DC Comics’ new Superman, the son of the characters Clark Kent and Lois Lane, will come out as bisexual and start a romantic relationship with a male friend in an issue of "Superman: Son of Kal-El" out next month.
The series, which started last July and is written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by John Timms, follows Jonathan Kent dealing with more realistic issues, such as wildfires due to climate change and school shootings, than the ones faced by his father, who is still Superman in the world of the comics along with his son.
In the next issue, "Superman: Son of Kal-El #5," Jon Kent will seek support from a reporter he’s befriended, Jay Nakamura, which leads to a romantic relationship between the two.
"The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity," Taylor told The New York Times, adding that a "new Superman had to have new fights — real world problems — that he could stand up to as one of the most powerful people in the world."
He said in a statement to DC Comics: "I’ve always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes and I’m very grateful DC and Warner Bros. share this idea. Superman’s symbol has always stood for hope, for truth and for justice. Today, that symbol represents something more. Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics."
"I'm incredibly honored to be working beside Tom on the ‘Superman: Son of Kal-El’ series showing Jon Kent tackling his complex modern life, while also saving the world from its greatest threats, villains and menaces," said Timms.
"We couldn’t be prouder to tell this important story from Tom Taylor and John Timms," said Jim Lee, DC’s chief creative officer and publisher. "We talk a lot about the power of the DC Multiverse in our storytelling and this is another incredible example. We can have Jon Kent exploring his identity in the comics as well as Jon Kent learning the secrets of his family on TV on ‘Superman & Lois.’ They coexist in their own worlds and times, and our fans get to enjoy both simultaneously."