Superman writer Tom Taylor opened up about the character’s recent coming out storyline in a new interview.
Earlier this year, DC Comics made history when they announced that Jon Kent, Earth’s reigning Superman and the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, would be bisexual in the Superman: Son of Kal El series.
The inclusion of an LGBTQ+ Man of Steel was met with immediate praise from comic book fans and critics.
The excitement surrounding the issue also required DC Comics to order reprints due to an “unprecedented” amount of orders.
Now with the issue officially making the rounds, series writer Tom Taylor opened up to The Washington Post about the history-making character and his future.
When asked about the inspiration behind Jon’s coming out storyline, he revealed that the plan to make him queer was two years in the making.
“This was an opportunity to do something different, something not seen before. And to have this Superman represent people who haven’t been represented before and haven’t been able to see themselves in Superman,” he explained.
“To pitch something like this [to DC] is a little bit daunting. You go, are they going to go with this? Because historically, I have had queer characters erased or rejected [at other publishers]. But there’s been a real shift, a really welcome shift in comics.”
Taylor went on to say that before he explored Jon’s sexuality within the series, he wanted to establish the young hero’s role as Earth’s new Superman.
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“First and foremost, I wanted to establish [Jon Kent] as Superman. I didn’t want the narrative to be DC Comics creates new [bisexual] Superman,” he said.
I wanted it to [later] be Superman comes out, because … that is much more powerful.”
In terms of Jon’s sexuality and journey in future issues, Taylor explained that he’ll be standing up for underrepresented people that are “oppressed.”
“His thing is going to be that he stands for everyone. Everyone who is oppressed. Everyone who is underrepresented. Everyone who needs him. He’ll be there,” he said.
DC Comic’s editor in chief Marie Javins echoed similar sentiments to Taylor and said a bisexual Superman “makes perfect sense.”
“Gender and sexuality is so much more fluid to young people today. Our fans know that. Our retailers know that. Our staff knows that. It’s not like we’re all off in this little bubble and don’t know 20-year-olds,” she told The Washington Post.
Although there has been a huge amount of support for the character, there has also been pushback from conservative critics.
The 55-year-old said the inclusive move was not “bold or brave” given how the world and attitudes have changed.
“They said it’s a bold new direction, I say they’re bandwagoning,” he explains. “Robin just came out as bi — who’s really shocked about that one? The new Captain America is gay.
“My daughter in [The CW series] Supergirl, where I played the father, was gay. So I don’t think it’s bold or brave or some crazy new direction. If they had done this 20 years ago, perhaps that would be bold or brave.”
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