How The DCAU Created DC’s Best LGBTQ+ Characters

Ever-expanding and increasingly colorful, DC’s Pride covers feature LGBTQ+ icons, but the Justice League, DC’s cartoons took more than their share of creative liberties and gave back a lot more. Reimagined and original characters became some of DC’s best reasons to celebrate Pride month because of their breakout Saturday morning debuts.

DC comics have received cartoon adaptations at least as far back as the 1940s with the premiere of Fleischer’s Superman cartoons. Over the years, countless animated movies, television shows, and shorts based on popular DC properties became a cornerstone of the franchise. However, from the 1990s on, Batman: The Animated Series, it became a catch-all term for DC’s more modern animated projects.

Before shows like Batwoman, Legends of Tomorrow, or Peacemaker made it to air, DC, found popularity with their cartoons. Using shows like Batman: The Animated Series to establish new lore, many of the diverse cast created for these shows proved popular enough to become comic canon and later reveal themselves as proud of the LGBTQ+ community. It was a tradition that went well beyond the original DCAU and into animated projects such as Young Justice. However, as DC continues to invent new characters and outdo previous Pride celebrations, it’s also a time to that many beloved of DC’s LGBTQ+ community were initially made for the small screen and have had to go a long way to come out.

DC's 1990s Power Couples

Harley Quinn Poison Ivy Holiday Knights The New Batman Adventures

Debuting in 1992 and starring gay voice actor Kevin Conroy, Batman: The Animated Series was just one of many comic-based cartoons hoping to break the conventional kids’ show formulas. Like the X-Men and Spider-Man animated adaptations, DC’s new Batman series attempted to tell more mature stories and establish its own identity. With Batman: The Animated Series came new characters to populate Gotham City, and among them were the origins of DC’s most beloved LGBTQ+ power couples.

The clown-themed crime queen Harley Quinn is one of Gotham’s most iconic rogues. Based on actress Arleen Sorkin and created for Batman: The Animated Series as the Joker’s partner in crime, the character was later revealed as bisexual and had a relationship with the supervillain Poison Ivy. Although most of their relationship later became explored in the comics and the ongoing Harley Quinn animated series, the seeds of their relationship became sewn on Saturday morning. Batman: The Animated Series, Season 1, Episode 47 “Harley and Ivy” first brought the pair together and helped to establish them as Gotham’s favorite LGBTQ+ couple as they’d reunite for future episodes before finally becoming canon in the comics.

Created for Batman: The Animated Series, Renée Montoya was one of Gotham’s honest law enforcers, working with Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Bullock. Although intended for television, Montoya prematurely premiered in print before her small screen debut and became a fan favorite, listed as one of the best characters in comics by Wizard and IGN. Although initially written to have had a husband who died in the line of duty, Montoya adopted a vigilante persona as the Question and had a relationship with Batwoman in DC’s comics. Since then, Batwoman and Renée Montoya became one of DC’s noted LGBTQ+ couples.

Humble Heroes of the 2000s

In the early 2000s, DC’s animated universe had branched out in new and unique ways never thought imaginable. Shows like Batman Beyond and Justice League Unlimited continued the world that began in Batman: The Animated Series. However, at the time, DC also adapted Milestone’s Static Shock, a show that explored diverse characters and relevant subjects, tackling concepts such as racism, grief, and gun violence. However, Static Shock was one of the first DC cartoons to confirm a canonically gay character created for the show while it was still airing.

Based loosely on Milestone characters Rick Stone and Frieda Goren, Richie Foley was Virgil Hawkins’ best friend and confidant created for the TV series. Starting as Static’s delightfully nerdy IT guy and eventually evolving into the hyper-intelligent superhero Gear, his late creator Dwayne McDuffie established the character as gay (via great step towards LGBTQ+ representation to have Gear publicly acknowledged by his creator. Additionally, unlike in the comics, where Rick’s outing initially came with some uncomfortable homophobia on Static’s end, in the show, Richie and Static proved to be best friends who always had each other’s back both in and out of costume. While Gear’s career ended with the TV series, many fans still embrace the character and hope he will return, if not in another TV show, then in the modern Static Shock comics.

A New DCAU

After the original DCAU ended on television, a new one replaced it on Saturday mornings as part of Cartoon Network’s DC Nation. A TV block of DC superhero shorts and shows, the crown jewel of Cartoon Network’s collective was a new animated series, Young Justice. Heralded for its unique take on DC’s stories, Young Justice also reinvented many classic characters. Unlike previous cartoons where the LGBTQ+ subtext was hidden or saved for the comic books, DC Nation’s original characters were free to be themselves and explore gender, identity, and sexuality.

Created for Young Justice were various original takes on old characters who proved to be the kind of positive representation the LGBTQ+ community needed. The first was Kaldur'ahm, the bisexual son of Aquaman villain Black Manta. Designated to be the new Aqualad, many fans were happy to see that the new character had depth, engaging stories to tell, and although he had a boyfriend, it didn’t solely define who he was. Additionally, his popularity on Young Justice helped make him an LGBTQ+ icon in comics like the young adult graphic novel You Brought Me the Ocean.

Another character created for Young Justice was Halo. Loosely inspired by a DC comic character of the same name, this Halo was a Motherbox computer that fused with the body of a deceased Quraci teenager. Throughout the series, as their powers evolved, so did the concept of gender, culture, and sexuality. Halo explained that the term “Motherbox” is only an analogy, and despite inhabiting a female body, they are non-binary. It was that kind of insight into Halo’s gender few shows attempted and handled well, making them one of DC’s better written LGBTQ+ protagonists.

As DC continues to celebrate Pride, it’s interesting to reflect on the DCAU and; the role cartoons played in promoting diversity and inclusion. DC’s LGBTQ+ community may still be expanding, and audiences are excited about the newest characters, but it’s important to recognize those who helped break boundaries and evolved alongside their audiences. It’s vital to continue to tell the stories of DC’s LGBTQ+ characters and how times change.

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