On 31st January 2023, James Gunn finally unveiled his new DCU slate. Consisting of 10 projects (5 movies and 5 TV shows) the first chapter of the DCU is titled “Gods and Monsters.” One of the films that’s a part of the slate is named, The Authority. And it might introduce the first LGBTQ characters of the DCU. Let us tell you all about it.

DCU’s First LGBTQ Characters

As per the press release from DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, “The Authority” will introduce morally gray characters who want to fix the world. So they will take matters into their own hands and kill, destroy, change governments, and do whatever it takes to make sure that the world is a better place. It’s a take on the old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

This team consists of several members, the most notable are Jenny Sparks, their leader, and the couple Midnighter and Apollo. With DCU developing the project, it’s almost certain that the latter two are coming to the silver screen and their arrival will mark a new stepping stone for the new DCU era since it will introduce its first LGBTQ characters.

Who Are Midnighter And Apollo?

Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch in 1999, The Authority comics were originally under the Wildstorm banner. However, after DC purchased the company, the rights to those characters were transferred to them. Apollo and Midnighter were first introduced in Hitch and Ellis’ comic titled Stormwatch. But they gained popularity in The Authority comics when Jenny Sparks recruited them to establish peace on Earth.

Midnighter is a normal human who uses hi-tech gadgets to fight crime. In comparison Apollo is a superhero powered by the sun and is often thought of as a god by many. They are satirical depictions of Batman and Superman. Yet they have unique personalities that prevent them from getting stuck at only that definition. As a couple, they care and support each other above anything else. Their romantic relationship was confirmed in The Authority issue 8.

Acclaim And Controversy Of The Authority

The Authority comics have received acclaim and faced controversy in almost equal measure depending on the writing and illustrating team in charge. The comics did receive a GLAAD nomination but the depiction of Midnighter and Apollo’s relationship wasn’t always positive or free from caricatures. Under writer Mark Millar and artist Frank Quitely, who took over after issue 12, the series received its most egregious criticisms.

DC requested the pair to change multiple panels where a character called Teuton groped Apollo without his consent. Also, in issue 14, Apollo gets attacked by Storm God who brutally beats him. It’s heavily implied that he then sexually assaults the solar god. To get back at the Storm God, Midnighter does the same to him with a jackhammer.

Such depictions of the same-sex couple drew heavy criticisms. However, in the current era of comics, Midnighter and Apollo’s relationship isn’t demeaned. As such, there’s reason to believe that James Gunn will treat the first LGBTQ relationship of his DCU slate with sensitivity for the big screen.

Stay tuned for more news.