Marvel have had a massive shake-up with its new Avengers NOW! series. We've got a kick ass female Thor, a new look Iron Man and a black Captain America. This isn't the first time the US comic book creators have spearheaded the diversity drive though.
While Japanese manga has included storylines focused around homosexual relationships since the 1970s (in the form of yaoi and yuri), the US comic industry was banned from any mention of homosexuality by the Comics Code Authority (CCA) until 1989.
The last 15 years has seen a great leap forward in the diversity drive though, not just with gay superheroes but the representation of minorities too, and Marvel has been at the forefront. Marvel's big rival DC has introduced a steady smattering of minor gay characters over the years, as well as a lesbian incarnation of Batwoman (Batman's relationship with Robin has also pretty famously come under scrutiny), but the more prolific LGBT characters have been created by Marvel.
Marvel's Northstar was the first openly gay superhero in mainstream comics and in 2012 he tied the knot, with the iconic issue of Astonishing X-Men released just after New York legalised same sex marriage.
Meanwhile The Young Avengers series, which debuted in 2005, featured two gay teen characters, Hulkling and Wiccan, from the very beginning, earning Marvel its first GLAAD Award Best Comic Book Award in 2005.
Back in 2011 a new Spider-Man took over from Peter Parker, a half-black, half-Hispanic teen named Miles Morales. Marvel's editor in chief, Axel Alonso declared of the move: "What you have is a Spider-Man for the 21st century who's reflective of our culture and diversity. We think that readers will fall in love with Miles Morales the same way they fell in love with Peter Parker." Artist Sara Pichelli, who was behind the character's new look, added: "Maybe sooner or later a black or gay — or both — hero will be considered something absolutely normal."
Last year Marvel again made history when they rebooted their 1960s character Ms Marvel as a 16-year-old Muslim girl, Kamala Khan.
The new Ms Marvel, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants who live in Jersey City, is thought to be the first series protagonist from the comic book series from an Islamic background.
Writer and Muslim convert G Willow Wilson's aim was to create a superhero that young women can relate to: "High school was a very vivid time in my life, so I drew heavily on those experiences – impending adulthood, dealing with school, emotionally charged friendships that are such a huge part of being a teenager," she said.
"It’s for all the geek girls out there and everybody else who’s ever looked at life from the fringe."
From comics to the screen
While Marvel has led the way in print, will the changes be followed through in their hugely popular movie adaptations? Falcon, the new black Captain America, has appeared in the films of the hero, played by Anthony Mackie, but it could be awhile before he's bumped up to the lead as Chris Evans is scheduled to star in multiple future Cap movies.
The same goes for Chris Hemsworth, who has played Thor in the Marvel movies to much acclaim.
Thor Is Now A Woman: Should A Female Star Take Over From Chris Hemsworth?
While we'll have to wait and see if these new Marvel makeovers will make it to cinemas, one of DC's most popular characters has gone through some major changes in order to make it to TV.
Later this year NBC will premiere a TV series based on the Hellblazer books which feature the openly bisexual lead, also known as John Constantine (played by Matt Ryan in the show). Despite initial excitement about how the show would depict the character's sexuality, the show's executive producer Daniel Cerone has downplayed the bisexual history of the hero in new comments this week: "In those comic books, John Constantine aged in real time. Within this time of three decades [of comics] there might have been one or two issues where he’s seen getting out of bed with a man. So [maybe] 20 years from now? But there are no immediate plans," he said according to Entertainment Weekly.
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While Japanese manga has included storylines focused around homosexual relationships since the 1970s (in the form of yaoi and yuri), the US comic industry was banned from any mention of homosexuality by the Comics Code Authority (CCA) until 1989.
The last 15 years has seen a great leap forward in the diversity drive though, not just with gay superheroes but the representation of minorities too, and Marvel has been at the forefront. Marvel's big rival DC has introduced a steady smattering of minor gay characters over the years, as well as a lesbian incarnation of Batwoman (Batman's relationship with Robin has also pretty famously come under scrutiny), but the more prolific LGBT characters have been created by Marvel.
Marvel's Northstar was the first openly gay superhero in mainstream comics and in 2012 he tied the knot, with the iconic issue of Astonishing X-Men released just after New York legalised same sex marriage.
Meanwhile The Young Avengers series, which debuted in 2005, featured two gay teen characters, Hulkling and Wiccan, from the very beginning, earning Marvel its first GLAAD Award Best Comic Book Award in 2005.
Back in 2011 a new Spider-Man took over from Peter Parker, a half-black, half-Hispanic teen named Miles Morales. Marvel's editor in chief, Axel Alonso declared of the move: "What you have is a Spider-Man for the 21st century who's reflective of our culture and diversity. We think that readers will fall in love with Miles Morales the same way they fell in love with Peter Parker." Artist Sara Pichelli, who was behind the character's new look, added: "Maybe sooner or later a black or gay — or both — hero will be considered something absolutely normal."
Last year Marvel again made history when they rebooted their 1960s character Ms Marvel as a 16-year-old Muslim girl, Kamala Khan.
The new Ms Marvel, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants who live in Jersey City, is thought to be the first series protagonist from the comic book series from an Islamic background.
Writer and Muslim convert G Willow Wilson's aim was to create a superhero that young women can relate to: "High school was a very vivid time in my life, so I drew heavily on those experiences – impending adulthood, dealing with school, emotionally charged friendships that are such a huge part of being a teenager," she said.
"It’s for all the geek girls out there and everybody else who’s ever looked at life from the fringe."
From comics to the screen
While Marvel has led the way in print, will the changes be followed through in their hugely popular movie adaptations? Falcon, the new black Captain America, has appeared in the films of the hero, played by Anthony Mackie, but it could be awhile before he's bumped up to the lead as Chris Evans is scheduled to star in multiple future Cap movies.
The same goes for Chris Hemsworth, who has played Thor in the Marvel movies to much acclaim.
Thor Is Now A Woman: Should A Female Star Take Over From Chris Hemsworth?
While we'll have to wait and see if these new Marvel makeovers will make it to cinemas, one of DC's most popular characters has gone through some major changes in order to make it to TV.
Later this year NBC will premiere a TV series based on the Hellblazer books which feature the openly bisexual lead, also known as John Constantine (played by Matt Ryan in the show). Despite initial excitement about how the show would depict the character's sexuality, the show's executive producer Daniel Cerone has downplayed the bisexual history of the hero in new comments this week: "In those comic books, John Constantine aged in real time. Within this time of three decades [of comics] there might have been one or two issues where he’s seen getting out of bed with a man. So [maybe] 20 years from now? But there are no immediate plans," he said according to Entertainment Weekly.
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