Comic strip to feature homosexual ‘prom’ date
MEDINA, OHIO , – A long-running, nationally syndicated comic strip will feature a homosexual couple holding hands and attending the prom together. “ Funky Winkerbean ” will depict two men holding hands as they buy tickets at the fictional Westview High School. “So, who are you guys taking to the prom, anyway?” asks a young female ticket seller. “Uh, that would be each other,” they reply. The comic is featured in 400 newspapers nationwide. “Dealing with intolerance is something I’ve dealt with many times before. Adding the gay angle is just a twist to the topic,” said strip creator Tom Batiuk (pronounced “Battick”), 63. However, in December 2009, Batiuk featured six comic strips about the “bullying” of homosexual character Cody. “I’m not trying to shock anyone,” Batiuk stated. “I’m just telling a story.” The strip, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, joins a growing number of homosexual characters in juvenile literature. Archie comic book character Kevin Keller