September 15, 2011 12:44 PM

Gay Archie Comics character getting married

By
David Riedel
Topics
News

(Credit: AP)

(CBS) Last year, Archie Comics made news when it introduced Kevin Keller, the first openly gay character in Archie's hometown of Riverdale. Now,  there's more history being made: Keller will get married in a January 2012 issue.

Cue the outrage!

Fox News reports - in a piece called "Archie Comics Announces Gay Character Will Marry, Will Anyone Object?" (wink!) - a senior fellow at the Family Research Council said this: "It's unfortunate that a comic book series usually seen as depicting innocent, all-American life is now being used to advance the sexual revolution."

According to its website, the FRC "has advanced faith, family and freedom in public policy and public opinion." 

Perhaps anticipating similar reactions, Mediaite writes, "So clearly all of our nation's children are going to run out and get gay married now, right? After all, the childhood obesity epidemic only started when Jughead ate his first hamburger." 

When Keller's character was announced in April 2010, Archie Comics co-CEO John Goldwater said,

"The introduction of Kevin is just about keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive. Archie's hometown of Riverdale has always been a safe world for everyone. It just makes sense to have an openly gay character in Archie comic books."

Washington Post

What do you think? Is a marriage between two gay characters in a comic book a big deal?


Add a Comment See all 11 Comments
by magules13 September 16, 2011 11:19 AM EDT
And I AM offended. Offended they thought this would shock anyone.
Reply to this comment
by magules13 September 16, 2011 11:16 AM EDT
Newsflash, CBS: They WANTED outrage! Archie hasn't been culturally relevant for decades, so to grab a few headlines they introduce a new, controversial social agenda, and a lazy one at that. The gay character has a gay marriage within a year of his introduction? Simply having a gay character didn't make as big a splash as the Archie folks had hoped, so they take it even further and make him get married. Couldn't they wait a little while, or are they saying gays get married just because they can?

How can Archie lose on this one? They'll be praised for their "courage" and "social consciousness" by media elitists and condemned by (what looks like) homophobic Westboro-types. They'll come out smelling like a rose! Too bad this is terribly contrived and sadly uncreative. Been done to death. Yawn, Archie.
Reply to this comment
by jt92202 September 15, 2011 4:47 PM EDT
First - Kevin has only been on the scene for a year, I don't think him and his partner have known each other long enough to have a Civil Union. Secondly - when did we start wanting our children to think it's ok to get a Civil Union while in High school! Thirdly - It is appropriate for us to show reallity to all people not just children. The reallity is when we talk about gay couples being protrayed in TV, comic or movies it is 90% gay men! Why? Why did the comic strip use men as their "teachable momment" and not women or transgender people??? I find it sad that it's the gay men that is always in the lime light and the rest of the Gay community is in the shadow of them! I say it's time for the Lesbian's to stand up and say, Those Gay Men ******$ are taking all the spot light, We want our day in the sun!!!

Also I use Civil Union as I don't know if they are going to have the ceremony done by a religious clergyperson or by a justice of the peace. I believe that unless you are Married by a Clergyperson you have entered into a Civil Union! I don't care if your a hedro or Gay it's all the same to me!! Marriage by Defintion to ME is in the eyes of God and the only persons that can marry you in the eyes of God is a clergy person!

True Seperation of Church and State would result in the States getting out of the business of MARRIAGE LICENSES and issue a Civil Union license. If a couple wants to get MARRIED at that point they would then find a clergyperson to perform the ceremony and then their Church would issue a Marriage Certificate! AGAIN I feel this way with all UNIONS not just Gay UNIONS!!!
Reply to this comment
by slappy-mcjohnson September 15, 2011 2:39 PM EDT
I am betting they don't give a crap if they turn off some readers.

Just as well - all of this PC crap of trying to keep America 1950s starched-collar image simply isn't realistic.

People are different - if you can't handle it, stay in your house and turn off news media. You can live in your own little narrow-minded universe.

.
Reply to this comment
by Brokennews September 15, 2011 2:31 PM EDT
I always figured Jughead might be the gay one.

He never seemed to have any interest in anything but a platter of burgers!

And that crown?? Sorry, but that screamed gay to me!
Reply to this comment
by slappy-mcjohnson September 15, 2011 2:41 PM EDT
Maybe he's a food fetishist? There was a Seinfeld in which George really made a good stab at that... chick noticed the sandwich when he tried to tune into the ballgame at the same time. Greedy, George... one step at a time!
by Bojax39 September 15, 2011 2:26 PM EDT
Huh. In the old Archie comic world Reggie and Moose would have kicked his butt by now.....
Reply to this comment
by del2124 September 15, 2011 2:14 PM EDT
Um, isn't Kevin in high school? That's a little early to be getting married, to anyone.
Reply to this comment
by Brokennews September 15, 2011 2:36 PM EDT
The Archie kids have been in high school for several decades now.

They must be dumb as hell, but they're aging really well!
by funsize11 September 15, 2011 1:59 PM EDT
Don't care don't care don't care
Reply to this comment
by Brokennews September 15, 2011 1:27 PM EDT
When did Riverdale approve gay marriage??


Didn't see that in the papers!
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