Comic Books

After its first openly gay character — Kevin Keller — came out in 2010, Archie Comics has printed its first gay kiss. The smooch between Kevin and his boyfriend, Devon, angers a Riverdale mom in the comic, which, according to the issue's writer and artist Dan Parent, is a "playful poke" at the real controversy the Kevin storyline has caused with One Million Moms. The conservative group called for Toys"R"Us to take down a magazine that featured Kevin getting married, but Toys"R"Us refused.

This is the latest example of the genre's recent push to make comic strips and comic books more open to LGBT themes after being heavily censored by the Comics Code Authority up until 1989 (not that the restrictions prevented everyone from writing about gay characters). The road to a lesbian Batwoman and a gay Green Lantern has been rocky, but let's see how homosexuality has been portrayed both positively and negatively in comics over the years.

When it comes to fun, playful wedding ideas, a superhero theme is every comic fan's dream come true. Whether you're hoping for simple, subtle touches or all-out comic book mania, we've rounded up creative ideas to help you channel your favorite characters. From real wedding inspiration to affordable Etsy finds, here are 20 festive ways to channel your favorite superheroes on the big day.

For geek chic at its finest, turn to comic-book couture. Inspired by the bright colors and bold patterns of our favorite adventures, superheroes and style have collided. It's a good thing, because we found pieces like tees and bags that our inner Wonder Woman can't live without. To bring the comics into your closet, BAM, POW, and CLICK through to view our favorite finds.

Have you picked out your Halloween costume yet? If you're stalling or completely out of ideas, I can help — here are a few ideas for you to try on for size that come straight from comic books and graphic novels. Let your geek flag fly!

We're still geeking out over all the big reveals from Comic-Con this year and can hardly wait for Friday's premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. To celebrate, we're taking a look at how this year's strong group of comic-book actresses got in shape for their take-no-names superhero roles.

As creator of the most well-known Marvel Comics superheroes, Stan Lee continues to be an indispensable part of the comic-book scene. So much so that he's unofficially a required cameo in the film adaptations of the Marvel characters he helped bring to life. Like staying until after the movie's credits for a superhero Easter egg, spotting a costumed Stan mingling with the Hollywood stars has become necessary viewing for fans. In the tradition of his Fantastic Four superhero team, read on for our four favorite Stan Lee cameos.

Source: IMDB

What do you get when you mix overdramatic romance novels with Archie comic strips? Romance comics! Before teenage girls and young women could watch an episode of Gossip Girl or go online for all their pressing relationship questions like, "Was I too young for love?" they could pick up one of these juicy love-story-filled comic books for advice and entertainment.

Romance comics had their glory days during the Cold War in the US, from 1947 to 1977, and they tackled everything from marriage, jealousy, betrayal, and heartache. See some of your own love dilemmas — and some thankfully out-of-date ones! — sensationally illustrated on the covers of Sweethearts, My Story, Young Romantics, True Life Romance, My Secret Life, and more. In honor of Comic-Con taking place this week, check out these vintage romance comics!