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3 May 2022

Superman’s cape gets a queer upgrade for Pride in upcoming comic

Comic book artist Tríona Tree Farrell shared a sneak peek of the LGBTQ+ cape.

By Emily Maskell

Words: Emily Maskell; pictures: DC Comics

It looks like Superman’s iconic outfit is getting a queer makeover following the reveal that Jonathan Kent aka Superman was bisexual.

DC Comics’ upcoming DC Pride anthology will see Clark’s boyfriend, Jay Nakamura, gifting the son of Kal-El with a new cape emblazoned with Pride flags. 

Last year, Tom Taylor’s Superman: Son of Kal-El re-introduced Superman/Jonathan Kent – the son of the OG Superman, Clark Kent – as a bisexual superhero with a boyfriend to the DC Universe.

“I’m SO happy it’s this one!”

On Saturday (30 May) comic colourist Tríona Tree Farrell tweeted: “I have also wanted to work on a Superman comic and I’m SO happy it’s this one!” alongside a preview of the comic designed by Farrell, Devin Grayson, Aditya Bidikar and Nick Robles.

The sneak peek shows Nakamura handing Kent a gift-wrapped box that contains Superman’s classic red cape. The cape’s lining, however, is brandished with stripes of the Pansexual, Bisexual, Trans, Asexual, and Non-binary Pride flags.

Fans shared their excitement for the upcoming comic, due to be released at the end of May before Pride month in June. 

Another added: “I’m already obsessed with this 😭😭 can’t wait to see it on the shelves!!”

Highlights of the comic anthology’s previous issues included the kiss between Jonathan Kent and hacktivist Jay Nakamura in the fifth issue that fans had been waiting for. In the most recent issue, the tenth comic, Kent came out as bisexual to his mother, Lois Lane, in a touching sequence.

Alongside Kent and his boyfriend, the DC Pride 2022 comic will share more stories of fan-favourite LGBTQIA+ characters like Poison Ivy, Tim Drake, and Harley Quinn. 

Taylor’s DC comics series has charted Jonathan Kemp’s life travelling through galaxies, in training for the day when he’ll have to pick up the mantle from his father, Clark Kent, and become the next Superman.

Speaking with IGN last October about creating a bisexual Superman, Tom Taylor shared: “When I was asked if I wanted to write a new Superman with a new #1 for the DC universe, I knew replacing Clark with another straight white savior could be a real opportunity missed…Today, Superman, the strongest superhero on the planet, is coming out.”

The DC Pride 2022 comic will be released 31 May and is available to preorder now.

The Attitude May/June issue is out now.

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