DC’s new comic book Superman is coming out as bisexual in next month’s issue

DC’s newest Superman is coming out of the closet next month, with the comics company revealing that Jon Kent will be starting a relationship with Jay Nakamura, a new character introduced earlier this year.

The son of the original Superman (Kal-El / Clark Kent), Jon took over for his father as the “official” Superman in DC’s mainline Superman: Son of Kal-El comic earlier this year as Earth’s most powerful superhero. (For those not caught up, Clark is still around, albeit off dealing with some drama on Warworld in the Action Comics and limited-run Superman and the Authority lines.)

“Everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes.”

“I knew replacing Clark with another straight white savior could be a real opportunity missed,” writer Tom Taylor told IGN in an interview. “But I’ve always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes. Today, Superman, the strongest superhero on the planet, is coming out.”

Superman: Son of Kal-El also looks to offer a more modern take on the character. Jon Kent’s version of the hero will not only face off against the usual run of supervillains but also contemporary issues like climate change and school shootings.

DC isn’t shying away from similarities to Clark Kent’s famous romances, either: like Lois Lane (Jon’s mother), Jay is also a reporter, although Taylor teased in the same IGN interview that he’ll have some superpowers of his own that will allow him to meet Superman on his level instead of serving as another person for Jon to save.

Jon Kent joins other prominent LGBTQ members of DC’s comics pantheon, following the reveal that Tim Drake (one of several Robins in the Batman canon) was queer in an August issue earlier this year.

Jon and Jay are set to “become romantically involved” in next month’s issue number five of Superman: Son of Kal-El, out on November 9th.