Archie Comics is ready to introduce its first trans character

It’s the first Monday of the month and the first week of Pride Month!

Here’s some Pride filled firsts to kick off your week.

You’ve probably heard of a poet laureate. Well San Francisco has announced the city’s first Drag Laureate. D’Arcy Drollinger will serve as the Bay Area’s first official ambassador for its drag scene and LGBTQ+ community. Drollinger is the owner and artistic director of Oasis Cabaret and Nightclub, a venue for local and touring drag artists. “I am proud to live in a city that is pioneering this position while other parts of the U.S. and the world might not be supportive of Drag,” she said. “This role will build bridges and create partnerships, while elevating and celebrating the Art of Drag.”

You can read more about D’Arcy Drollinger and her new role here.

As Archie Horror returns to Strange Science, it’s taking a major step in its representation of diverse identities: Archie Comics will introduce its first trans character.

In an exclusive announcement, io9 reveals that the next installment in Jinx Holliday’s story—inspired by the classic Archie character Li’l Jinx and revitalized with Jinx: Grim Fairy Tales last year—will be Strange Science. This new chapter will focus on Danni Molloy, a character from the ‘80s Archie series Dilton’s Strange Science. Danni, who is now Jinx’s closest friend, will be reintroduced as a transgender woman. This marks a groundbreaking moment for the company, demonstrating their commitment to inclusivity.

“I wanted you to have a chance to fall in love with her for who she is, not what she is. I’m honored I got to make it happen, and I’m grateful to Archie for never, not even once, pushing back on my insistence on making their books a little bit more queer. I hope Danni finds a good home at Archie with supportive writers and artists helping to keep her alive for years to come,” said Jinx writer Magdalene Visaggio.

You can learn more about Jinx’s story here.

Reckon Firsts is a group project of the Reckon team, but the newsletter is written and compiled by me, Aria Velasquez, Reckon’s Newsletter Strategist and chief writer behind the weekly Reckon Report. My goal with this newsletter is to introduce you to new people who are powering change in our communities.

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