SAN DIEGO– What does it mean to be gay in mainstream comics? For a long time, it meant screaming that you’re gay and disappearing into oblivion until some writer knew how to properly write you. For comic books, sexuality has always been a balancing act between maintaining decades-long continuity and keeping the brand appealing enough for future licensing opportunities.

At San Diego Comic-Con this year, discussion took precedence as DC Comics recently relaunched its flagship title, Detective Comics, featuring two prominent gay characters as the leads to carry the book. At the Tipping Point panel I attended featuring Matt Wagner, Perry Moore, Mimi Cruz, Greg Rucka and more, the discussion was supposed to focus on what it means to have DC giving the blessing to such new characters considering how taboo homosexuality can still be. For the few writers who’ve worked at DC (Marc Andreyko, Greg Rucka), they commended the company’s ability to open up their lines with little pressure towards making sure the character is appealing — or, in other words, hot.

Although a few panelists noted the two characters, Batwoman and The Question, both come off as appealing because heterosexual men just love hot lesbians, there is still more room for progress. If you haven’t checked out Peter David’s current X-Factor run, you know there is a lot going on in terms of LGBT progression; publisher Marvel Comics allowed for the first-ever male on male kiss in the book. It wasn’t an event, it wasn’t preceded by a press release, it just happened — and for most fans of the book it was a welcome addition and moment.

But such progress can provoke furor. Joss Whedon’s rabid fans had an fit when Buffy the Vampire Slayer explored her own sexuality. Editor Scott Allie talked about all the anger and homophobia coming from longtime fans who just didn’t believe the character could go this route — and he found it interesting when you consider Whedon gave the idea his blessing.

As the programming schedule noted: there are more than 20 years between San Diego Comic-Con and the LGBT community. When you’re surrounded by all this media blitz, it’s hard to grab people’s attention. But for groups such as Fanboys of the Universe and Prism Comics, it was a refreshing trip into thought-provoking topics when people are more focused on what’s happening in the next season of Lost (spoiler: no one will care in two years).