7 Comic Books with Badass LGBT Characters
1/9Once upon a time, comic book characters came out of the closet like it was some big tragedy. The whole team sat down to support them through the misery, and gay storylines were often couched in bigotry awareness and 1980s AIDS panic. Needless to say, as a bisexual person myself, I found it to be kind of a bummer.
What’s great is that now, more than ever, comics are a place where I can read stories about queer and trans people kicking butt, fighting crime, and falling in love. The best thing about this list? There are so many more than I could fit here! Here are my all-time favorites:
2/9THE WICKED + THE DIVINE
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Who’s LGBT: Laura, Lucifer, Cassandra, Baal, Inanna….
God is a DJ — and a singer, and a rapper, and a guitar player in this book about ancient gods who reincarnate as pop stars. Main character Laura is a superfan who follows them all, and wants to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight….the devil, in this case, being a beautiful young lady in a white suit. Skeptical reporter Cassandra’s transgender identity is more than just a plot point or a reveal, it influences her walk through the world. And tough-guy rapper Baal’s adoration of genderfluid crooner Inanna is a song played on the heartstrings.
3/9Midnighter
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: ACO, Stephen Mooney
Who’s LGBT: The lead, his ex-husband, and a string of hookups.
One of my personal favorite comics on the stands, Midnighter is what happens when a bad breakup sends you into a tailspin — and you’re a super-programed mercenary with anger issues. From bashing in faces with improvised weapons to meeting guys for dinner, Midnighter takes the best parts of over-the-top comic book fights and marries it (in all 50 states!) with the aching shiftlessness of heartbreak. The glimpses we see of his past with superhero husband Apollo are just enough make you really hope they end up back together.
Photo: Courtesy of Marvel4/9ANGELA, QUEEN OF HEL
Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Who’s LGBT: Angela and her true love, Sera.
She’s Thor and Loki’s sister, with none of that pesky Asgardian honor. Angela is driven by debts, and for the first time — the passion in her heart. While she can be a little intense, her wisecracking bard-turned-lover Sera keeps her (and us readers) smiling. Don’t let the Marvel logo fool you — this beautiful, painted book is sword-and-sorcery fantasy through and through. What it’s got that classic sword and sorcery lacks? Passionate and proud lesbian kisses, trans women of color, and prayers to Beyonce. Check out this summer’s 1602: Witch Hunter Angela, as well!
Photo: Courtesy of DC Comics5/9HARLEY QUINN
Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: Amanda Conner
Who’s LGBT: The clown princess herself, and her tulip of a girlfriend, Poison Ivy.
DC’s top selling chick loves girls just as much as we love her. I mean, we’ve said for ages that she and Poison Ivy were a little too cuddly to be ‘just friends,’ and it feels so good to be right. Harley’s got a girlfriend in Ivy now, but she’s also not afraid to play the field — like when she wins a date with Bruce Wayne in the Valentine’s Day Special. I’m hopeful that Poison Ivy’s upcoming comic series will feature significantly more Harley/Ivy smooching, and so will Harley’s upcoming Little Black Book! And we’re happy to chuck the creepy-abusive “Mistah J” obsession in favor of road trips with the Gotham City Sirens.
6/9Strangers in Paradise
Writer/Artist: Terry Moore
Who’s LGBT: Katchoo, Francine, and a few of their friends.
Far away from the world of superheroes lies Strangers in Paradise, a six-volume book that changed my life. Katchoo and Francine meet in high school and become fast friends. Their lives couldn’t be more different: Francine’s life is picture-perfect, while Katchoo comes from the wrong side of the tracks. Francine worries about boys nonstop, while Katchoo couldn’t be less interested in boys. Francine has her eyes set on one boy in particular...while Katchoo only has eyes for Francine. SiP has been over for some time, but that means the good news is you can devour it all at once. It’s a 15-year look into the loves and lives of some of the realest women you’ll ever read about. Bring tissues. (But I promise a happy ending!)
7/9Fun Home
Writer/Artist: Alison Bechdel
Who’s LGBT: Biographer Alison (and her father)
After the musical adaptation of this comic won a Tony Award this year, this book flew to the top of a lot of people’s lists. You might also recognize Alison Bechdel’s name from the Bechdel Test, which first appeared in her weekly comic, Dykes to Watch Out For. But Fun Home is a memoir, a strange musing story wherein Alison connects in her life a bunch of strange dots that never made sense before: Her own queer identity and her father’s, which was carefully hidden away. Her childhood in a funeral home and the strange circumstances surrounding her father’s death. For such heavy material, Bechdel’s work is fascinating. I always come away from a reread of this book wanting to keep journals, write down my dreams, and look for my own connections.
8/9Lumberjanes
Writers: Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Waters
Artists: Brooke Allen
You’re likely getting the idea that queer leads exist all over comics, in a dozen different genres. Lumberjanes does something extra-special, in that it writes LGBT stories that are completely appropriate for young people. The story of a group of girls who attend camp together, solve puzzles, and encounter fun mysteries, Lumberjanes is smart, funny, and features queer and trans young women. Written and drawn by an all-female team, Lumberjanes manages to be both authentic young-girl experience, and classic comic-shop floppy issue, something that’s won it tons of well-deserved award and acclaim. And cuties Mal and Molly making nervous crush-eyes at each other? Adorably handled, and vital for LGBT kids.
