The casts and crews of Arrow and The Flash including Grant Gustin are saying it’s time for a gay superhero on television in a new story on The Advocate.
The Flash recently introduced openly gay villain Pied Piper and Sara Lance/Black Canary was bisexual (in love with Nyssa Al Ghul) on Arrow. Sara died this season but the actress who played her will appear in an Arrow/Flash spinoff featuring a team of heroes. Detective Renee Montoya (who became the Question in comics) is part of Gotham.
Which GLBT hero could join the small screen lineup or headline their own show? Let’s keep it to DC heroes who could join the expanding DC Universe on television:
Apollo and Midnighter – Imagine Superman and Batman as gay superheroes in love. That’s an easy assumption but these rogue anti-heroes are not just knockoffs. Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, this duo first in Stormwatch before leaving to join The Authority. Midnighter could easily be called a deadly mix of Batman, Wolverine, Captain America – but he’s a sadist who loves violence. Midnighter’s artificial enhancements give him superhuman physical attributes, healing power and ability to anticipate the moves of any opponent. Apollo (Andrew Pulaski) is able to absorb solar energy and convert it to incredible strength, invulnverability, flight and eye blasts. Apollo and Midnighter were married but in The New 52, they were introduced early in their careers and not realizing their mutual attraction to each other. Midnighter appeared in this year’s Grayson series and will get his own solo book by Steve Orlando this June.
Our call: Midnighter is our number one choice but he would have to be toned down for network television but imagine a Warren Ellis era Midnighter on Starz?!
Batwoman – Kate Kane was originally created as a love interest for the Dark Knight in the 1950’s to combat the allegations that Batman and Robin were gay. Ironically in 2006 Batwoman was reintroduced into the DC Universe – she’s a lesbian. Inspired by Batman, military veteran Kate Kane became a vigilante hero with the help of her father, when the Dark Knight vanished. Kate dated Gotham City Detective Renee Montoya (who appears on Gotham) and last year proposed to her girlfriend Maggie Sawyer, also of the Gotham police. If DC didn’t already have Gotham on the air, then I could see a Batwoman on The CW or Fox.
Obsidian – Todd Rice can merge his body with his own shadow giving him enhanced strength. As a living shadow he can fly, enlarge himself and surround enemies and show them their dark side. Todd and his sister Jade formed Infinity, Inc and later students of the Justice Society of America. Obsidian was corrupted but changed his evil ways and fell in love with Damon Matthews, an assistant district attorney (who works for Kate Spencer aka Manhunter). Obsidian could be a good addition as a rogue turned hero in the upcoming Arrow/Flash crossover.
More to come but is there a GLBT DC hero I missed that you want in the running?
By Editor