(The Hill) – Police this week were sent to protect the homes of several DC Comics artists after recent news that the current Superman is bisexual angered some fans.
DC’s current Superman, Jon Kent, the 17-year-old son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, came out as bisexual in the series’ recent installment “Superman: Son of Kal-El,” where he was shown kissing his friend and “hacktivist” reporter Jay Nakamura.
Now, the creators of that scene are under fire from part of the comics’ fanbase, and some protests have risen to the level of credible threats. DC staffers requested that officers from the Los Angeles Police Department patrol the homes of several artists and production workers, TMZ reported, as well as the studio itself.
It’s unclear which threats were made and by whom, but none of them have yet been carried out, according to The New York Post.
DC announced Superman’s coming out in a teaser last month for the fifth installment of “Superman: Son of Kal-El,” which will hit comic book store shelves Nov. 9.
“Over the years in this industry, it probably won’t surprise you to hear I’ve had queer characters and storylines rejected. I felt like I was letting down people I loved every time this happened,” writer Tom Taylor told IGN last month following the announcement.
“When I was asked if I wanted to write a new Superman with a new #1 for the DC Universe, I knew replacing Clark with another straight white savior could be a real opportunity missed,” he said at the time. “I’ve always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes. Today, Superman, the strongest superhero on the planet, is coming out.”
Today’s Superman is also more concerned with pressing social issues like the climate crisis and the plight of asylum seekers than threats from supervillains.
Following DC’s announcement, critics immediately expressed their disdain over the superhero’s sexuality.
“Bisexual comic books for kids. They are literally trying to destroy America,” Josh Mandel, a conservative politician in Ohio, wrote on Twitter.
Other critics include actor Dean Cain, who starred as Superman in the series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” which aired from 1993 to 1997.
“They said it’s a bold new direction,” Cain told “Fox & Friends” last month following the announcement. “I say they’re bandwagoning.”