Comicon Pride: Why Jon Kent Superman Is The Most Important LGBTQ Character In Comics

It’s June and that means Pride. It’s an important time to celebrate our friends in the LGBTQ community. And to start Comicon’s celebration of Pride 2025, we wanted to take a look at the most important LGBTQ character in comics — Superman.

Superman is nearly ninety years old but for much of that existence, the character was relatively static. It wasn’t until after DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths that the Man of Steel saw true growth and development. It was that point that his rivalry and two-sided love triangle with Lois Lane deepened into something genuine. It led to the couple’s eventual marriage in 1999 … which was then erased in 2011 with DC’s infamous New 52 reboot.

But after several years, the publisher course-corrected, and in 2016, we saw the post-Crisis Superman return. This time though Clark Kent was a little different. His relationship with Lois Lane remained, and there was some multiverse shenanigans that made his existence confusing, but there was a big new element that came into play. Clark was now father to ten year-old Jonathan.

Over the next few years, Jon became a fan favorite. He was put through a time travel and multiverse-infused ringer a few years in, and eventually aged up about seven years as a result. This is where Jon’s role becomes truly important to Pride.

As a young adult, Jon began exploring more mature storylines. One of which found the young hero exploring his identity, and coming to realize that he was bisexual.

Now, we could go on about the quality of the stories that featured his coming out (they were kind of rough). We could talk about his first same-sex love interest (Jay Nakamura, a character that most writers have struggled to develop into a fully formed character). We could even potentially get into a discussion about how comics seems to be overly cautious about having out bisexuals date opposite sex partners.

But what makes Jon the most important LGBTQ character in comics is the symbol he wears on his chest. Now, in fairness, there are other characters that are nearly as important for LGBTQ visibility, with Batwoman a very close second to Jon. But what sets Jon apart is what his role as Superman alongside his father embodies.

Jon as Superman was just as much a symbol of hope as his father. Despite his youth, he still stood up for Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow. He made mistakes, but he worked through them. But Clark Kent was always presented as a cisgender, heterosexual white male. Jon Kent coming out meant that he didn’t just defend and protect the marginalized.

He was himself a part of them.

And even better was Clark’s reaction to his son coming out. Clark Kent is the ultimate example in superhero comics of unconditional love and acceptance. But his son came out while he himself was off-world, so Jon had to come out again. And just like any other LGBTQ individual, coming out wasn’t easy.

But Clark Kent immediately embraced his son’s identity. And he literally embraced him.

Through being out and proud, Jon Kent shows readers that it’s important to stand up for yourself and show others why you matter. But Clark’s plotline is equally important. 

It shows how we should love, accept and embrace our family, no matter who they love. It’s a basic part of being Superman, and it’s what too many need.