Gay superhero set to wed in comic

NEW YORK, May 22 (UPI) -- Openly gay superhero Northstar proposes to his partner in the next issue of the Astonishing X-Men comic-book series, Marvel announced Tuesday.

Jean-Paul Beaubier, also known as Northstar, asks his boyfriend, Kyle Jinadu, to marry him in the issue that hits stores Wednesday.

"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," Axel Alonso, Marvel's editor in chief, said in a statement on the Marvel Web site. "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."

The wedding is to take place in the June 20 issue of the comic.

"The story of Northstar and Kyle is universal, and at the core of everything I write: a powerful love between two people who have to fight for it against all odds," said author Marjorie Liu. "This is the quintessential Marvel story, one that blends the modern world with the fantasy of superheroes in order to tell an exciting story that begins with a wedding -- and continues in ways you can't imagine."