DC Comics cancels its gay Superman book series after just 18 issues

DC Comics cancels its gay Superman book series at NY’s Comic-Con after just 18 issues as sales FALL FLAT

  • DC said that comic book series Superman: Son of Kal-El will end in December
  • The series, which came out in 2021, introduced the bisexual son of Clark Kent
  • Its first issue sold 68,800 but most recently sales have been less than 40,000
  • DC have said that bisexual Superman will live on in a new title to come next year 

DC Comics has announced it will axe a recent book series that was centered on a bisexual Superman.

Superman: Son of Kal-El was based around Jonathan Kent – son of Clark and Lois Kent – and launched by DC Comics last year.

Now amid poor sales the comic book publisher announced at New York Comic Con that its 18th issue – due to release in December – will be its last.

In the months after Jon Kent made his debut in July 2021, the 17-year-old character embraced various social issues, including school shootings, climate change and the deportation of refugees.

Then in the series’ fifth issue Jon Kent began a relationship with a male friend and refugee ‘hacktivist’ Jay Nakamura.

The fifth edition of Taylor’s Superman: Son of Kal-El series in which Jon Kent, son of Clark Kent, began a romantic relationship with a man

In October last year Tom Taylor, who authored the series, went to the New York Times to reveal that Kent would be coming out of the closet.

He said in an interview: ‘The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity.’

Tom Taylor went to the New York Times to reveal that Kent would be coming out of the closet

According to sales estimates from Comichron, a public database of comic book sales figures, Superman: Son of Kal-El sold 68,800 copies of its first edition, making it the 17th best-selling comic of July 2021 when it came out.

That month the 110th issue of Batman sold around 125,000 ranking it fourth in the month.

When the Superman series was rebooted by Brian Michael Bendis in 2018, its first edition sold 133,700 copies.

Some months later the fourth issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El issue sold 37,500 copies, placing it 55th in October 2021 sales. And it was down again to 34,000 last month.

The 16th installment of Superman: Son of Kal-El is now number 19 on Amazon’s best seller list for comics and graphic novels.

Ahead of it are other DC comics. In second place on the list is Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, in sixth is Batgirls and in eighth Batman vs. Robin.

Despite the cancellation of Superman: Son of Kal-El DC said during Comic Con in New York that Jon Kent will live on in Adventures of Superman

‘I couldn’t be more excited for Jon Kent to headline the iconic Adventures of Superman,’ said Taylor at the time.

‘It’s a real testament to the fantastic response of fans to Jon as Superman.’

Taylor always wanted his series to be called simply Superman and not Superman: Son of Kal-El, reported the outlet Bleeding Cool.

The new name appeared to be a step closer to labelling Jon as just Superman, although it kept Jon Kent’s name in the subheading. 

In the axed series the 17-year-old superhero protagonist embraced various social issues, including school shootings, climate change and the deportation of refugees

Gabe Eltaeb worked as a colorist for DC Comics but quit last year in protest of the agenda behind what he described on Twitter as an ‘America hating’ book.

Eltaeb took to Twitter to celebrate the end of Superman: Son of Kal-El.

He also left his position soon after learning that DC was removing America from Superman’s famous motto: ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way.’

Eltaeb then began working on his own ‘anti-woke’ comic with writer Eric July. Their first issue reportedly made $3.7million in sales.

Eltaeb then began working on his own ‘anti-woke’ comic with writer Eric July. Their first issue reportedly made $3.7million in sales

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