Dean Cain Source: Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP

Watch: Former 'Superman' Actor Dean Cain Says Bi Superman 'Bandwagoning,' 'Not Bold'

Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.

Former "Superman" actor Dean Cain, who played the superhero in the 1990s television series "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," took aim at DC's bisexual version of the character, saying it's "not bold" but rather LGBTQ+ "bandwagoning," CNN reports.

The 55-year-old actor "appeared on 'Fox & Friends' Tuesday and talked about the character of Jon Kent, written as the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, being in a relationship with another man in a forthcoming edition" of the new comic book title "Superman: Son of Kal-El," CNN said.

"They said it's a bold new direction," Cain told "Fox & Friends," before disagreeing: "I say they're bandwagoning."

Cain went on to point out that several comic book superheroes have come out as LGBTQ+ in recent months, The Hollywood Reporter detailed.

"Robin just came out as bi – who's really shocked about that one?" Cain said, referencing a storyline in the Batman title "Batman: Urban Legends" in which Tim Drake develops feelings for a male friend. "The new Captain America is gay," Cain added, a propos of an out teen version of the popular Marvel Comics character that was introduced for Pride Month earlier this year.

Cain also noted that he played the father of a lesbian woman on the CW superhero drama "Supergirl."

"So I don't think it's bold or brave or some crazy new direction," the actor added. "If they had done this 20 years ago, perhaps that would be bold or brave."

Cain went on to slam how the comic pits new Superman Jon Kent against social problems like the deportation of refugees, the BBC reported, saying that the new version of Superman should "fight the injustices that created the refugees whose deportation he's protesting" or defend the "rights of women to attend school and work and live and boys not to be raped by men under the new warm and fuzzy Taliban."

"It'd be great to tackle those issues," Cain added. "I'd like to see the character doing that."

As reported previously at EDGE, the title's writer, Tom Taylor, explained that he wanted the new Superman to be something other than a "straight white savior," telling The New York Times that writing Jon Kent in that mold would have "felt like a missed opportunity."

"You'll always have people who'll use the old line of, 'Don't put politics into comics,'" Taylor added, going on to note: "People who don't realize that the X-Men were an analogy for the civil rights movement."

Cain missed a few examples in his list of superheroes coming out. A gay Green Lantern features in an upcoming HBO Max series, while, the Times noted, "a new Aquaman comic stars a gay Black man who is positioned to become the title hero."

On cineplex screens, meantime, the MCU is about to unveil its first out gay superhero and his same-sex husband in next month's "Eternals."

To watch Cain's comments, follow this link.


by Kilian Melloy , EDGE Staff Reporter

Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.

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