Superman actor Dean Cain has accused comic book writers of “bandwagoning” after it was announced the Man of Steel was coming out as bisexual.
Cain, who played Clark Kent in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman from 1993-1997, said the move would have been “brave” 20 years ago but left him unimpressed now.
DC Comics announced on Monday that Jon Kent, Clark’s son and heir to the Superman name, will find love with a man in an upcoming comic book.
Cain, who supported Donald Trump for president, appeared on US TV and disputed writers’ claims they were taking the character in a “bold new direction”.
The 55-year-old told Fox & Friends: “They said it’s a bold new direction. I say they’re bandwagoning.
“I don’t think it’s bold or brave or some crazy new direction. If they had done this 20 years ago, perhaps that would be bold or brave.
“But brave would be having him fight for the rights of gay people in Iran where they’ll throw you off a building for the offence of being gay.”
Cain, apparently reacting to a recent Superman comic book storyline where the hero fought against the deportation of refugees from Metropolis, suggested the hero should be preoccupied with political matters in the Middle East.
He said: “Why don’t they have him fight the injustices that created the refugees whose deportation he’s protesting? That would be brave, I’d read that.
“Or fighting for the rights of women to attend school and work and live and boys not to be raped by men under the new warm and fuzzy Taliban.”
Cain added: “There’s real evil in this world today, real corruption and government overreach… It’d be great to tackle those issues. I’d like to see the character doing that.”
Superman: Son Of Kal-El #5, which will see the hero become romantically involved with a male reporter, will be available from November 9.