Marvel’s best LGBTQ+ characters

Marvel Comics is filled with a plethora of diverse characters with different gender identities and sexual orientations. While these characters are yet to properly manifest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans continue to wait for their inclusion on screen.

Loki, Valkyrie, and Korg are notable faces from the Thor film franchise that have been revealed to have same-sex attractions in the MCU, but there are so many famous comic book heroes and villains that have yet to be introduced. The X-Men have also long become an allegory for LGBTQ+ individuals, who, like many mutants, have had to hide their true selves as they navigate life.

Here are 12 fan-favorite LGBTQ+ characters in Marvel Comics, and hopefully, some of them have their MCU debut soon.

Moondragon

While several Marvel heroes were born with their powers, Heather Douglas, who goes by the moniker Moondragon, trained her mind and body to achieve some insane superhuman capabilities. Moondragon is a formidable telepath and fighter that was trained by Thanos’ father, Mentor. She has had a relationship with the Kree-Titanian hybrid, Phyla-Vell, in the comics, with the pair eventually tying the knot. She’s mostly tied to the Guardians of the Galaxy, and it’s been a wonder why she hasn’t been introduced yet, seeing as she is Drax’s daughter.

Korg

The comic books have been pretty explicit that the lovable Kronan warrior Korg is indeed gay, but it wasn’t until Thor: Love and Thunder that his live-action counterpart was revealed to have same-sex attractions. He is famously paired with Hiroim in the comics, but the latter is yet to appear in the MCU. In the 2022 film, Korg mentions he has two dads, and at the end of the movie, is shown to have a partner named Dwayne (who is made of rocks).

Deadpool

With the sarcastic assassin crossing over to the MCU, there are more opportunities to explore concerning Deadpool and his queerness. He’s mostly dated women, but has been married to the femme-presenting, genderless succubus, Shiklah, in the past. Coupled with some serious homoerotic one-liners and a strong infatuation for Wolverine, Colossus, and more male characters, Deadpool’s pansexuality leaves much to dive into.

Northstar

Northstar is Marvel’s first openly-gay comic character and the first to partake in a same-sex wedding ceremony in a major comic book. Since his coming out in the early 1990s, he remains one of the most notable gay characters in comic book history. He is married to Kyle Jinadu, who is the PR rep for his superhero brand and close friend of his twin sister, Aurora. 

America Chavez

America Chavez’s queerness in the comic books was received with much praise, as it didn’t follow the usual “coming out” storyline. Chavez herself has two moms, and there was never a need for her to come out as a lesbian, which many fans and critics admired. In the MCU, the character is being portrayed by Xochitl Gomez, but her sexuality and flirty friendship with Kate Bishop have yet to be touched on. 

Hulkling

Raised on Earth as Teddy Altman before coming to terms with his incredible powers, Hulkling is a member of the Young Avengers, and another famous gay comic book character. He has been in a relationship with fellow Young Avenger and son of Scarlet Witch, Wiccan. Like Northstar, Hulkling also tied the knot with his partner.

Wiccan

Wiccan has made his MCU debut, but he’s still a child, so relationships and weddings are very much out of the conversation until he’s aged up onscreen. In the comics, however, the character is married to Hulkling in one of Marvel’s first same-sex relationships. Wiccan’s mother is the incredibly powerful Scarlet Witch, and he has some pretty insane magical powers of his own. Along with Hulkling, Wiccan is a member of the Young Avengers.

Valkyrie 

Tessa Thompson, who is bisexual, plays Valkyrie who shares the same sexual orientation. In the comics, she is in a relationship with an anthropologist named Annabelle Riggs. In a scene in Thor: Love and Thunder, Valkyrie and Korg share a brief but memorable moment speaking about past loves, and it is revealed Valkyrie had a girlfriend that was killed by Hela. As a character that’s appeared numerous times in the MCU, fans of the comics still feel that her queerness is not as pronounced and almost non-existent on film.

Ultimate Spider-Woman

There’s always been the debate on whether Ultimate Spider-Woman is actually transgender, as Jessica Drew is a clone of Peter Parker. One thing is for sure, and it’s that she is a lesbian, having confessed her attraction to women several times in the comics. With so many variants of Spider-Man and Spider-Woman in the comic books, there’s no telling if or when Jessica will make an MCU debut.

Loki

In the comics, the powerful God of Mischief and frequent anti-hero is actually gender fluid and pansexual, and has previously taken on the appearances of both men and women. Loki’s queerness was revealed in the MCU via a brief conversation with his counterpart, Sylvie, famously referred to as Lady Loki in the comics. 

Mystique

One of several queer characters in the popular X-Men franchise, Mystique’s shapeshifting abilities enable her to adopt the appearance of absolutely anybody. Her storylines always involve her boldness and audacity towards being a mutant, unlike others who would hide their powers except when in costume—a nod to always being “out.” Mystique’s most notable romance in the comics is with Destiny, and the pair were originally written to be the parents of Nightcrawler, but the plot was considered too controversial at the time. With the X-Men making their way into the MCU and with Mystique being one of the most famous characters, she will most likely be seen soon.

Iceman

In Fox’s X-Men film adaptations, Iceman’s only “coming out” was confessing to his family he was a mutant after years of hiding his powers. Many fans had guessed the character was gay for a long time, but Marvel finally confirmed this in Uncanny X-Men #600 when his younger self confronts his older self for hiding his true nature. As a character who has been shown to keep things hidden, the aforementioned issue proved a breakthrough for fans of the character. The X-Men also have a variety of non-heterosexual characters, including Kitty Pryde, Pixie, Shatterstar, Escapade, and more.