In tomorrow's Astonishing X-Men #50, the new creative team of writer Marjorie Liu and artist Mike Perkins are taking a big step in the comic book industry by having X-Men member Jean-Paul Beaubier, aka Northstar, propose to his longtime boyfriend Kyle Jinadu, according to a press release from Marvel. This will lead to a special wedding in Astonishing X-Men #51, which will be the company's first same-sex marriage.
“The Marvel Universe has always reflected the world outside your window, so we strive to make sure our characters, relationships and stories are grounded in that reality,” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor in Chief. “We’ve been working on this story for over a year to ensure Northstar and Kyle's wedding reflects Marvel's 'world outside your window' tradition."
Northstar was first introduced to comic fans in the pages of 1979’s Uncanny X-Men #120 as a member of the superhero team Alpha Flight and antagonist to the popular superheroes. A gold medal winning Olympian and successful businessman, the French-Canadian superhero quickly became one of the most popular members of Alpha Flight when its ongoing series launched in 1983. In 1992’s historic Alpha Flight #106, Northstar became one of the first openly gay superheroes when he revealed his sexual identity to the media.
This latest move is obviously designed to take advantage of the recent political surge of support for gay marriage that started with Vice President Joe Biden's approval of the subject, which was later followed by President Barack Obama's backing.
But don't let this monumental comic book event fool you, this isn't the first gay marriage in the history of the industry. Archie Comics had a gay marriage earlier in the year, and Apollo and Midnighter of The Authority were married under the watchful eye of DC Comics back in the late '90s.
If you want to grab a piece of Marvel history, go to your local comic book or online store tomorrow and order a copy of Astonishing X-Men #50. 
