DC Comics has announced that it will be the first mainstream publisher to release an ongoing series of comics featuring a gay male superhero in it’s central universe.

As part of June’s mini-relaunch from DC Comics, we are getting a new ongoing Midnighter series by Steve Orlando and ACO.

Riding on the coattails of the success of Batwoman – the awesome lesbian superhero – anti-hero Midnighter will acquire his own series of solo comics, which will feature his partner, Apollo.

Batwoman is to be cancelled in March after the writers lost interest in the character – after the DC hierarchy announced that Batwoman would not be allowed to marry her long-term partner, Maggie. LGBT advocates are now praising DC for their commitment to LGBT representation.

Comic writer Steve Orlando said: “Midnighter was a huge character for me when I was young. Showed me there was no one way to be confident, LGBT and awesome.”

Midnighter, created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch in 1998 for the comic book Stormwatch, made headlines worldwide when it was announced that he was gay.

In the following comic The Authority, Midnighter married his partner Apollo. They adopted Jenny Quantum shortly after their marriage – she is the current leader of The Authority.

Midnighter possesses superhuman strength, speed, and an ability to anticipate the moves of his opponents. The comics often show him going on dangerous missions but remaining unknown to the general superhero community.

The first issue of Midnighter is to be released by DC Comics on June 1, but this is subject to change.