The DC Book of Pride: A Celebration of DC's LGBTQIA+ Characters

by D.K. Publishing, Jadzia Axelrod

Discover the rich history of DC's LGBTQIA+ Superheroes in this inspiring gift-title featuring detailed character profiles and comic book artwork

Celebrate Pride with DC's LGBTQIA+ Superheroes.

Written and curated by DC expert Jadzia Axelrod, The DC Book of Pride profiles more than 50 LGBTQIA+ characters in detail, including Harley Quinn, Superman, Nubia, Robin, Batwoman, Aqualad, Dreamer, Green Lantern, and many more. Discover their fascinating origins, amazing superpowers, and key storylines. This title is an indispensable and celebratory companion to the DC Pride comic books.

With stunning comic book artwork and an exclusive cover artwork by renowned DC comics illustrator Paulina Ganucheau, this book is a perfect addition to the collection of any DC fan.

All DC characters and elements © & ™ DC Comics. (s23)

Genres: Comics, LGBT, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Dc Comics, Queer, Superheroes

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2023

About the author

Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Gerhard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great coffee table book, got to love that cover! Ultimately a tad disappointing, as it is just a character glossary. A more in-depth intro essay and some actual panels for context would have been great. Plus the writers and artists are criminally underserved here, and could easily have been included in sidebars. Still, a fun read that showcases the potential of modern comics to inspire and normalise.

[Mei ☽︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free via NetGalley, but I am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Many thanks to the publisher, DK Publishing, and the author for the opportunity!

I'll start off by saying that I've been a long-time fan of DC Comics. I've always loved superheroes and villains, the realm of possibilities that the DC universe offers to readers, and also the authors/artists who create their stories. While there have been numerous character arcs and countless continuity changes (some that I may not agree with, but hey, lmao), one thing that's never changed is that DC offers something for everyone, and that's only become more true over time.

Jadzia did an amazing job with the research in identifying LGBTQIA+ characters found in the DC Universe, and the bios provided gave nice context to them all. I appreciated the author's intro at the beginning which definitely set my expectations of what would be found in this book, as it obviously doesn't include every LGBTQIA+ character, and didn't go entirely in-depth with the information.

Regardless, I still enjoyed turning to the pages of the LGBTQIA+ characters that I love, including Batwoman, Cheetah, John Constantine, and of course Poison Ivy (whose page spread was GORGEOUS, btw), Harley Quinn, and Tim Drake. I also thought the blurbs were good for people unaware of their stories. Having not really read the newer DC Comics titles, it was nice to learn about some of the newer characters like Jay Nakamura, Jon Kent, Galaxy and Ghost-Maker!

Definitely a nice coffee table book with pretty art and has a clean layout too! My only complaint is that while I appreciate the artist acknowledgments at the end of the book after the glossary, it would've been better to have the artist credits right on the character pages themselves so it's more identifiable who drew what, rather than have a list of names with no context. Either way, still a nice read, especially if you're wanting to learn a bit more about DC characters.

[Bella Toric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing book to read, because the graphics in it are incredible and the stories that were being told were so beautifully done. I absolutely loved reading this (and looking at the graphics), It was a great way to see a little further in depth with some of the beloved DC characters. All and all it's a fantastic book and was put together so beautifully!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful alphabetic collection of the 57 DC characters that are LGBTQIA. I am enlightened that there are so many. The ‘Introduction’ section is only 1 page (far too short), since that is all the collective details stated.

A purely alphabetic listing of characters follows.
Left page: beautiful color image of character
Right page: a few paragraphs about how they came into being, followed by a circled ‘data file’ containing:
- First Appearance
- Allies
- Likes
- Dislikes

A nice collectable book. I am not a DC connoisseur so I can’t vouch for any completeness here. I just wanted that Introduction section to be a fully written historical chapter.
So, 3.5* that I’ll round up (purely for the pix of Robin on page 7 preface section)

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great read. I loved getting to read a little bit about each character and having fun tidbits at the bottom of each page. I was introduced to new characters and beloved characters that I've read for years. I think that this is a really great read for pretty much anyone, but especially comic book fans that want to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ characters that they love.

[Raphael Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you create entertainment you have the responsibility to represent the world we live in. Even if it’s not the main point of a story, having queer characters is essential to so many young closeted kids who can finally identify to a character. Overall, this is a nice treat to Queer DC fans. This encyclopedia is very simple but it’s nice to learn about lesser known characters as well as some nice fun facts on iconic characters such as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.

Thank you Netgalley and DK Children publishing for the free digital advance copy

[MC Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a quick and fun read! If you're looking for character profiles from every queer Marvel character, this book is for you. I had no idea just how many queer DC characters there were, and I loved learning about them. This is a beautiful omnibus to add to a pride collection.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the concept of this book. I don't know too much about superheroes, but I love all things gay, hence why I read the book. The artwork in the book was really pretty. I also really liked how each superhero had a "Data File" at the bottom of their page with a list of which comic book they first appeared in, their allies, and their likes & dislikes. Some of the descriptions of each superhero were a bit boring, but overall, this book was great!

[Jazelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Created in 1954, the Comics Code Authority (CCA) combated the perception that comics were too lurid and violent. Prohibitions even restricted any representation of queerness. Despite the CCA, beautifully queer characters still appeared in our favorite comic books. Though their sexuality was more often hinted at than declared outright, these characters--heroes and villains alike--still existed, though most operated as secondary characters to lead, straight heroes. Still, DC showcased all shades of the queer rainbow, even back in 1954. Today, LGBTQIA+ characters have become leads in our favorite comic books; characters who act as heroes in more ways than one.

Reading their stories--from well-known heroes like Kate Kane (Batwoman) and Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn) to those who only recently stepped into the spotlight like Taylor Barzelay (Galaxy) and Nia Nal (Dreamer)--was an awe-inspiring experience. Growing up as a bisexual Middle Easterner, I rarely saw my ethnicity represented on-screen, let alone my sexuality. Seeing queer female characters like Nyssa al Ghul and Sara Lance gave me the inspiration and empowerment I needed to come out. This book, filled with pages of bisexual, lesbian, gay, transgender, non-binary, and genderqueer characters is an outstanding reminder that we--regardless of how we identify--deserve representation. The art is stunning; I only wish we could see more from the comic books each character appears in. There's a helpful glossary for those who need it as well, which I'm grateful for. We also get little tidbits about each character, including their first appearance in a DC comic!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC. I only wish I had a hardcover copy to share with the world.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

You ever have a book that comes along at exactly the right time? I'm not really a DC person myself, tho my favorite superhero will probably always be Batman, but I am much more familiar with the Marvel Universe as a general rule than DC. That's why it's fascinating how many queer characters there are in the DCU, especially because a good number of them date back to pre-Hayes Code. There's such a diversity of rep here, too, in terms of all types and flavors of queerness, and many intersectionalities as well.

I feel like the theme of my last couple of reading years has been "Oh, there were queer folks in this place and time too?" Like it's one thing to know it on an intellectual level and another to KNOW it, and with this book you get a tiny taste of a whole bunch of queer superheroes you probably never knew existed.

Now, does this mean DC is some kind of queer utopia? Of course not. A lot of these characters play bit parts in the bigger and grander stories of cishet folks, as is to be expected. But if you track the evolution of the last 10-15 years, you can see more space being given to openly queer characters and stories. I hope this continues.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comics aren't exactly famous for being queer friendly, but they've been making strides to try to fix that. As a person who doesn't read a lot of superhero comics, I was pleasantly surprised to see the variety and diversity of characters in this book.

As a comics casual reader, I'm still left feeling like I'm missing a lot of the stories and that always bothers me a little bit. But on the other hand, if I really wanted to know more I guess I'd have to read more comics. It's a tough balance to strike. What I need is a character background 101 for each character!

These colorful bios are definitely a step in that direction though. They give that very shallow overview of the characters origins and how they got to where they are.

[Martin Maenza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection will be released on May 16, 2023. DK Publishing provided an early galley for review.
I come from a long history with DK's super-hero-focused books. I have several iterations of both DC and Marvel Encyclopedias as well as indepth company histories that the publisher has put out over the years. Therefore, I knew that their approach to this project would indeed be done with care and quality.

I liked that each character, no matter how new or old, got the exact same space - two-page layout with art on one side and text on the other. The artwork is drawn from the vast history of the comics line. Some of these characters I knew, and some were brand new to me. The glossary at the end is also helpful, especially when defining the various terms that help describe members of the LGBTQIA community. I learned a lot from this collection.

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is essentially an encyclopedia of queer DC characters, which is cool but I'm not sure who the intended audience is. There were some really cool tidbits in here, like the first Green Lantern powered ring had been intended as a gift to a lover. I appreciated the first appearance note for each character and seeing how early some of them came into canon. Ultimately, I think that a lot more could have been done with this book.

Taking this further in really any creative direction would have been great. It didn't feel like this book would be very engaging to a young audience. It would have been fun if the blurbs were written from the perspectives of each character, or if panels of them in action were included. The short bio and picture is useful for finding a character, I guess, but it's not nearly enough to satisfy the curiosity of a comic reader. For avid readers, this is a lot of what we already know and it lacks detail about character creation, notable appearances or story arcs, or even more artwork of the characters. I'd be interested in the writer's research process which they eluded to in the introduction.

I'm happy this exists but I hoped it would be more. Thank you to DC and NetGalley for an early preview!

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a LGBTQIA+ characters of DC glossary of sorts, this is the book for you! Inside, you will find just under 60 characters from all across DC. The author mentions that there are actually hundreds of characters who are LGBTQIA+, but this is just a selection of the characters. This is not meant to be a complete list, but they do want this to be thought of as a celebration of sorts that encourages people to check out all the characters!

It’s a very easy read with every character having two pages dedicated to them. Why two pages? Well, one page is stunning artwork of the character while the other page is dedicated to their bio and data file. I like that if a character is new to a reader, a quick glance at the data file tells one which comic series (and volume number when applicable) we can find them in! It’s also fun to see the character’s likes and dislikes after we learn about them through their bio.

All in all, this is a great book dedicated to showcasing just under 60 LGBTQIA+ DC characters. The artwork of each character is absolutely stunning, and we can learn all about each character as well as which series and volume we can see them first appear in. While it’s a quick read, it’s a good one at that.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

💌 ARC from Netgalley

I haven't really returned to DC Comics since college, with the exception of the Son of Kal-El Superman series, so I was surprised by how many characters they highlighted in this collection. Of the older series mentioned in this book, I'd only read Stormwatch/The Authority before this, so if nothing else, this book gave me a lot more to add to my TBR and a refreshing look at the trajectory of DC Comics.

I do think there's a little inconsistency in what the entries tell us about the characters. Some have likes/dislikes, some don't have one or the other, some list what base they operate out of, etc etc. I think it also would have been nice to have little images of the character's partners that are in relationships, but I suppose with the flexible nature of comics, there may be continuity errors down the line.

Favorite Fact: Apollo disliking Midnighter stealing the covers, and Midnighter liking stealing the covers. I'm so fond of these two.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved knowing a bit more about some characters I already knew, but majority of these I didn't so that was a big plus.
Although I really enjoyed this, the entries were really just surface level information. When it came to the characters that I knew, for the most part, it didn't tell me anything new besides something here and there like their backstories or maybe their powers. I just wish there were, not just more characters, but mainly more information or even some examples of scenes in comics with them, like samples or something. But it still gave me some new characters that I'm very interesting in checking out their stories so that's very good.
But all in all I'm really happy this b0ok exists, I think it's very important, and given the opportunity I will buy and read more.

[Afra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for this advanced copy.

This book was a guide to DC's queer characters. I love the layout of this book. However, it would be better if the character details mentioned their sexual orientation. I meant this was a guide to DC's queer characters. It should highlight that part.

[Raeleigh Breaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art work was great! The book did a good job at celebrating only a handful of LGBTQ characters in the DC universe. I do wish that it had gone into more detail about the characters and celebrated all the LGBTQ characters.

[Ben Buckingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

[Nyx Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

where’s peacemaker 👹👹👹

ANYWYA SO MANY LESBIANS RAWRRRRRR

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Kae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. I only knew a few characters in this. It was so fun to learn new characters that fall into the lqbtqia+ umbrella

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous art and I love gay people!!! This doesn’t really have a story, but I liked learning about lots of queer DC characters I didn’t know about. One of them is apparently even in a canonical (? I assume given that it’s in the book lol) throuple!! Good for her. Also the art of Clark and Lois at a pride parade with a rainbow Superman flag makes me want to cry!!!! I love them so much 🥹

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

*An ARC was provided by DC in exchange for an honest review*

Happy Pride everyone! This is gorgeous, fully-illustrated character glossary of DC's arsenal of queer characters over the years. A fun little reference text that would be gorgeous on a coffee table. :)

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, respectful look at some of DC's most iconic queer characters! There's a couple big names missing, but they're ones we've been aware DC has been trying to suppress marketing their queer identities since they're so big (Wonder Woman, Catwoman). Besides that, this book is perfect! And who knows, maybe we'll get those other characters in a Volume 2! A great gift for any comics fan. 5/5 stars.

[Jazz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This makes my queer little heart so happy 💖

It's a great overview of some of the queer characters that exist within the world of DC, we get some background, key moments, likes and dislikes, feature comic issue etc! I also love that there's over 60 characters and even then that's not all of them 🥹

[Grant Keegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting, lovely, and profound look into the vast number of LGBTQ characters that have existed in DC comics' history. I really enjoyed the descriptions of their histories and the way representation is shown in these stories.

[Mai H.]

Pride TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and DK Children

[Amy Harteveld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rep: Non binary, genderfluid, trans man, trans woman, asexual, bi/pan, lesbian, gay, unlabled queer, Jewish
Rating: 4.5

I’m not one to really read comics, and though I do enjoy the movies, I don’t watch as many as I want to. Going into this, I don’t think I could have named any queer DC superhero other than Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. But I wasn’t even sure if they were canon. Other than them, the only hero in general I knew was queer is Deadpool being pan (yes I know he’s not DC lol). So this book was really amazing to read.

Reading this and seeing so many queer superheroes made me so happy. I had no idea there were so many. Its about time we see some queer superheroes. I especially loved the two asexual heroes mentioned! I was a bit disappointed there wasn’t any aromantic ones. But two ace ones is a start. I know this isn’t every single character, so it’s possible there is one out there. It makes me happy to actually see my sexualities being represented, along with so many others. I was pretty impressed with the amount of trans characters. Even ones with different non binary identities. Aside from aromantic, I think the only other identity not represented was intersex.

I’m not sure how explicit these characters identities are actually in their comics though. For all I know, it could be mentioned once by one artist and never again. I don’t know how well it’s done either. That’s getting off topic of this book though.

I found the layout pretty interesting. I love all of the art!! It’s all so gorgeous. I found it was done well and to the point. Each character had their own page with a short description of their origin and powers, mentions of any superhero family members, and also their identity or mention of their partners. At the bottom it had a “data file” with a bit more info, such as their first appearance, their base, likes, dislikes and allies. It was a nice fun and informative book.

Overall, I enjoyed this and would love to have a 2nd book showing even more of the queer heroes out there.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book

[S.E. Martens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolutely beautiful book and important. I love that this exists!
However, I do have a couple critiques:

-each character profile includes their first appearance (good) but I really wish it also included recommended reading for significant issues and (if possible) collections. Reproducing some excerpts from key issues would have been ideal but lacking that, at least give us editor's notes telling us where to look!

-writer and artist credits are missing. Why aren't the creators of these characters listed?

The book also contains tons of absolutely gorgeous artwork - however - it is all reproduced from existing comics, not new artwork for this collection. This is only a problem because rather than credit the artists on the pages where their artwork appears, all of the artists are lumped together at the back. This is not useful. Sure, technically the artists are "given credit," but the reader doesn't know who drew what.

-there are some pretty glaring omissions. And while Axelrod notes in the introduction that this isn't meant to be "an exhaustive list" - are you seriously going to produce a DC Book of Pride and leave out Wonder Woman? Wonder Woman?! And we're retconning her relationship with Io? I . . .

I don't know if this was an oversight by Axelrod or a mandate from DC Editorial (I strongly suspect the latter), but either way it's disappointing.

Also, I'm pretty sure Catwoman came out as bi in recent years as well, but there is no entry for her, either. Curious.

Overall though, I am delighted that a book like this exists. I had a great time looking at all the pretty artwork and I wish we'd had stuff like this when I was a kid. I love that DC has been giving us so many queer superheroes in recent years.