Marvel Comics to have gay marriage in its upcoming issue

London, May 23 (ANI): Two of the biggest comic book groups in the US are following President Obama's lead on gay marriage by supporting same-sex unions in their storyline.

Marvel Comics has announced that Northstar, the only openly gay superhero in American comics, will marry his long-term partner Kyle in a forthcoming issue, the Telegraph reported.

One image from next month's edition shows Northstar proposing to a visibly shocked Kyle, while another shows the happy couple at an altar surrounded by their super friends and family, including X-Men's Wolverine.

Not to be outdone, DC Comics, Marvel's biggest rival, has announced that one of its established characters, previously thought to be heterosexual, will be coming out as gay.

DC has not said which of the characters it will reveal as homosexual, leaving speculations that it could be Batman, Superman or even Wonder Woman.

Axel Alonso, the Marvel Comics editor-in-chief, said that the decision to legalise gay marriage in New York state in July 2011 prompted Northstar's proposal. He did not say why it had taken nearly a year for the Canadian superhero to pop the question.

"When gay marriage became legal in New York State, it raised obvious questions since most of our heroes reside in New York State," Alonso told Rolling Stone magazine.

"Northstar is the first openly gay character in comics and he's been in a long term relationship with his partner Kyle so the big question was - how would this change his relationship?

"Our comics are always best when they respond to and reflect developments in the real world. We've been doing that for decades, and this is just the latest expression of that," he said. (ANI)

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