Superheroes are dominating pop culture. Masked vigilantes and caped crusaders are capturing the hearts of fans in comic books, movie theaters, and video games. Fans find themselves searching for representation in these superhuman stories, with queer characters providing much-needed diversity in the crime-fighting genre.
There are some major queer superheroes in comic books today, and some of those heroes have crossed over into video games. Here are some of the best LGBTQ+ characters in superhero video games.
While not specifically a superhero game,Fortniteprovided some important transgender representation through its depiction of Nia Nal, also known as Dreamer. In 2022, Dreamer was added to the Rainbow Royale event to celebrate LGBTQ+ players.
After appearing in Supergirl, Dreamer was the first trans superhero on television in theArrowverse, and she is the third playable character in Fortnite to be transgender. While her appearance in Fortnite was small, the impact of seeing a transgender superhero in the video game world is big.
9Union Jack
Marvel Avengers Academy
Union Jack is a Marvel hero who has made a few appearances in video games, most notably Marvel Avengers Academy. In the mobile game, he revealed his sexuality in a scene with Black Widow after she told him he was the only one who hadn’t hit on her yet.
While he was already out in the comics, this made him the first openly gay character in the game. The game is no longer active, but his appearance helped pave the way for more queer superheroes in the games of the future.
8Hulkling
Marvel Future Fight
Hulkling is a member of the Young Avengers with powers mimicking The Hulk, though he isn’t directly related to him. He is a Krull-Skree hybrid who can shapeshift. His relationship with Wiccan is one of the more well-known LGBTQ+ couplings in comic books. This romance made its way into video games in the mobile game Marvel Future Fight.
While the pair have been in games before, this is the first to make it clear they are a couple. The pair later appeared in Marvel Avengers Academy together.
7Wiccan
Wiccan, also known as Billy, is the son of the Scarlet Witch. He uses Chaos Magic and is also a part of the Young Avengers. As stated above, his relationship with Hulkling is one of the most beloved gay romances in comic books.
He made an appearance alongside his boyfriend in Marvel Future Fight, adding to queer representation in mobile games. With the MCU bringing the Young Avengers to life, this relationship may also make its way to the big screen.
Fans of the MCU are familiar with Agatha Harkness from Wandavision, but the character has been in the comics and video games as well. In Midnight Suns, she appears as an NPC in a relationship with The Caretaker.
There are various iterations of The Caretaker in the comics, but in the game, she is the leader and founder of the superhero group. The lesbian relationship pleasantly surprised queer fans playing the game.
Tim Drake, also known as Robin, was confirmed bisexual in the comics. In the game Gotham Knights, many of Tim’s conversations revolve around his developing romance with Bernard, further validating his sexuality.
Fans speculated that Dick Grayson (Nightwing) may be bisexual as a result of his Bludhaven mug in the colors of the flag. Regardless of speculation, it’s clear that thegame provides much-needed LGBTQ+ representationnaturally.
In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Miles discovers that Felicity Hardy, also known as Black Cat, has a girlfriend in Paris. While the scene is short, itconfirms her as bisexualin the Insomniac universe, matching her sexuality in the comics.
This isn’t the only LGBTQ+ representation in the game, either. You can find flags depicting various sexualities and identities throughout the city, making it a very inclusive game for queer players.
3Deadpool
Midnight Suns
Deadpool is a pansexual character fans of Marvel are very familiar with. His depiction in Midnight Suns, in particular, had fans noticing his sexuality. While he never explicitly labeled his sexuality, Wade Wilson makes a pass at Blade during nearly every mission.
He’s been confirmed as queer by writers of the comics, and his flirty behavior in the game matches his previous iterations. Even though it isn’t explicitly stated, he’s one of the best LGBTQ+ superheroes in video games.
Poison Ivy is one of the most popular LGBTQ+ comic book characters. Her relationship with Harley Quinn is canon in various mediums, from comic books to television.
In Injustice: Gods Among Us, she and Harley have quite a bit of flirty banter. Her bisexuality is confirmed in various lines of dialogue between her and Harley, such as when Harley exclaims, “I dunno if I wanna kill you or kiss you.” The pair provide a lot of LGBTQ+ representation in the video game world.
Harley Quinn is one of the best-known queer comic book characters. In addition to her portrayal in Injustice: Gods Among Us, she’s also appeared in the Arkham games and Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.
In the Arkham games, Ivy blows her a kiss after she helps free her. In Kill The Justice League,a pride flag is visibleduring gameplay, seemingly a nod to her bisexuality. Regardless of her video game appearance, she provides LGBTQ+ representation in various superhero games.
