Iconic Marvel X-Men Character Reveals He Is Gay, Sends Shivers Down Fan’s Spines As They Discuss The Chilling Reveal

According to a set of leaked panels from All New X-Men #40, an iconic member of the X-Men is coming revealing that he is gay. The bold move on Marvel’s part has drawn high praise from members of the LGBTQ community. However, the reveal may also confuse many longtime fans of the X-Men comics, due to the character’s romantic encounters with various female partners in the past. Despite his past romantic escapades, the X-Man’s sexuality is outed by Jean Grey, one of his telepathic partners and friends.

According to the Verge, Jean Grey has a discussion with Bobby Drake, AKA Iceman, over the course of at least two pages. During the conversation, Iceman attempts to cover up his sexuality by citing that he has dated women in the past. Sensing Jean Grey’s lack of belief, he attempts to state that he may be bisexual. However, he finally gives in to Jean Grey’s all-knowing mind and reveals that he does in fact like only men.

According to Comic Book Resources, the conversation begins when Bobby Drake makes a comment about Magik’s body and looks. Jean Grey, being a true friend, pulls him aside and has the revealing conversation with Iceman. At first, Iceman appears to be ashamed of being gay, or at least admitting to it, but it seems to be quite a weight off of his shoulders.

Brian Michael Bendis, the writer of All New X-Men #40, shared his thoughts with ABC News.

“There are thousands if not millions of stories of people who, for many different reasons, felt the need to hide their sexuality. The X-Men, with the conceit of time travel, give us a fascinating platform in which to examine such personal journeys. This is just the first little chapter of a much larger story that will be told.”

There is no confirmation of how the revelation will play out with the current day Iceman or if he will continue to parade behind a straight façade for the foreseeable future. All New X-Men #40 sends the younger X-Men into the future to battle a crisis, where they have spoken to their older selves and gained important information that they may not have realized or were privy to admit publicly. Although, time travel is a tricky concept, therefore it could completely change the present Iceman in any number of ways.

Iceman joins a growing list of LGBT superheroes, such as Catwoman and Northstar, and is expected to remain as popular as ever as the series continues onward.

[Image courtesy Marvel Entertainment]