Archie Gay Character Goes Solo

Honestly, I didn't even know about this.

Heads turned last September when Archie Comics introduced their first gay character - Kevin Keller. Enough heads, it turns out, for the character to merit his own comic book starting next February according to a report in the New York Times.

"He’s proven to be incredibly popular," said Jon Goldwater, co-chief executive of Archie Comics to the Times. "We’re just so proud of the success of Kevin and the fact that he adds a new dynamic to Riverdale."

Keller was introduced in Veronica, issue 202 in a story line called "Isn’t It Bromatic?" In it Veronica expressed interest in dating Kevin, but he’s disinterested. He later tells Jughead that he’s gay and becomes best buds with Betty.

The issue was so popular that it sold out and Archie Comics had to do a second printing -- the first time it did so in its history.

The series will be titled Kevin Keller and comes after a 4-part mini-series that started this month that provided the character’s back-story: his relationship with his dad (in the military), how he wants to follow in his footsteps (in the military) and his day-to-day in high school. "He’s going to be the class president," said Dan Parent, the writer-artist who created Kevin told the Times. But it won’t all be a good time. "Even the most popular kids are not popular with everybody," Mr. Parent said. "There’s some adversity he’ll have to deal with."

Source.