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These days, there are more canonically bisexual and LGBTQ+ characters in comic books than ever before, but there’s still a long way to go in terms of representation. In the Marvel universe, there are quite a few LGBTQ+ characters, but there are many other characters that fans feel can be read as bisexual within the subtext of their stories.
The comics are well ahead of the MCU to this point. However, with the Loki variant in the recent MCU Loki series, the screen franchise is beginning to catch up. There are many more opportunities to do so both in live-action and with some important characters in the comics.
Updated on August 27th, 2021 by Darby Harn: With the recent confirmation that the Tim Drake Robin is bisexual, the focus is once again on LGBTQ+ characters in comic books. Marvel continues to make strides in this area, celebrating Pride Month with a slate of variant covers and the introduction of new characters. But there are many characters, some of whom are iconic, who remain unacknowledged in the eyes of fans. Many characters like Magik have been read as bisexual for decades and fans would love to see them finally have their day as Tim Drake has.
15 Canon: Kitty Pryde
In 2020, Kitty Pryde was confirmed as bisexual in Marauders #12 when she shared a kiss with another woman. Kitty Pryde has long been the subject of LGBTQ+ readings by fans, and was intended by her co-creator Chris Claremont to eventually enter a relationship with Rachel Summers.
Those readings were challenged by decades of relationships with characters like Colossus and Star-Lord. But now it seems the door is open for Kitty and possibly her chief romantic partners in fan circles, both of whom remain unconfirmed at this point.
14 Fandom: Rachel Summers
Rachel Summers has been the focus of LGBTQ+ fandom as much as Kitty over the last thirty years or so, and often together. Rachel was in a canonical relationship with Franklin Richards in the dark future timeline that she came from in Days Of Futures Past, but her primary relationship since has been with Kitty.
The relationship never quite moves from subtext to text, though there have been numerous moments over the years that suggest deeper feelings between the two. One such moment occurred in Marauders #12 when Kitty was resurrected and shared a meaningful look with her close friend.
13 Canon: Black Cat
Comic book fans know the Black Cat is one of Spider-Man’s many love interests in the comics. But fandom speculation was confirmed earlier this year when Felicia Hardy shared a kiss with an old friend of hers. The two kiss in Black Cat #5 from earlier this year.
The relationship had been brewing since Blake’s introduction in 2020 and there had been hints over the years about Hardy, but like with Kitty and Rachel, that’s all they were until just now.
12 Fandom: Magik
Magik is the other significant ship among fans when it comes to Kitty Pryde. One of the most powerful magicians in the Marvel Universe, she is generally a loner in the romance department, but her closest relationship for decades has been Kitty Pryde.
Kitty and Illyana have been so close over the years that Kitty is the only other person who has been able to wield the Soul Sword, a powerful mystical weapon that Magik wields.
11 Canon: Daken
Daken is canonically bisexual in the comic books. The son of Wolverine has been shown to be in relationships with men and women. Most recently, he’s been romantically involved with Aurora, his teammate on X-Factor and the sister of Northstar.
Daken is one of the earliest openly LGBTQ+ characters in Marvel Comics, having first appeared in 2007 in Wolverine: Origins #10. His sexuality was established almost immediately in the following issue.
10 Canon: Mystique
Mystique is married to Destiny in Marvel Comics and has been in relationships with men as well. One of the stranger X-Men romances ever involved her and Professor X, mostly because it came out of nowhere, but she’s also been linked with Wolverine and Sabretooth.
While she is bisexual in the comics, she hasn’t been portrayed this way in any of the X-Men movies so far. Despite appearing in multiple films going back to the first in 2000, the studios have elected to not acknowledge this part of her identity.
9 Fandom: Peter Parker
Some fans have wondered if Peter Parker is bisexual in the comics. There are many alternate versions of Spider-Man throughout the multiverse and some fans have noticed hints that the character could be interested in more than one gender.
For example, some fans have read his friendship with Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, as bisexual. Others had more evidence in his encounters with the canonically pansexual Deadpool, where the mutual admiration seemed to be real.
8 Canon: Iron Man
While no creators at Marvel have ever explicitly identified Iron Man as being on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, there is some recent comic book evidence. In Superior Iron Man #8, there is a panel that shows the aftermath of a party with multiple men and women in the bedroom and bed with Tony Stark.
While he might not identify himself as bisexual, there’s some evidence he at least has sexual attraction to men as well as women, even if it’s only in certain situations.
7 Fandom: Sam Wilson
Sam Wilson is a character who many fans have grown to love, especially with his inclusion in the MCU. While he’s never been bisexual in any comics or the MCU, many fans would like to see him be.
For fans of the MCU, some have seen his friendship with Steve Rogers as possibly being something more. Plus, there are also some fans who feel that his relationship with Bucky Barnes could be romantic, especially after The Falcon And The Winter Soldier.
6 Canon: Loki
Comic fans know that Loki is gender fluid, and has been both men and women, including Lady Loki for a time. The MCU caught up recently by revealing that the Loki variant is bisexual. He then fell in love with Sylvie, a variant of himself from an alternate timeline.
In the comic book Loki: Agent of Asgard, Loki is also confirmed to be bisexual. Some might argue that more needs to be done than simply acknowledging this, but it remains a positive for LGBTQ+ representation, especially in the MCU.
5 Fandom: Captain Marvel
Many people were introduced to Carol Danvers for the first time this year when Disney released Captain Marvel. While she doesn’t have any love interest in this movie, many fans noticed the close relationship between her and her best friend, Maria.
Many LGBT fans felt the relationship looked and felt similar to their real-life relationships. While in the comics, Carol’s most well-known love interest is War Machine, she doesn’t have any yet in the MCU. While she might not ever be explicitly bisexual, many fans wish she would be.
4 Canon: Deadpool
Deadpool is one of the most well-known bisexual characters in the entire Marvel comics canon. While he technically is confirmed to be pansexual, there is a lot of overlap with these terms.
They are similar in some ways, but they both refer to sexualities where people are attracted or have the ability to be attracted to more than one person. While Wade Wilson’s sexuality might be explored more in the comics, it’s also alluded to many times in the film version of the character played by Ryan Reynolds.
3 Fandom: Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes is definitely a fan-favorite character. He is the subject of a lot of fan fiction and fan art that often pairs him with Steve Rogers or Sam Wilson.
Many have read his relationship with Steve Rogers–especially in the MCU–as being romantic, leading to the ‘Stucky’ ship meme. Perhaps more telling, there is also a moment in the comic book Black Widow #9 where Natasha–who is dating Bucky–and Bucky himself both reveal they used to have a crush on Steve Rogers.
2 Canon: Valkyrie
While Valkyrie was confirmed outside of canon to be bisexual even before Thor: Ragnarok was released, the character hasn’t been portrayed to be canonically bisexual so far. However, that’s about to change.
It has been confirmed that Valkyrie will have an LGBTQ+ love interest in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder. She has been established as being bisexual in the comics, with a relationship with Annabelle Riggs.
1 Fandom: Steve Rogers
If there is one character in fandom who many fans have associated with bisexuality, it’s Steve Rogers. While he has never been said to be anything but straight in canon, many people feel that the MCU version of the character comes across as bisexual.
Many people have seen a romantic element to his relationship with Bucky to the point that it’s one of the most talked-about ships, even outside of fandom. For now it remains only in fandom, as he and Peggy Carter end up together in Avengers: Endgame. But that’s only one universe.
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