Not only is the Green Lantern coming back, but he’s coming out!
The superhero, first created in the 1940s, uses his emerald ring’s energy to create anything that one can possibly imagine. The re-launching of Alan Scott, the main character, as a man of a younger age forced the creators to nix Scott’s son (who was portrayed as gay) from the story altogether.
This encouraged DC Comics to make Alan Scott gay instead. Attitudes toward same-sex relationships are changing across the nation, so why not have a mass-produced comic reflect that?
There are some who protest that the coming out of the Green Lantern has an underlying political agenda. Some believe that by using an already popular character and re-introducing him as gay, DC Comics has shoved their political views down fans’ throats.
Opponents argue that creating an entirely new and gay superhero would have been too difficult for the company to advertise, and using the Green Lantern was an easy way to jolt the liberal machine. Should comics read for fun be used to spew political views?
Supporters say that there is nothing political about the sexuality of the superhero. Everything that one expects of a hero—being strong, brave and willing to fight for the human race—makes the Green Lantern just as lovable as he was before, they say.
DC Comics still portrays the Justice League to respect the hero, just as a team should. This arguably teaches kids everywhere to value all people in all walks of life.