We all love a good ole gay romance, but a gay romance between superheroes!?!?! Now that's something I certainly didn't see coming. Fortunately for me - and all the other hopeless romantics out there - the glitter wearing, Camp Grenada-drinking, LGBTQ gods have heard our prayers and graced us with Midnighter & Apollo.(Oh and creds to Steve Orlando for writing the comic).
For those of you who don't know Midnighter & Apollo is the best thing that this world will ever see (right after Chris and Kem's Love Island bromance). It is also a 6-part miniseries published by DC Comics (yes DC not boring Marvel) in October last year. Since its publication, it has been all glitter and rainbows-pun intended- for the series; it has been critically acclaimed, even earning a nomination for Outstanding Comic Book in the 28th GLAAD Media Awards. The comic features superheroes Midnighter, A.K.A Lucas Trent and Apollo, A.K.A Andrew Pulaski, who have recently "rekindled" their relationship. It's pretty much a raunchy Batman vs Superman fanfiction, only Bruce and Clark share a bed from time to time. But enough about that right now, let's meet our star-crossed lovers!!
MIDNIGHTER
A gritty, violence-loving superhuman with a computer-like brain when it comes to fighting and no qualms when it comes to killing.
APOLLO
A sun-powered, laser-eyed, super-strong symbol of hope to the people of Opal City who could give Superman himself a run for his money.
Now it's true what they say about opposites attracting, and the same couldn't be anymore truer for our heroes. But how are Midnighter and Apollo different from each other I hear you ask? Well for starters, Midnighter will kill you, Apollo will not. In the final issue of the story, Midnighter goes to hell and back (literally) to bring Apollo back from the dead. After doing so, he explains why he kills and why he will continue to kill regardless of Apollo's reservations. In Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, we see Superman shun Batman for his "stern" approach to justice, warning him that if he ever put on his cowl again, he would feel his Kryptonian wrath! Apollo does nothing of the sort to Midnighter, he doesn't try to change, he accepts and he accepts him, that is why their relationship is so balanced- now if that isn't gay love I don't know what is.
Steve Orlando, the writer, believed a comic book focusing on a same-sex relationship was necessary and in exploring their relationship I believe it to also be necessary for the cinematic screen. Apart from Sara Lance's here and there flirting with the occasional female in CW's televised series of Green Arrow, LGBTQ+ relationships haven't really hit the big screen in the superhero; despite the #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend trending on Twitter. Let's also not forget both Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds and ex-Spiderman star Andrew Garfield made it clear they believed their superheroes should have same-sex partners (even sharing a kiss at the Golden Globes).
From their crime-fighting to their mundane tasks, the couple come across as vibrantly real characters with a relationship that has you rooting for them to triumphantly kiss at the end they have sex instead - soz for the spoiler. Midnighter & Apollo is a depiction of two very masculine men being together, something that doesn't get much light, and in one of their sex scenes (and even suggested by Apollo himself in a blink-and-you-miss-it quip) it's made clear that Midnighter – the tougher, rougher, butcher one of the two – is the bottom. Midnighter as the bottom broadens the once narrow view of homosexuality and masculinity.
Orlando himself said, in a panel on sexuality and race at Comic Con, "It feels audacious because of the drought of representation and depiction of queer romance and queer sex acts in fiction… Honestly, from my own mindset, Midnighter & Apollo is actually pretty tame, but it's interesting because people have not seen this and have not been given what they deserve in so long."
Hopefully, Midnighter & Apollo‘s success means more comic books portraying positive LGBT+ relationships are due. We can only hope that it also means that they'll land on the big screen sooner rather than later.
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