Riverdale High School has got itself a little secret. That really good looking new guy, you know the one that is always so well groomed and tuned into how emotional all the girls can get some times, especially Veronica? The guy with the fabulous designer shoes and even better sense of wardrobe ensemble? He’s gay!
Come on out of the closet Kevin Keller you’re the next contestant on That Dude Is A Homosexual. In a shocking turn in the world of Riverdale we now find out about its very first openly gay character. It’s been since 1939 so someone had to take the big step and come out. Maybe it was the brave leadership of Lance Bass or Ricky Martin that catapulted Riverdale into the new world order?
Dan Parent, the artist-writer behind the series, had the following comment:
“We’re trying to reflect society and we’re just trying to show Riverdale is a diverse place.”
Kevin Keller will make his Archie debut in “Veronica” no. 202 set for release in September. He’s the hot new guy, Veronica wants him but for some reason things just don’t go her way. Oh wait we know why, Kevin Keller is gay!
BUT, is Kevin REALLY the first homosexual to make an appearance in the age-old comic series? Back in 2008 the folks over at Complex.com put together a list of “The 5 Most Pause-Worthy Moments in Archie Comics” including a couple scenes that make ol’ K-Kell look like a real Bubba!
And how about this not-so-subtle 1965 cover from Betty and Me:
Ummmmmm….
Though there really is no segue, I can’t pass on the opportunity to show you the trailer from the wonderfully bad Archie: Return To Riverdale:
Hopefully they don’t keep it too real and have all the other high school kids make Keller’s life hell simply for being himself until the indisputable misery that is high school finally ends and he can get on with having a productive life in a place where people aren’t so closed minded.
Seriously, good for Archie Comics to being open and allowing Riverdale to be a place kids can more deeply relate to. They shouldn’t have waited so long though, if they had been on the ball in the ’70s they could have launched the very successful spin-off comic based on the life of a flamboyant high school piano player called Liberarchie!
Images: Archie Comics
