11 LGBT superheroes that have forever changed comics

From gay martial arts masters to lesbian detectives, queer superheroes have a long history of kicking butt.

Ramzi Fawaz, a professor of queer studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says comic books featured LGBT superheroes as early as the 1950s. Although early queer characters didn't explicitly come out, fans knew their heroes had fluid sexualities.

"When you associate characters with a heroic action, it shows that everyone has the power to make an impact in some way," Fawaz tells Tech Insider. "It trains readers to see our differences as sources of strength and that we can use them to transform the world for the better."

A number of superheroes have more recently come out of the closet. Last year, Marvel confirmed that Iceman is gay, and this year, DC Comics clarified that Catwoman is bisexual. Soon, Ryan Reynolds will play Deadpool in the 2016 Marvel film, the first pansexual superhero.

Here are 11 superheroes who are diversifying comics.