DC's new Superman comes out as bisexual in upcoming comic

DC Comics has a new Superman in town, and he's different from his predecessor in more ways than one. The ongoing comic Superman: Son of Kal-El by writer Tom Taylor and artist John Timms launched in July and saw Jon Kent officially take up the mantle of the Man of Steel now that his father, Clark Kent a.k.a Kal-El, is feeling his age. But youth isn't the only thing that distinguishes these two Supermen. In November's Superman: Son of Kal-El #5, Jon will officially come out as bisexual and become romantically involved with another male character.

Both Supermen certainly have a thing for reporters. Just as Jon was born of the marriage between Clark Kent and Lois Lane, he has now fallen for a young reporter named Jay Nakamura. As Jon gets mentally and physically burnt out by trying to save everyone he can in the pages of Superman: Son of Kal-El #5, Jay is there to care for him.

"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," Taylor said in a statement. "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."

Superman: Son of Kal-El is not an alternate-universe tale; it takes place in mainstream DC continuity. But the multimedia nature of modern DC means that other versions of Jon Kent exist as well.

"We talk a lot about the power of the DC Multiverse in our storytelling and this is another incredible example," DC Publisher Jim Lee said in a statement. "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."

The first three issues of Superman: Son of Kal-El are available now for any readers interested by this news. Issue #4 hits stands on Oct. 19, with issue #5 coming on Nov. 9. Below, check out multiple different covers for Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 — the main one by Timms, plus a variant by Travis Moore and Tamra Bonvillain, and another variant by Inhyuk Lee.

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