Keeping Up With the Gays of DC and Marvel

Lightspeed and Striker (who is gay) had a whole conversation when they came out to each other, including Striker revelaing he was touched inappropriately by his male manager when he was child actor, and they discussed labels. In the latest issue, Avengers Academy #38, a football match takes place against the children from the X-Men where Striker and Anole meet when they line up against each other during the game. They have a chat about being paired up since they are the only gay kids on their teams, and they discuss their types. Striker has no idea since still newly out, but discouraged due to scars on his face, but Anole tells him not to think like that (would be interesting to see them talk further and if Anole takes him under his wing as with Graymalkin). Avengers Academy is set to end next month, with the future of Lightspeed and Striker is unclear at the moment. Perhaps Striker will join Anole with the X-Men, and Lightspeed with Karolina and the Runaways.

Lastly, this year at the end of Young Avengers: The Children's Crusade, Wiccan and Hulkling shared their first kiss (after seven years) after Hulkling made an impromptu proposal (Wiccan never actually said "I do," but the passionate kiss surly implies a yes). They were officially recognized as full-fledged Avengers, and it was announced that a new Young Avengers series will be released in January 2013, with the couple being part of the core team. In a Q&A between Marvel.com and writer Kieron Gillen, [SPOILERS] he says Wiccan is still in a depressed emotional place from events from The Children's Crusade (prior to proposal), and he is burnt out on super heroics; worried he will get more friends killed or lives destroyed. Hulkling, on the other hand, has started his course on being a super hero (on the DL from Wiccan). At the start of the story Wiccan will discover this, which will come off as a "you were cheating on me!" type of scenario.

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