NPR is reporting this morning that DC comics has introduced "the first transgender character in a mainstream comic series":
Wednesday's issue of "Batgirl" introduced the first transgender character in a mainstream comic series: Batgirl's roommate, Alysia Yeoh. Speaking with Wired, "Batgirl" writer Gail Simone said the choice was inspired by the diversity of comics fans and asked, "Why in the world can we not do a better job of representation of not just humanity, but also our own loyal audience?"
Gail Simone is an excellent writer, and Batgirl is a series worth reading (although a little less so since DC re-invented the character in 2011 as part of
New 52).
NPR is right that DC introduced the first transgender character in mainstream comics. But NPR is wrong about when it happened and who that character is. Alysia isn't the first major DC character to be transgender, she's the third fourth...
There have been at least two three other transgender characters in mainstream comics -- and, specifically, in DC comics -- in the past.
The first second was Shvaughn Erin, a long-time supporting character in The Legion of Super-Heroes and the romantic interest of Element Lad. Here's a description of the early 1990s stories in which her transgendered nature was revealed:
Many years later, Shvaughn has ended her relationship with Jan Arrah (Element Lad), and Earth's government has fallen under the covert control of the Dominion. When a Dominion soldier assassinates Earth President Tayla Wellington on live galaxy-wide video broadcast, full-scale war breaks out. During this period, it is revealed that Shvaughn's birth gender is male, and that for years she has been taking a medication known as "Profem" to biologically transform into a female. With open warfare across the planet, she is unable to maintain constant access to Profem. Jan is completely supportive when she physically reverts to her original gender and transforms back into the male Sean Erin. Ultimately the Dominators are defeated, and Sean is appointed chief of the Science Police contingent on New Earth.
So Shvaughn Erin is, I believe, the
first second openly transgendered character in mainstream comics.
Or rather, was:
In the wake of the Zero Hour and Infinite Crisis limited series, the events of the "Five Years Later" era of Legion continuity are no longer canonical.
The
second third openly transgendered character to appear in mainstream comics< Marisa Rahm, was also introduced by DC, again in the 1990s.
(Well, actually by Milestone Comics. Milestone was a 1990s comics company devoted to promoting diversity in their comics. They produced many excellent comics. Their comics are well worth looking for and reading, either in back issues or in trade paperback collections. But Milestone was being published by DC at the time, so I believe DC should get some credit.)
Marisa Rahm is a transgender cop in Dakota, America. There's a serial killer, the Deathwish of the title, out there murdering trans women and Rahm is determined to bring him in. Rahm has been chasing Deathwish for years. Her singlemindedness is all encompassing - she lives, breathes and eats the case. Predictably, this is affecting her relationship with her girlfriend, Dini...
This is a four issue miniseries published under DC's Milestone imprint in the 1990s. It has never been collected into a trade but it can be found in places such as ebay.
It should be noted that the writer of the Deathwish mini-series,
Maddie Blaustein, was herself transgendered.
So Batgirl's roommate is not the first transgendered character in mainstream comics. Even so, this is an event worth noting.
It will be several weeks before I get a chance to read Batgirl # 19, so I don't know yet how good or bad the story in that issue is. But being a large fan of Gail Simone's writing, I expect it (and following issues featuring the character) to be well done and worth reading.
UPDATE: As detroitmechworks points out in a comment, Sir Tristan in Camelot 3000 (also published by DC) predates both Erin and Rahm. I'd completely forgotten about this series! Here's a summary:
Camelot 3000 is an American twelve-issue comic book limited series written by Mike W. Barr and penciled by Brian Bolland. It was published by DC Comics from 1982 to 1985 as one of its first direct market projects, and as its first maxi-series...
The series follows the adventures of King Arthur, Merlin and the reincarnated Knights of the Round Table as they reemerge in an overpopulated future world of 3000 A.D. to fight off an alien invasion masterminded by Arthur's old nemesis, Morgan Le Fay.
The most original treatment in the work of any of the Arthurian characters is that of the figure of Sir Tristan, who is unexpectedly reincarnated as a woman. His transformation forces him to reexamine his previous conceptions of gender roles and his own sexuality. Although his relationship with Isolde – also reincarnated as a woman – is tested by his new identity, their enduring love for one another eventually triumphs, and the two become lovers.
So Sir Tristan would appear to be the first openly transgendered character in mainstream comics. (Unless someone can come up with an earlier example...)
Camelot 3000 was originally a 12-issue maxi-series, published by DC but unconnected to the DC universe. It has been reprinted in both hardcover and trade paperback, so if you want to read it you can likely find a copy for sale or at a library.