NPR

Superman's son, Jon Kent, comes out as bisexual in a new comic. It's a big deal — sort of

DC Comics announced that Superman's teenage son will be romantically involved with a male friend in a comic to be published in November. It's a growing trend.
In November's <em>Superman: Son of Kal-El #5</em>, (written by Tom Taylor, art by John Timms), Jonathan Kent, son of Clark, will get a boyfriend.

By now you've likely heard.

He's queer now.

Yep: Superman, Champion of the Oppressed, the Man of Steel, the Man of Tomorrow, the Last Son of Krypton, the Big Blue Boy Scout, Mr. Not-A-Bird-Nor-A-Plane Himself.

Queer. All of a sudden.

And at 83 years old, no less! Bless his heart.

But that's not what's happening here. Comics being comics, the truth is a lot more granular.

We're not talking about the classic, original-recipe Clark Kent/Kal-El Superman that's been around since the June 1938 issue of Action Comics #1 first hit the stands. It's not the Superman who's infiltrated the global zeitgeist to become a part of our collective consciousness via comics, serials, radio, television, film, toys, roller coasters and the bedsheets I got for Christmas 1979.

No, it's his son, Jonathan Kent. Whose precise backstory in the comics has been so ruthlessly pummeled.

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