In 2022, DC Comics announced that Connor Hawke was asexual. Many have speculated about the direction of the second Green Arrow that has been confirmed for DC Pride. Although the inclusion of asexual characters in the media is growing, for years people on the ace spectrum have sought out icons, characters, and role models who can help explain this orientation and make them feel less alone.
While asexuality is still an underrepresented orientation in media, comics have often done better at portraying asexual characters. Unfortunately, their specific orientations are often overlooked and overlooked when creating television and film adaptations of comic book stories. However, these asexual characters still exist and are undoubtedly iconic.
ten Diane – The Lumberjacks
Although intended for ages 8 and up, Lumberjacks is a comic book series by Boom! Studios which is important reading for all ages and has won acclaim for its positive portrayal of LGBTQ+ teens. Spending an incredibly long summer at Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s camp for Hardcore Lady Types, the characters explore friendship and their own identities.
Initially antagonistic, Diana (aka the Greek goddess Artemis) leaves Mount Olympus to become a camper and is revealed in issue #68 to be homoromantic asexual. She even enters into a romantic relationship with her cabin mate Hes. In a short but sweet moment of portrayal with a relationship that continues in later issues, Diane shows the importance of the portrayal of aces in children’s literature.
9 Yelena Belova – Marvel Comics
Yelena Belova is an iconic Marvel Comics character who, like original Black Widow character Natasha Romanova, was trained to be a spy and assassin by the Red Room. In 2021, Yelena Belova creator Devin K. Grayson confirmed that the character is asexual and aromantic, but due to Russia’s persecution of the LGBTQ+ community, Yelena “may not have been exposed to terms like ‘ACE’ and ‘ARO’.”
While this is an incredible time for asexual portrayal, Yelena’s orientation has yet to be discussed in the comics further than she’s “nothing” when it comes to sexual identity. . Nonetheless, fans are thrilled to see such an incredible and strong woman being identified as as/aro and hope to see her explored further through Florence Pugh’s portrayal in the MCU.
8 Gwendolyn “Gwen” Poole – Marvel Comics
Established in 2015, Amazing Gwenpool follows a girl transported from this readers reality to the Marvel Universe and is an amalgamation of Spider-Man’s Gwen Stacy and Wade Wilson as Deadpool. While the solo series shows that Gwen has no interest in physical relationships, her first appearance depicted her as a gray woman and starting a relationship with Quentin Quire.
However, Gwen later admits in the metafictional account of west coast avengers that she wanted to be less of a supporting character and believed that a romantic relationship with Kid Omega would mean she would be less likely to be killed off. Gwenpool is a hilarious and underrated superhero who represents avid Marvel readers and deserves further exploration of her character.
seven Jughead Jones – Archie Comics
In the 2016 Jughead solo comics by Chip Zdarsky and Erica Henderson, the beloved Archie Comics the character has been confirmed to be asexual. Created in 1941, Jughead hasn’t always been canonically ace but has often been portrayed as demiromantic, given his disinterest in relationships. Jughead’s asexuality stays true to the character, who often preferred burgers to dating.
One of the biggest missteps in asexual portrayal was the live-action adaptation’s decision to erase Jughead’s confirmed asexuality and push the character into relationships with Betty Cooper and Tabitha Tate in later seasons. . Even actor Cole Sprouse wanted his character portrayed as an ace/aro in Riverdale (Going through Charm) but despite the outcry from the asexual community, Riverdale erased that part of Jughead’s identity.
6 Nadia Van Dyne / The Wasp – Marvel Comics
After escaping the Red Room, Nadia (Janet van Dyne’s surrogate child) launches the Genius In Action Research Labs (GIRL) program to find women with genius intellects after people’s SHIELD Index smartest lists no women above 27th place. . Not only does this remarkable character understand the portrayal of bipolar disorder inherited from her father Hank Pym, but she’s also on the asexual spectrum.
The series briefly discusses Nadia’s disinterest in “teenage girl stuff” when she tells Edwin Jarvis that she will let him know if she becomes “more interested in kissing someone than quantum physics”. However, in 2020, Sam Maggs (author of The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope) confirmed during a book festival livestream that Nadia is an ace, which fans hope to see explored further in other Marvel comics.
5 Alix – Sex Criminals
Chip Zdarsky Sex criminals explores the adventures of Jon and Suzie who realize they gain the power to freeze time when they come. During a break in their stories, Alix is featured in issue #13. Although she had an abusive stepfather and experiences as an asexual teenage girl who felt pressured into having sex, Alix n is not described as broken.
Like the main characters, Alix also has the ability to freeze time but through the adrenaline rush of BASE jumping. This time-frozen world is called “The Quiet” which Alix uses as an escape. With hilarious banter and heartbreaking stories, Alix is a memorable character on this show whose ability to freeze time outside of sex raises questions about what exactly “The Quiet” is.
4 Roshanna Chatterji/Tremor – DC Comics
A lesser known but much admired superhero in the asexual community is Roshanna Chatterji, aka Tremor. Present in Movement comic book series from 2013-2014, Tremor was the first openly asexual character in DC comics. Born in India, Chatterji discovered powers of geokinesis that caused people to call her a witch.
After moving to the United States, she is targeted by Amanda Waller to infiltrate The Movement, a collection of misfits unhappy with the city’s corruption. In issue #10, when her Mouse Movement teammate has feelings for her, she tells him that she is asexual. An incredible moment for asexual representation in the comics, fans only hope to see Tremor again in his own series exploring more of his past and identity.
3 Dionysus – The wicked + The divine
As one of the best non-Marvel or DC LGBTQ+ comics, The wicked + the divine explores a world where every 90 years, 12 gods are reincarnated as ordinary people. Influenced by pop culture and various mythological deities, this Image Comic story has been recognized for its diverse depiction of ethnicity, social gender roles, and sexuality which includes an asexual character.
Known as Omar and Dionysus, this Greek god of winemaking is confirmed genderless in issue #26. However, he still feels a romantic attraction after being Lucifer’s former lover and a romantic interest in Cassandra/Urdr, the Norse goddess of the past and fate. Concluded in 2019, fans are eagerly awaiting the TV adaptation which will hopefully highlight Dionysus/Umar’s asexuality, increasing his iconic status.
2 Laojun-Lanxi Zhen
Lanxi Zhen, also known as Lanxi Town or Blue Creek Town, is an ongoing spin-off prequel webcomic for The legend of Luo Xiaohei Web series. It’s an underrated series but finds its place online and in the asexual community when its main character, the immortal elf Laojun, appears asexual in chapter 48.
Although they don’t use the terminology as it takes place in a world of elves and demons, Laojun explains to his apprentice Qingning that he “can feel the emotions of falling in love using telepathic empathy” but that he “never knew” him himself. Fans immediately recognize that Laojun is an ace/aro and are thrilled with the portrayal. As the series continues, her status as an asexual icon will only grow.
1 Connor Hawke – DC Comics
Among the many LGBTQ+ heroes set to join the DCEU is Connor Hawke, aka Green Arrow. As the son of the original Green Arrow, Oliver Queen, Connor is also an expert archer and in the 2022 DC Pride Anthology he is confirmed to be asexual. Fans interpreted Connor’s orientation as an ace for decades after the character avoided sexual moments.
Another major step for asexual representation, Connor writes a letter to his mother about becoming asexual and learning to be “proud of who” he is. Hawke’s “Think Of Me” story in DC Pride is a defining moment because the entire team behind the story is also unstoppable, not only in canonizing an asexual character, but in raising the voice of asexual creators.
