DC Comics is re-launching the Teen Titan brand in the 52 series with a new openly gay, and decidedly flamboyant, character: Miguel Jose Barragan, aka Bunker. Miguel comes from a small village in Mexico, and was born totally out of the closet. The interesting twist? His family, nay his whole village, is totally accepting of him. So rather than an angsty teen out to escape a terrible upbringing, he actually has a refreshingly positive outlook on life.
"We wanted to show an interesting character who's homosexuality is part of him, not something that's hidden," says co-creator Brett Booth, who has created the re-launch along with Scott Lobdell. "Sure there are gay people who you wouldn't know are gay right off the bat, but there are others who are more flamboyant, and we thought it would be nice to actually see them portrayed in comics."
His accepting background and positive spin on life make Miguel's outlook a stark contrast to the other gay characters in the DC Universe, such as Batwoman, Apollo, and Midnighter, among others. But according to Booth, Teen Titans is all about diversity, so trying to depict yet another aspect of a specific community seemed logical. "Does it scare the sh*t out of me that I might inadvertently piss off the group I want to reflect in a positive way, you're damn straight (pun intended!)."
See our exclusive peek at the first few pages of Teen Titan #3, available November 23. And check out one of DC's other gay characters, the lipstick lesbian that is Batwoman.
