Archie Comics' gay character Kevin
Keller has joined the It Gets Better Campaign.
The It Gets Better Project encourages
bullied LGBT teens considering suicide to hang in there, because life
eventually gets better.
Kevin arrived at Riverdale High in 2010
and he first came out gay to Jughead at Pop's Chocklit Shoppe. In an
issue last year of Life with Archie, which looks at the
possible future lives of Archie characters, Kevin married Clay.
In
a tweet, the It Gets Better Project announced that Tuesday is
Kevin Keller Day and released a comic panel.
“I'm Archie's friend Kevin Keller!”
Kevin says in the panel. “I'm here to tell you that it's tough
growing up, especially when you face bullying or discrimination!”
“But hang on, because you're never
alone! And there are so many friends out there that you haven't even
met yet!”
A video featuring Dan Parent, the
creator of the character, was also released on Monday.
In the two-and-a-half minute video,
Parent discussed reader reaction to the introduction of a gay
character.
“When we introduced Kevin in Veronica
#202 it was the first Archie Comics ever to sell-out in 70 years.
That's a good sign,” Parent said. “The readers responded really
favorably.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)