After it was revealed that a major character of DC Comics would come out as gay, lesbian or bisexual, sources close to the company have suggested that the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, might be that character.

The main source of this information appears to be a website called Bleeding Cool, according to which, sources familiar with the matter say Alan Scott will be outed in the next month’s issue of Green Lantern.

During the Kapow! convention in London last week, DC Comics co-publisher, Dan DiDio, revealed that one major character was soon to be revealed as gay, though it would not amount to changing the sexual orientation of one previously portrayed as straight.

Alan Scott was introduced as a character in 1940, but, after the Second World War, when his popularity declined, the new Green Lantern went by the alter-ego of Hal Jordan, the role of which was taken by Ryan Reynolds in the eponymous film. Other personas for the Green Lantern have included John Stewart, Sinestro and Kyle Rayner.

Green Lantern has taken up gay rights twice before. For example, Issue 137 in 2001 contained a storyline in which an assistant of Kyle Rayner came out as gay, which in turn got its writer, Judd Winick, a GLAAD Media Award. A few months later, a story titled ‘Hate Crime’ featured the assistant, Terry, being the subject of a vicious homophobic attack.

The news comes within a week of a Marvel Comics character, Northstar of Astonishing X-Men, proposing to his boyfriend, with a same-sex wedding ceremony expected in the next issue.