Spider-Man Creator To Unveil World's First Gay Superhero

January 14, 2009 6:57 p.m. EST

Los Angeles, CA (AHN) - Spider-Man creator Stan Lee is preparing to unveil the world's first gay superhero in an hour-long TV drama being filmed in the U.S.

The 86-year-old former Marvel Comics boss and creator of the Hulk and the X-Men is said to be working on a project about high school basketball star Thom Creed, who hides his developing superpowers along with his sexuality. Lee developed the idea of a gay character from the award-winning novel Hero by Perry Moore.

TV executives said if the show is a hit, it will likely cross over to the UK. "It was only a matter of time before we had our first gay superhero. And if there is one man who can make him a success it is Stan Lee. There's a real buzz among comic book fans," one executive explained.