Back in June, Marvel’s Loki on Disney+ nearly broke the internet when the two variants of the genderfluid god of mischief subtly admitted they were bisexual. Here we are again, just days after the news broke that Robin (Tim Drake) came out as bisexual in Batman: Urban Legends #4 in the strip The Sum Of Its Parts, by Meghan Fitzmartin, Belen Ortega, and Alejandro Sanchez.
The story follows Tim as he rescues an old friend of his, Bernard, from a cult. This cult has been kidnapping teens all over Gotham. At the end of the story, Bernard asks Tim on a date. An offer to which Tim says yes. He also implies he’s had feelings for Bernard for quite some time.
“Tim Drake… do you want to go on a date with me?” Bernard asks.
“Yeah… Yeah, I think I want that,” Tim replies.
Of course, neither Loki nor Robin/Drake are the first, or the last LGBTQ+ heroes in the comics, TV, or films. DC has already introduced Wonder Woman, who has been subtly bi since her inception, coming from a Sapphic Amazonian island of women. Batwoman’s Kate Kane has been primarily involved with women. Anissa Pierce aka Thunder, the daughter of Black Lightning, is openly gay.
John Constantine has loved and lusted for men, women, demons, and otherworldly creatures impossible to define. Doom Patrol’s Danny The Street identifies as transgender and is not necessarily a person, but a sentient, traveling thoroughfare with gender non-conforming storefronts and every single cobblestone of Danny radiates with queerness.
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Not to be outdone, Marvel also boasts several LGBTQ+ characters. Thor Ragnarok’s Valkyrie is gay in the comics and subtly bi in the movies, so far. Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio are openly queer in Deadpool and Deadpool is notably pansexual, himself.
While she’s only been depicted in her many movie appearances as being interested in men such as Charles Xavier or Magneto, X-Men’s Mystique has been canonically bisexual since 1981. While Thor Ragnarok’s Korg isn’t a huge MCU character, he’s gay in the comics, and his sexuality could be explored in future films.
The news of the Ambiguously Gay Duo, er, um, Batman and Robin embracing an LGBTQ+ character seems really huge considering neither of them has explored their sexuality beyond heterosexuality for the past 81 years. However Tim Drake is the 3rd Robin and was created in the 90’s, plus bisexuality was merely implied, not outwardly and expressly stated.
Not to be outshined, bratty, bisexual antihero Harley Quinn has been rumored to desire a sidekick position as Batman’s right-hand woman. Harley Quinn is the former lover of The Joker and Booster Gold, and the long-time non-exclusive girlfriend of Poison Ivy. Batman’s “second Robin” is a role she has tried on before, specifically on the cover of Harley Quinn #58, but that seemed to be set in its own specific sub-universe.
If Robin is in fact bisexual, and Harley manages to get herself recruited as Batman’s “second Robin”, Batman will have two bisexual Robins!
Check back here, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel for exciting updates on the caped crusader and his friends and foes.
Joia DaVida reports on the entertainment industry in both Chicago and Los Angeles.
