Well, it's a sign of the times - Archie Comics is set to introduce its first openly gay character, Kevin Keller. The new hottie in town is said to quickly gain the attention of Veronica when he defeats Jughead in a burger-eating contest.Readers of the oldest teen comic book will be able to read the full-issue story, "Isn't it Bromantic" in the Veronica #202 edition, when it hits news stands September 14.
Jon Goldwater, Co-CEO of Archie Comics, explained on the publication's official blog that the "introduction of Kevin is just about keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive . . . and is part of the commitment to keep Archie properties reflective of the current world of teens and teen media."
When this news was announced yesterday, I was nothing less than thrilled. This is an excellent, timely news story that will help Archie Comics reach a new audience they previously may not have had.
As a hetero-female, I didn't know how it felt to be a young girl confused about her sexuality. However, with this well-established publication developing an openly gay character, a new audience will have the opportunity to connect with the comic and hopefully see that what they're going through in their personal lives isn't strange, yet quite common. This could very much help begin a new dialogue on homosexuality amongst teens, which is a very good thing, as the subject is unfortunately still taboo amongst many communities.
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