Marvel Comics has announced that the first gay Captain America since the superhero made his debut 80 years ago will appear in an upcoming issue.
In what comes as a win for diversity, a gay teenager named Aaron Fischer who has taken on the mantle of Captain America will be revealed in an issue in June. The debut of the character is set to coincide with Pride Month in the US.
Marvel is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the hero by launching a new comic series, The United States of Captain America. The series will introduce a number of people “from all walks of life” who have assumed the role of Captain America, including Fischer.
In a statement obtained by The Guardian, Marvel described the character of Fischer, who will be the “Captain America of the Railways”, as “a fearless teen who stepped up to protect fellow runaways and the unhoused.”
“Aaron is inspired by heroes of the queer community: activists, leaders, and everyday folks pushing for a better life,” said series writer Josh Trujillo.
“He stands for the oppressed, and the forgotten. I hope his debut story resonates with readers, and helps inspire the next generation of heroes,” he said.
Meanwhile, artist Jan Bazaldua said he had “really enjoyed” creating Fischer.
“As a transgender person, I am happy to be able to present an openly gay person who admires Captain America and fights against evil to help those who are almost invisible to society,” he said.
“While I was drawing him, I thought, well, Cap fights against super-powerful beings and saves the world almost always, but Aaron helps those who walk alone in the street with problems that they face every day.”
Fischer is the latest in a string of LGBTQI+ identifying characters to have come from Marvel in recent years.
As reported by The Guardian, one of the original X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963, Iceman, came out as gay in 2015.
On top of that, Marvel’s first same-sex wedding occurred between the character of Northstar and his partner in a 2012 comic.
Check out a clip on the history of Captain America:
