TV's Radical, Bisexual Comic-Book Antihero

The superhero genre has long been a natural place for fantastical explorations of identity. So it’s no surprise that many comic-book shows of late—Black Lightning, Supergirl, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Legion—have garnered praise for investigating the nuances of identity in all its forms, including through the lens of race, gender, and ability. Last month, the CW series DC’s Legends of Tomorrow entered new territory with the episode “Daddy Darhkest.” The hour revolved around the guest appearance of John Constantine (played by Matt Ryan), a mystically empowered, chain-smoking, trench coat–wearing warlock—who is also bisexual.

For the show to openly explore his attraction to both men and women onscreen was a big deal given how the character had previously been portrayed. Constantine’s bisexuality was first alluded to in John Smith’s 1992 issue and then touched on periodically in subsequent comics. But other adaptations—including the 2005 Hollywood film and the short-lived NBC television series by the same name (starring Ryan)—either erased or ignored the character’s sexual history. Fans who were frustrated by this consistent “straight-washing” promised his show wouldn’t repeat this mistake.