I really don't like this.
I understand why they are trying it, they are giving the LGTB community a hero to look up to, I get it -- and they deserve one. But whoever they pick, be it Dick Grayson, Wally West, Bruce Wayne, Arthur Curry, Connor Kent, anyone it is a bad move.
The LGTB community, so far as DC sees it, is alienated and doesn't have a character to identify with...
But if they change the sexual orientation of one of these characters, then the straight fans who grew up loving and rooting for these characters are then alienated. And before someone says: "Well, just because the character is gay, you can't identify with him anymore? You're a bigot!" ... Think about it. The fact that DC is changing a character's sexual orientation so that gays can identify with that character proves that it is in fact true -- and it works both ways (a gay can find a connection and identify with a gay character and a straight reader can identify and connect with a straight character). If a character I already know and love is made gay, I will have a harder time identifying with him... it doesn't make me a bigot -- it makes me heterosexual. Just as it's harder for me as a white male to identify with the cultural differences, and/or problems specific to a black male or a woman... Again, not a bigot... Just different.
They should create a character that happens to be gay. They shouldn't change an established character -- no matter how prominent the character is. Because believe me, no matter how small a character -- he has die hard fans that this will crush. And I'd imagine that the LGTB community wouldn't want their character like that -- not at the expense of someone else's favorite character.
And now that Didio is saying "he" will be an "iconic character." In the DC Universe, hero wise, that leaves:
1.) Superman (Clark Kent)
2.) Batman (Bruce Wayne)
3.) Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
4.) Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
5.) Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
6.) Green Lantern (Guy Gardner)
7.) Green Lantern (John Stewart)
8.) Aquaman (Arthur Curry)
9.) Flash (Jay Garrick)
10.) Flash (Barry Allen)
11.) Flash (Wally West)
12.) Flash (Bart Allen)
13.) Nightwing (Dick Grayson)
14.) Red Robin (Tim Drake)
15.) Robin (Damian Wayne)
16.) Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onz)
17.) Cyborg (Vic Stone)
18.) Hawk Man (Carter Hall)
19.) Superboy (Connor Kent)
20.) Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)
21.) Captain Marvel (Billy Batson)
If anyone of those characters are changed -- there is going to be an uproar from a very big to an incredibly big group of fans. DC: It's just not worth it. Create new characters, bring them into the continuity, make them good -- and find one that sticks. Then reveal that, that character was gay... but intend to do it all along. Don't change the existing characters for the shock value and the political correctness of it...
(p.s. any chance that the "iconic" hint by Didio signals that it's Icon?... just a thought)
Although -- I have to say that Billy Batson would work the best of the characters up there. Those characters -- in some way or another have all had strong love interests:
Burce with Selina and Talia
Clark and Lois
Dick with Barbara and Starfire
Hal and Star Sapphire
Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown
Barry Allen and Iris West
Wally and every girl he sees....
etc...
*Changing these characters' sexual orientation would nullify these past stories and change a large part of who they are. These relationships and dynamics are driving points for these characters and part of why we love them...
Batson has been a kid for his whole published history and still could be struggling with his sexual identity, making it more plausible and less a slap in the face to his history if he did, in fact, mature into a gay teenager struggling with his sexual identity... It's a possibility that could work...
-R
Could you imagine the outrage if it were Superman? Yowch!
