniversary to Northstar and Kyle. pic.twitter.com/PjV50GUKxa
— Antony of Krakoa 🏝 (@RemyLeBeau) June 20, 2019
Another trailblazer, Northstar is the first mainstream superhero to come out as gay, which he did in Alpha Flight #106 in 1992. Twenty years later, he married his non-superhero partner, Kyle, in Marvel’s first-ever gay wedding.
