Overview

Homosexuality used to be exceptionally rare in comic books. It was difficult to officially announce that a character was gay because of restrictions made by the Comics Code Authority. Only until recently, homosexual relationships had been subtly hinted at through wordplay and suggestion, leading many fans to speculate over the existence of hidden meanings created by the writers or artists of their favorite comic books (whither intentionally or not).

One of the earliest examples of a popular graphic novel featuring gay characters was Watchmen, published in 1986. Watchmen had three openly gay characters (Hooded Justice, Silhouette and Captain Metropolis), but two of them were killed for their sexuality. However, it was still relatively unheard of for more mainstream comics to reveal the sexuality of their gay and lesbian characters. This has led to many years of debate over many characters and considerable controversy, including the relationship between Mystique and Destiny, Batman and Robin, and even Superman and Batman (the latter of which led to the creation of one of comic's longest lasting gay couples, Apollo and Midnighter).

Over the last few decades, however, many comic companies have moved away from the rules of the Comics Code Authority. This has allowed them to openly declare the sexuality of their characters as well as create new gay and lesbian characters. The 21st century has seen the single largest boom of gay and lesbian characters yet and many LGBT comics have garnered strong cult followings and a highly vocal fan base.

Character List

Comic book characters who have officially been declared as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or queer include the following:

• Aaron
• Agent 355
• Alan Scott (New 52)
• Alana Jobson
• Alex
• Alice Kim
• Alkyone
• Allison Mann
• Ally Carter
• Alysia Yeoh
• Anarcoma
• Anole
• Andrew Wells
• Apollo
• Arnie Roth
• Arnold Astrovik
• Attractive Lad
• Bat-Wing
• Batwoman
• Beast (Earth-763)
• Beatrice Wechsler
• Beth DeVille
• Betty
• Big Game
• Blarney Cock
• Blithe
• Blitzen
• Blur Girl
• Bloke
• Boo Cat
• The Brain
• Brian Falsworth
• Bunker
• Caffrey
• Captain Flame
• Captain Power
• Captain Metropolis
• Captain Stingaree
• Carrie Stein
• Chain
• Chemical King
• Chili Storm
• Chizuru Honsho
• Christian Frost
• Cindy
• Clarice
• Clauda
• Cluracan
• Cobweb
• Colossus (Earth-1610)
• Comet
• Corinthian
• Courier
• Creote
• Cress
• Crimson Dominatrix
• Criti Noll
• Cullen Row
• Curtis Doyle
• Daken
• Damon Matthews
• Danielle Baptiste
• Dante Ortega
• Daphne Morgan
• David
• David Singh
• Dawnstar
• Deacon
• Dedalus
• Desire of the Endless
• Destiny
• Devlin Waugh
• The Divine
• Dogknott
• Donner
• Doralis
• Electro
• Elektra
• Element Lad
• Elsa Grimston
• Enigma
• Eric
• Ernest Cole
• Extrano
• Faceoff
• Fade
• Fauna
• Felicity Hardy
• Felix Gaeta
• Finch
• Flatman
• Flying Fox
• Foxglove
• Freedom Ring
• Gabe
• Gannon Malloy
• Gavin Price
• Go-Go Fiasco
• Goldie Musou
• Grace Choi
• Gravity Kid
• Graymalkin
• Grell Sutcliff
• Hazel McNamara
• Hector
• Henry Cannon
• Hero Brown
• Hero Cruz
• The Homelander
• Holly Robinson
• Hooded Justice
• Hopey Glass
• Houston
• Hulkling
• Ice Maiden
• Inertia
• Invisible Kid
• Jack From Jupiter
• Jack Phantom
• Jakotsu
• Janis Lawson
• Jatarri
• Jennifer Kale
• Jetman
• John Constantine
• Joseph Crane
• Josiah Power
• Julie Power
• Karma
• Karolina Dean
• Karon
• Kathy George
• Katina Choovanski
• Katchoo
• Kay Watson
• Kennedy
• Kevin Keller
• Knockout
• Kyle Jinadu
• Laura Phillips
• Last Call
• Legs Weaver
• Lenny Shapiro
• Liana Kerzner
• Lightning Lass
• Lisa Williams
• Living Lightning
• Lord Fanny
• Lt. Molly Von Richthofen
• Luna DePaula
• Mace
• Madame Xanadu
• Maggie Chascarillo
• Maggie Sawyer
• Man-Killer
• Marcus Roston
• Maricela
• Mariko Yashida (Earth-2109)
• Marisol Del Rios
• Marlo Chandler-Jones
• Marschall Saber
• Mary Jane Watson (Earth-2109)
• Max Modell
• May Frayn
• Melissa Maro
• Mephisto
• Meredith
• Michael Smith
• Michio Yuki
• Midnighter
• Mikaal Tomas
• Miss America
• Monsieur Mallah
• Moondragon
• Mulholland Black
• Mystique
• Nata
• Ned Campbell
• New Romantic
• Nico Minoru
• Nikki Foster
• Nocturne
• Northstar
• Notti
• Nyce
• Obsidian
• Olivia Reynolds
• The Olympian
• Paradox
• Patty Bouvier
• Paul Bridges
• Peach
• Phat
• Pied Piper
• Power Boy
• Purgatori
• Phyla Vell
• Plum
• Py'Lothia
• Queen Gedren
• Rainier Wolfcastle
• Rainmaker
• Rakshasa
• Ramona Flowers
• Ramsey Robinson
• Ranka
• Rawhide Kid
• Ray Monde
• Rebecca
• Renata Da Lima
• Renee Montoya
• Rick Sheridan
• Rick Stone
• Rictor
• Risa Del Toro
• Rob Silverman
• Robin Vega
• Rodger Aubrey
• Rose Copen
• Roxanne Richter
• Ryntha
• Sacrilege
• Sailor Neptune
• Sailor Uranus
• Sam
• Satan
• Satrina
• Satsu
• Scandal Savage
• Sebastian-O
• Shatterstar
• Shocking Suzi
• Shout Out
• Sho Tsukioka
• Shrinking Violet
• Shunka
• Shvaughn Erin
• Silhouette
• Simone
• Sistah Spooky
• Skein
• Soldier Boy
• Spectral
• Stanley Manor
• Starling
• Stephen Stills
• Striker
• Suitengu
• Super-Tough
• Tara
• Tara Fremont
• Tarot
• Tascela
• Tasmanian Devil
• Thunder
• Tim Gunn
• Triumph
• Titus Bird
• Tlaango
• Toby Raines
• Tommy Jagger
• Tony Mantegna
• Twitch Strummer Hopeless-Savage
• Troy
• Valerie Page
• Victoria Hand
• Victoria Montesi
• Vivisector
• Voodoo
• Wallace Wells
• War Angel
• Waylon Smithers
• Wiccan
• William Clockwell
• Willow
• Wonder Man (Earth-763)
• Wulf
• Xavin
• Yukio
• Yvette Diamonde

LGBT Comic Creators List

• Brooke Allen
• Marc Andreyko
• Clive Barker
• Alison Bechdel
• Emily Carrol
• Howard Cruse
• Blue Delliquanti
• Melanie Gillman
• Trillian Gunn
• Allan Heinberg
• Tove Jansson
• Lucy Knisley
• Ralf König
• Kate Leth
• Kat Leyh
• Annie Mok
• Katie O’Neill
• Rachel Pollack
• P. Craig Russell
• Noelle Stevenson
• A. Stiffler
• Mariko Tamaki
• David Wojnarowicz