So DC Comics is Going to Add Yet Another Gay Character

As part of the "Second Wave" of titles in the New 52 to replace the cancelled titles, DC will be re-introducing an old character as a homosexual when they were previously straight. There is no word as to the gender of this character, nor how popular they were in the old DC Universe. I think this is a mistake. DC (and comics in general) doesn't have the greatest track record in its treatment of gay characters, the most notable exception being Batwoman, although she has largely been handled by the same people since she was introduced a few years ago. For those not in the know, Batwoman is handled very interestingly because as her secret identity of Kate Kane, she is a publicly out lesbian, kicked out of the military for its Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. As Batwoman, she purposely exudes sex and flirts with her enemies, despite the fact she isn't attracted to any of them.

That's one example out of all the gay characters that exist and have existed in DC Comics. Marvel's treatment is slightly better, what with Northstar recently getting married to his longtime boyfriend finally, but at the same time, Marvel also employed Orson Scott Card to write Ultimate Iron-Man stories. Card, most famous for writing Ender's Game and its sequels, is also known for being unbelievably homophobic and for making very incendiary comments about homosexuals.

The internet has been stupidly assuming that Batman is going to come out of the closet, but it must be remembered that the gay character will one that is not being featured in comics right now, although it is said that they are an "iconic" character, whatever that means. The entire Justice League has been introduced already, so who else could they add? Power Girl and Huntress have recently been reintroduced to the DC Universe, and I suppose it's possible to make Kara Zor-El or Helena Wayne a lesbian, but I don't see the purpose in that.

If you want to have a good read of gay characters in comics and their fates, I recommend you read WHO CARES ABOUT THE DEATH OF A GAY SUPERHERO ANYWAY?: A HISTORY OF GAYS IN COMIC BOOKS, by Perry Moore, author of Hero, a novel about a gay teen who becomes a superhero.