Amidst Game-Changing Comic Book Gay Weddings, An Actual Same-Sex Wedding

Being the first openly gay comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe was not particularly easy for Jean-Paul Beaubier. Since coming out in Alpha Flight #106 in 1992, Beaubier, aka Northstar has had his share of drama, ranging from family issues, death and resurrection and the unrequited attractions that come with being the only gay man in a universe full of heroes. But today, Northstar is hardly alone. LGBT characters are popping up at a higher and higher frequency. And while they struggle with finding their place in the world, he moves onto the next stage: marriage to his longtime boyfriend, Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men #51, which showed up in comic shops yesterday.

But Beaubier and Jinadu weren't the only ones to say "I do". In conjunction with the landmark event, Jason Welker and Scott Everhart married among the comic book racks at Midtown Comics in a private ceremony yesterday morning. The couple, from Columbus, Ohio was chosen from more than 50 applicants to celebrate their union in the popular New York comic shop, followed by a reception at Humphrey's in the Eventi Hotel.

Once the vows were read, the cake was cut, and the marriage license was bagged and boarded in protective polypropylene, the happy couple took a break from posing for pictures to chat with Out.com about their "whirlwind" special day and sharing it with Northstar and Kyle.

"We thought it was perfect," said Welker, "but, we hear something catastrophic may happen." While it is true that superhero marriages tend to suffer under the weight of issues like collapsing realities, demonic intervention and interstellar psionic manifestations, they remain hopeful about being so closely linked to such a high-risk union. Turning to Everhart, Welker smiles sweetly, "We really want a happy ending."