10 LGBT Superheroes We Want To See Get Their Own Movie

It's taken a while, but comic books are finally beginning to reflect the diversity of every day life. True, many heroes are still white, straight, American males in their 30's and 40's, but men and women from all walks of life are now leading their own comic book series. Unfortunately, superhero movies still have a lot of catching up to do. Millions flock to theatres every time a new comic book movie is released, so basically every day, yet how many cinema-goers actually see their own lives reflected on the big screen? We live in a world where female superheroes are still perceived to be box office poison by many Hollywood executives. If 50% of the population still have to fight to be represented in comic book movies, what chance do LGBT audiences have of ever seeing a gay superhero succeed at the box office? This is not about shoehorning LGBT characters into movies needlessly, and it's certainly not about promoting a political agenda. At the end of the day, superheroes are there to pull us out of our daily lives and inspire people. Comic books feature a huge range of relevant and exciting LGBT heroes that could easily work on the silver screen, and to pretend that sexual diversity doesn't even exist sends out a damaging message to the millions of people who obsess over these movies. Marvel's head honcho Kevin Feige claims that their cinematic universe will feature a LGBT character soon... although it's hard to imagine a more vague outline, so let's give him and other Hollywood bigwigs a few ideas. Join us as we count down 10 LGBT superheroes that we want to see up on the big screen in the near future. 10) Constantine Ah, Constantine. Few comic book characters have had such a troubled journey to the big screen. First, a cinematic version starring Keanu Reeves changed almost everything that readers love about the chain-smoking magician. Then, a more faithful TV adaptation was cancelled after just one season. Matt Ryan's portrayal of Constantine was a huge step in the right direction, but both ventures still failed to capture the essence of Vertigo's most popular anti-hero. Aside from his foul mouth and trademark cynicism, one of the things that set Constantine apart from other more traditional heroes was his bisexuality, something that the writers refused to sensationalize, instead treating his preferences as just another aspect of Constantine's personality. Recent comic book appearances by Constantine have brought his sexuality to the fore, but both the movie and Tv adaptations refused to acknowledge this organic, yet core component of his character. A future appearance on CW's Arrow may refer to his bisexuality, especially given the show's track record with LGBT characters, but aside from that, fans will have to wait for Justice League Dark before we see Constantine on the big screen again. It's likely that the supernatural team will receive a higher age rating than your typical comic book movie, and although this shouldn't be a factor, this could potentially increase the likelihood that Constantine's sexuality might be addressed. LGBT characters shouldn't be automatically relegated exclusively to adult movies, but unfortunately, the MPAA has a history of restricting the ratings of movies that feature homosexuality in their content. 9) Lord Fanny Grant Morrison has become an industry legend with his subversive take on superheroes as iconic as Batman and the X-Men, but his most important comic book is The Invisibles, a team of misfits assembled to battle against inter-dimensional aliens who have already enslaved most of the human race. The group consists of memorable characters such as King Mob, a chaos magician, Ragged Robin, a psychic time traveler and Lord Fanny, a trans female sorceress of considerable power. Born male, Lord Fanny was nonetheless raised as a girl by her Brazilian grandmother in order for her to inherit the family's mystical power. After training, Lord Fanny adopted the goddess of filth and lust as her patron, turning to prostitution as a way to make money. This lifestyle had tragic consequences though, as Lord Fanny was raped and almost committed suicide before eventually joining the team as a means of coping. An Invisibles movie would be a hard sell for any studio, but the hype surrounding Fox's Deadpool could soon pave the way for more R-rated superhero adaptations. 8) Rawhide Kid The success of Brokeback Mountain was hugely progressive, flipping the traditionally heterosexual role of the cowboy on its head. Marvel attempted something similar with The Rawhide Kid, revamping a tough gunslinger from the 1950's for a new generation, but ultimately failed miserably. The idea itself is one to be lauded. Take a typically macho character that readers aren't too familiar and turn him gay, all while still retaining his fighting prowess and respectable gun skills. Unfortunately, Marvel also decided to make The Rawhide Kid a raging stereotype, embracing every effeminate cliche possible, throwing out fashion advice and being bitchy purely for the sake of it. A cinematic adaptation of The Rawhide Kid could be a very important film if handled right. Sure, another revamp would be required to mend some of the damage done by Marvel's recent misguided attempts to revitalise the character, but there's still huge potential here for an excellent movie, one which could provide the studio with more longevity outside of traditional superheroes. Basically, they need to watch DC's Jonah Hex and then literally do the opposite. There, sorted. 7) Catwoman As both the oldest and most iconic 'hero' on this list, Catwoman's sexual preferences have been the subject of speculation for decades now. Few comic book characters are as sexualized as Selina Kyle, who basically flirts with every single person she encounters, but it wasn't until 2015 that DC finally confirmed Catwoman is bisexual. The storyline in question revolves around Kyle's decision to retire as Catwoman in order to take control of one of Gotham's premier crime families. New character Eiko adopts the Catwoman mantle, but not before Kyle worries for her safety, leading to a passionate kiss between the two women. After this revelation, writer Genevieve Valentine was quick to confirm that Catwoman's sexuality isn't the result of mind control or anything else that could be dismissed as temporary. It's rare for a character as prominent as Kyle to be portrayed as genuinely bisexual, especially considering the bizarre misconception that genuine attraction to both genders is rooted in make believe or denial. Halle Berry's movie obviously had a negative impact on the publics perception of Catwoman, but numerous filmmakers have all had their own take on everyone's favourite jewel thief. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine a new version hitting cinemas in the near future, one which incorporates Kyle's newly confirmed sexuality. Those who worry that a new Catwoman movie could suck as much as the last should bear in mind that this is physically impossible. 6) Northstar Northstar isn't particularly well known outside of comic book circles, but as the first openly gay hero in Marvel's history, the Canadian mutant has a pivotal role to play in LGBT representation. First appearing in the superhero team Alpha Flight, Northstar came out at a press conference in the comics, promoting LGBT rights within Marvel's fictional world. After this, Marvel only gave Northstar limited exposure for a number of years, until recently, when he finally married his long-term boyfriend, Kyle. Marvel appears to be making a concerted effort to promote diversity more in their comics these days and this event was hugely progressive for the established company. Northstar has always been a team player, rarely appearing in his own solo outings, so a cinematic version is far more likely to appear in a future X-Men related title than his own film. The campaign for an Alpha Flight movie starts here, people. Both Canadians and LGBT fans deserve more representation in their superhero movies, and characters such as Snowbird, Shaman and Northstar's twin sister, Aurora, are all extremely underrated in comic book fandom. No, I'm not sure what the hell Alpha Flight means either, but trust me. This could work. 5) Green Lantern (Alan Scott) Mere mention of the words "green" and "lantern' within the same sentence can instil a fear of dread in many, thanks to the abysmal Ryan Reynolds movie that DC released a few years back. This is a huge shame, as Green Lantern is one of DC's most iconic and enduring heroes, arriving with a legacy that spans all the way back to Alan Scott's original version from 1940. Traditionally, Scott has been an older member of the Justice Society of America, inspiring younger heroes willing to take up the teams legacy, but in one of DC's many company-wide revamps, the Golden Age Green Lantern was recently transformed into a younger version who just so happens to be gay. What's refreshing about this new version of Scott is that his sexuality doesn't affect the way people perceive him as a hero in any way. There are no effeminate stereotypes where he is concerned and neither is there any over compensation in the other direction. Scott is a heroic and strong man whose sexuality is entirely incidental. The Green Lantern reboot is now titled Green Lantern Corps, confirming that numerous heroes will take up the mantle in DC's upcoming movie. Warner Bros. could not have made a better choice in this regard, as this could open up the franchise to appearances from Alan Scott, Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and even Jessica Cruz. Green Lantern Corps has the potential to be the most diverse comic book movie ever released... just as long as Scott's boyfriend isn't immediately killed off like he is in the comics. That was troubling. 4) The Question The animated Batman series from the 1990's was a gift from the gods, modernizing the Dark Knight while introducing memorable characters such as Harley Quinn and Renee Montoya, whose popularity eventually led to them appearing in the comics as well. Unlike Quinn, Montoya quickly became a steadfast ally of Batman's as a detective on the Gotham City Police Force. Later, it was revealed that Montoya is gay, a fact that led to her being ostracized by both her family and colleagues. After struggling with her fractured relationships, Montoya eventually left the police force and befriended the crime-fighting vigilante known as the Question, adopting his identity after his death. The Question's striking visage and unorthodox crime-fighting tactics would fit well with DC's dark vision for their cinematic universe. While it remains unlikely that the Question would ever receive her own solo venture on the big screen, Montoya's established friendship with Batman could lead to a supporting role in a future film, further differentiating Affleck's franchise from what came before. 3) Apollo & Midnighter Midnighter is currently enjoying success with a solo comic book series helmed by Steve Orlando, but it's impossible to discuss him without also referring to his long term partner, Apollo. Originally conceived as an inverted take on the relationship between Batman and Superman, Midnighter and Apollo have since transcended these origins to become popular characters in their own right. When they were first introduced in the Wildstorm comic Stormwatch, readers had no idea that Midnighter and Apollo were actually a couple until Warren Ellis had already established them both as an extremely dangerous and formidable pair. Until their sexuality was openly discussed, readers simply assumed that Midnighter and Apollo were straight. By avoiding homosexual stereotypes and cliches, Ellis crafted a believable couple who quickly became firm fan favourites. Later, the pair became founding members of The Authority, a super team who used their abilities to take over the planet in an effort to keep them safe. An R-rated cinematic adaptation could explore the political implications of such an act while also providing the opportunity to portray a unique homosexual relationship on the big screen. 2) Wiccan & Hulkling Young Avengers sounds like a dumb idea. What are we talking about here? A baby Iron Man? A toddler Thor? Fortunately, the potentially gimmicky premise was handled surprisingly well by Marvel, receiving praise from fans for its new teen characters who came together when the Avengers disbanded briefly. The book's first run won the 2006 Harvey Award for Best New Series, as well as the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book, thanks to the portrayal of Wiccan and Hulkling's budding relationship. Wiccan is the reincarnated son of the Scarlet Witch and her android husband The Vision. Hulkling is a hybrid born of alien parents from two different species. Nothing about this couple is conventional in a sense, but the exploration of their relationship is handled in a very realistic, organic way. As the youngest characters on this list, Wiccan and Hulkling are particularly important, providing young adults with positive role models that reflect their own struggles as they come to terms with who they are. These are the fans who need to see LGBT representation on the big screen mist. Young Avengers could certainly be a cinematic prospect later down the line, and if not, both Wiccan and Hulkling have recently become full-fledged Avengers in the comics. However, Wiccan's origin story may need altering depending on where Marvel studios takes the unorthodox relationship between Scarlet Witch and The Vision. 1) Batwoman Batwoman was originally introduced in 1956 to stop people from suspecting that the Dark Knight could be gay, but faded into comic book obscurity after a few appearances. Fifty years later, a relative of the first Batwoman called Kate Kane took up the mantle, using her army training to fight crime with the aid of her father. Ironically, the new Batwoman is a lesbian who left the military due to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Batman's supporting cast is already full to the brim, but this new interpretation of Batwoman has been surprisingly successful, precisely because Kane chooses to distance herself from the Dark Knight. Relationships with the aforementioned Renee Montoya and Superman's friend Maggie Sawyer have been handled sensitively, appealing universally to readers of all backgrounds, regardless of sexuality. DC are clearly focusing their energies on Affleck's upcoming Batman movies right now, but if any of his supporting cast have the potential to headline their own movie, it's Batwoman. In just a few short years, Kane has become one of the company's most popular heroes, and lord knows we need more female led comic book movies. A Batwoman movie would be a huge step forward for LGBT representation on the big screen, and Kane's one of the few characters in this list who could break out of the supporting roles typically given to LGBT heroes.