One of the most enduring and recognisable superheroes in DC Comic's repertoire, Green Lantern, is set to have quite a drastic reboot in upcoming issues of the comic. After 72 years of fighting crime across the universe as a straight man, his alter-ego Alan Scott will be reintroduced as a homosexual man in a bid to broaden and diversify the face of DC Comics.
When introduced in All American Comics #16 in 1940, Alan Scott was a humble railway engineer who discovers a magic lantern, turns it into a ring with superpowers and becomes a crime fighter. He also marries - twice - and has children.
The character has been rebooted a number of times in the past, the most famous one being Hal Jordan - played in a recent film by Ryan Reynolds - in the 1960s and as John Stewart in 1972 - becoming one of the first black superheroes in DC's history.
Unsurprisingly, the decision to introduce an openly gay character into the DC Universe has stirred masses of controversy from right-wing organisations in America. Earlier this week the Christian mothers' group One Million Moms launched a letter-writing campaign calling on DC to cancel their plans to introduce a gay mainstream superhero. So far the calls have gone unheeded, as DC executives and writers of the comic have argued that so long as a superhero fights for good then their sexuality should be surplus to any storyline.