Why not have Superman date a male hero?

[The Darknight Detective]

This is the kind of romantic angle with Superman that I can actually be supportive of. Superman dating a man would not only be new, but it would have a tremendous impact.

DC will never do it of course. They wouldn't want to deal with controversy of making the premier superhero anything but heterosexual.

Falling sales would be the #1 reason for them not to do it. If they felt it would boost revenue, DC would certainly think about it.

[Dolores - The Worst Poster Ever]

Falling sales would be the #1 reason for them not to do it. If they felt it would boost revenue, DC would certainly think about it.

I'm not sure even a significant increase in sales would lead them to go in that direction with Superman. The backlash would be enormous, and WB would be more worried about merchandise sales than comics.

Saying they'd never do it was hyperbolic on my part, they aren't going to do it anytime soon but 70 years from now? Maybe.

[The Darknight Detective]

I'm not sure even a significant increase in sales would lead them to go in that direction with Superman. The backlash would be enormous, and WB would be more worried about merchandise sales than comics.

Saying they'd never do it was hyperbolic on my part, they aren't going to do it anytime soon but 70 years from now? Maybe.

I think his popularity would have to be rock bottom before they ever thought about it. As for a sales increase, I seriously doubt that would happen beyond maybe the first issue. As you pointed out, the backlash would be immense.

[MajorHoy]

I think his popularity would have to be rock bottom before they ever thought about it. As for a sales increase, I seriously doubt that would happen beyond maybe the first issue. As you pointed out, the backlash would be immense.

They could always try it with a Superman from an alternate Earth and see how it flies.

[Zero Hunter]

Isn't that basically the reason they created Apollo and Midnighter so people could have their gay Batman/Superman fantasys.

[JackDaw]

Falling sales would be the #1 reason for them not to do it. If they felt it would boost revenue, DC would certainly think about it.

No doubt.

But I doubt that comic sales would come into it at all.

Superman is a world wide brand for just about everything...films, t-shirts, toys, etc. There are are large parts of the world where showing Superman as bi-sexual would hurt sales...that's just factual.

[Dr Quinch]

The dude has been chasing the same lady since 1938, so I wouldn't bet on it.

Which is a little suspicious when you think about it...

[JackDaw]

Which is a little suspicious when you think about it...

No, not remotely.

But look at Batman's antics over the same timescale.....

[JAK]

I'm all for LGBTQ+ superheroes/super-heroines and supporting characters as well. The diversity would be great. But I really don't think that changing existing characters is the way to do it. New characters taking up the mantle of old characters, I could see - it would promote legacy and diversity.

[JackDaw]

I'm all for LGBTQ+ superheroes/super-heroines and supporting characters as well. The diversity would be great. But I really don't think that changing existing characters is the way to do it. New characters taking up the mantle of old characters, I could see - it would promote legacy and diversity.

That is close to my view, except...

The "except" is that the present DC character set-up is so unbalanced (if aim is to make DCU representative of broad sweep of humanity) that trying to balance it up via new characters alone is doomed to failure. Just far too few successful new characters.

My own preference would be to have a total re-boot every 10 to 15 years, and go with fundamentally different characters within those 10 to 15 year periods. It would open up a lot of possibilities...would love to see a more amiable Batman in a happy stable marriage, for example.

Better for story telling purposes in many ways. But it won't happen...it wouldn't help brand management of DC's major icons.

[JAK]

That is close to my view, except...

The "except" is that the present DC character set-up is so unbalanced (if aim is to make DCU representative of broad sweep of humanity) that trying to balance it up via new characters alone is doomed to failure. Just far too few successful new characters.

My own preference would be to have a total re-boot every 10 to 15 years, and go with fundamentally different characters within those 10 to 15 year periods. It would open up a lot of possibilities...would love to see a more amiable Batman in a happy stable marriage, for example.

Better for story telling purposes in many ways. But it won't happen...it wouldn't help brand management of DC's major icons.

That would be interesting as well, but I think the great way to move forward is not to introduce new characters in their own books right away, but introduce them through other franchises at first. Like the way Steel, Batwoman, etc were set up (there are a lot of examples and probably better ones, those are the first two that came to mind). Then, as the characters gain popularity, they jump into their own books while staying connected in some ways to the franchise that they started with.

You point about it being too unbalanced to work is understandable, but I think it'd be easier than we might suspect. Just needs the right hands to guide it. Diversifying supporting casts by introducing new people would be a great start.

[The Darknight Detective]

They could always try it with a Superman from an alternate Earth and see how it flies.

I mentioned that in an earlier post, MH. That I could see happening.

[The Darknight Detective]

No doubt.

But I doubt that comic sales would come into it at all.

Superman is a world wide brand for just about everything...films, t-shirts, toys, etc. There are are large parts of the world where showing Superman as bi-sexual would hurt sales...that's just factual.

No disagreement, Jack.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Superman has dated a male hero. And married him.

It's called 'Midnighter & Apollo'

[Carabas]

your kidding???

Nope.

Supergirl #79, Peter David.