Big studios such as Marvel have long been criticised for a lack of LGBT+ superheroes. But while the comics upon which the blockbuster films are based boast a wide range of LGBT+ superhero characters, films and TV may be slowly but surely catching up.

Here are some LGBT+ superheroes we are dying to see taking on both the big and small screens:

Batwoman

Earlier this month, we were treated to the first glimpse of Ruby Rose as Batwoman.

The gender-fluid actress is set to take on the iconic role in the CW superhero universe and will portray the character as a lesbian.

“This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on TV and felt alone and different,” she said.

Valkyrie

We first met Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok, and we instantly fell in love with the badass character.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that the movie almost had a scene where it was made explicit that Valkyrie was queer, as it showed a woman leaving her bedroom. Although the scene did not make the final cut, the actress who plays Valkyrie, Tessa Thompson, revealed that the character is bi and “cares very little about what men think of her.”

If she appears in the next instalment of The Avengers, she will be the first openly queer character to feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Wiccan

Wiccan, who has the powers of mind control, telepathy and astral projection, is a gay member of the teen superhero team: the Young Avengers.

Although he has not been featured in any of the Marvel movies, in the comics he dates fellow team member Hulkling, a shape-shifting young version of Hulk. The couple has been described as “Marvel’s most prominent gay couple.”

Iceman

In 2015, X-Men character Ice-man came out as gay. In the comics, the character has often explored his sexual identity and even went to gay bars.

The character, who was part of the original X-Men lineup, has both appeared as a teenage and adult version of himself, with the adult version recently getting his own series of comics, making him the first gay male superhero to do so.

Queer artists and writers such as Sina Grace and Alessandro Vitti have worked on the series.

Chalice

AfterShock Comics could show bigger comic companies Marvel and DC a thing or two when it comes to representation.

Chalice is a transgender superhero who we would love to see on screen!

Although the character has a strong fanbase, AfterShock Comics have been criticised for their lack of transgender writers while focusing heavily on the character’s coming out struggle.

Deadpool

Deadpool, a sarcastic anti-hero played by Ryan Reynolds, was introduced to the big screen in 2016 with its hotly anticipated sequel coming out earlier this year.

Although we only see the character date his girlfriend in the movies, the Deadpool who appeared in the X-Men comics does not seem to have a preference when it comes to his sexual orientation and the comic-book character was confirmed to be “not straight” in 2013 by writer Gerry Duggan.

Maybe if we get a Deadpool 3, we will get to see this version of the dysfunctional superhero.

Loki

Thor’s mischievous younger brother Loki takes on many different forms and sexual orientations.

Loki explained in the Young Avengers series that Asgardian culture does not share human concepts of sexuality, and writer Al Ewing confirmed that Loki is indeed bisexual.

With the way Marvel films tend to go, there is always the possibility for Loki to return from the dead as an epic queer hero.

Harley Quinn

Although she is mostly known for dating Batman’s enemy the Joker, Harley Quinn’s sexuality has always been the subject of speculation.

Writers Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti confirmed in 2015 that superheroes (or some would say villains) Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy were non-monogamous girlfriends, and the character has been known to flirt with other female characters within the DC universe.

Daken

Daken is the son of Wolverine and a woman who was murdered by the Winter Soldier. Much like his wolf-man father, Daken has healing powers and retractable claws and can emit pheromones which confuse both men and women.

The bisexual character has teased women in the comics and has kissed a man, whom he later murdered.

Meanwhile, a gay version of Wolverine actually exists in an (unfortunately) alternate X-Men universe, where the hero shares a passionate kiss with demigod Hercules.

Mystique

We couldn’t complete this list without including one of the most iconic comic-book superheroes, the blue shape-shifting X-Men team member/enemy Mystique.

The yellow-eyed superhero is both gender-fluid and sexually-fluid.

In the comic books, Mystique has a partner, Destiny, and the superheroes raise their daughter, Rogue, together.

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman writer Greg Rucka said that the badass superhero was “obviously queer”, but her sexuality was not explored in the 2017 film.

Rucka explained that when living on the island of Themyscira, which is populated with only females, Wonder Woman had been in same-sex relationships.

“When you start to think about giving the concept of Themyscira its due, the answer is, ‘How can they not all be in same-sex relationships?’ Right?

“Are we saying Diana [Wonder Woman] has been in love and had relationships with other women? The answer is obviously yes,” he said.