The 10 Most Important Gay Moments in Comic Book History By Eric Diaz  [10 more lists]

I might have been heavy on the gay boys and light on the lesbians on this list, but the #1 slot goes to none other than DC's Batwoman, so I hope that makes up for it. Why #1? Because she's an out character who wears the symbol of DC's most popular hero, a cultural icon no less, and has headlined the book that DC Comics is named after (Detective Comics) for a year now.

AND she's proven to be a kick ass character to boot. All of this would have been unthinkable just a decade ago.

DC had a Batwoman before; back in the 1950’s, to rebuff notions that Batman and Robin were a gay couple, Batwoman was introduced as a "girlfriend” to Batman. Introduced in 1956, Kathy Kane was as sexist as comics could get in the day. Her entire reason for super heroing was merely to get Batman to marry her, and instead of a utility belt, she had a “utility purse” with gadgets that looked like lipstick and compacts. After the whole “Batman and Robin are gay” paranoia ended in the early 60’s, editor Julius Schwartz retired Batwoman for good. Eventually, a new female version of Batman was introduced in the form of Batgirl, a character that everyone loved and stood the test of time.

But in an effort to create some diversity (and sales) DC introduced a new version of Batwoman; this time Kate Kane wasn't merely Batman's "beard", but an out lesbian. Gone was the utility purse; this Batwoman was an ex military chick who could kick anyone's ass. Considering her comics origins, the irony is delicious. DC took out a press release in all the major newspapers to not only announce her existence to the world, but also the fact that this new heroine was a “lipstick lesbian”. A little over the top, but still better than Marvel's Rawhide Kid debacle. Comics readers felt cynical about the whole affair, but in time, writer Greg Rucka made her a fan favorite by virtue of solid writng and great characterization.

And thus, the arrival of Batwoman is the most important LGBT event in mainstream comics.

Both members of Marvel's X-Factor, heroes Rictor and Shatterstar are the gay super couple of the year. Although, despite what stories in the media might say, they are NOT the first gay super couple in comics (see the rest of this list). Both created to be members of Marvel's X-Force back in the early 90's, at some point writers began to imply that Rictor and Shatterstar were more than just friends. But for years, it was all between-the-lines innuendo.

Finally last year, current X-Factor writer Peter David decided that it was the 21st Century, and it was way past time to stop being coy about their relationship. Rictor and Shatterstar were lovers, end of story.

Except this is the age of Twitter, and it was NOT the end of the story, but the beginning. Shatterstar creator and all around douchebag Rob Liefield said "As the guy that created, designed and wrote his first dozen appearances, Shatterstar is not gay. Sorry. Can't wait to someday undo this. Seems totally contrived. Shatterstar is akin to Maximus in Gladiator. He's a warrior, a Spartan, and not a gay one" Note to Liefield: Read some history on the Spartans. Thanks.

Peter David had this to say on Rob's homophobic remarks about his creation now being gay: "I understand that some parents have the same reaction. They were responsible for their children's appearances and, when informed of their sexual persuasion, firmly declare it's impossible, they can't be gay."

When Green Lantern's gay teen friend Terry Berg got brutally gay bashed in the Fall 2002 issue, it got a lot of press and stirred a lot of controversy amongst the more traditional comic book fans. Even fans who were pro gay couldn't help but feel as if the whole storyline was like a "very special episode" of an 80's sitcom, where we are introduced to a controversial subject matter, and then said controversial subject matter and character disappear as if they never existed.

Even if that's true, no one can argue that writer Judd Winnick and DC Comics at least had their heart in the right place with this one.

At the time, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner was working at a magazine and had a teenage assistant named Terry Berg, his very own Jimmy Olsen. Eventually, it was revealed that Terry was gay, and he eventually came out to GL. His own family not accepting of him, Terry became Kyle's token gay friend and confidant, only to be gay bashed by thugs a few issues later, leaving him in a coma. Clearly, this entire storyline was meant to be an homage to the late Matthew Shepherd, as the Terry Berg character even looked like him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard

The whole storyline would send Kyle Rayner into a long "its all my fault, woe is me, I'm exiling myself to space" saga.

At the end of this storyline, Terry wakes from his coma and finds that Kyle has left him a duplicate power ring, implying that he will soon become the Teen Lantern (or something like that). But directions changed over at the Green Lantern book, Hal Jordan was soon back and Kyle's supporting cast was soon forgotten. It's a damn shame too, because it would have been great to have a gay hero on the Teen Titans and now Terry Berg is nothing more than a footnote in DC history.

I guess it was gonna be up to Marvel to make a gay teen hero and make it work....which they did in the form of the Young Avengers not soon afterwards.

When Young Avengers was announced back in 2005, readers scoffed at what appeared to be a Marvel version of DC's Teen Titans, with teenage versions of Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Iron Man. But the book ended up being one of the best Avengers titles in years, surprising everyone with its quality. And also surprising everyone was the revelation that Young Avengers Hulkling and Wiccan were in fact boyfriends. Their entire relationship was handled without press or fanfare, they were just two (superpowered) boys in love.

While they no doubt lost a few readers because of the gay teen love, they no doubt gained a whole lot more who would be forever loyal. Gay writer Allan Heinberg made the characters gay simply so young gay readers would finally have someone to identify with on a super team, something he (and many young gay comics fans) never had growing up.

It has been the subject of a million lame jokes for decades, but in the early 50’s it was anything but, and nearly brought about the demise of the American comic book medium. In 1953, some asshole trying to make a name for himself named Frederic Wertham wrote a book called Seduction of the Innocent, about how comics were destroying America’s youth. One famously cited example was that Batman and Robin were actually lovers.

According to Wertham, Batman and Robin inhabited "a wish dream of two homosexuals living together."

They lived in "sumptuous quarters," without wives or girlfriends, with only an effeminate British butler for company.

They often shared living quarters, and lounged together in dressing gowns. Not to mention proclivities for costumes, dressing up, and fantasy role play; secretive behavior and double-lives; little interest in women; and of course depictions of Batman and Robin were frequently homoerotic, visually emphasizing Batman's physique and Robins bare legs and short pants.

Shit, this guy almost has ME convinced.

DC was forced to butch up Bruce and Dick, in a manner of speaking, by giving Batman the steady girlfriend of Batwoman, a character literally created to make concerned mothers say “oh, see? He has a girlfriend.” She was the comic book equivalent of Katie Holmes (maybe that is why they cast her ass in Batman Begins?)

Batwoman of course, is now famously a lesbian. Gotta love how things work out.