When I created my Jayson comic strip back in 1982, it was in large part because I loved Archie Comics but never saw myself represented in them.
So when the news broke that Archie Comics was introducing an openly gay teen character named Kevin Keller, I had to check my calendar -- nope, it wasn’t April Fool’s Day. As a lifelong Archie Comics fan, I was stunned, thrilled, and more than a little worried about backlash from conservative parents. Other comics publishers like Marvel and DC have introduced gay and lesbian characters over the years; but those magazines are targeted to older readers, and those characters are adults. But a gay teen in Riverdale? This can’t end well.
Yet the response, from both the press and from readers, has been overwhelmingly positive. It looks like for every reader they might lose over this decision, they’re going to pick up ten new ones. So unless you’ve been hiding under an Amish quilt, you already know that Kevin Keller will debut in “Veronica” #202, which comes out in September. You can pre-order your copy today at archiecomics.com.
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