BATWOMAN PROPOSES TO GIRLFRIEND

The ground-breaking lesbian character of Batwoman has proposed to her girlfriend in a new issue of the comic book, released in the US this week.

At the end of the issue, Batwoman passionately proposes to police detective Maggie Sawyer. “Marry me, Mags,” the superhero says as she kisses her lover and possible fiancée.

Sawyer’s response to the proposal will only be revealed in the next issue.

Ironically, the original Batwoman was in part created as a love interest for Batman in 1956 to disprove allegations of homosexuality surrounding that character at the time.

Her second incarnation, Kate Kane, who is lesbian, first appeared in 2006 and remains one of the highest profile gay DC Comics character.

Batwoman comics have previously won two Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards.

The proposal comes as DC Comics continues to face criticism for hiring well-known sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card, who is openly homophobic, to write a new Superman story.

Last year, DC reintroduced the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, as a gay man.

In June, its competition, Marvel, broke sales records with the hugely hyped wedding between X-Men superhero character Northstar and his boyfriend Kyle.