Hero Cruz
| Hero Cruz | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superboy and the Ravers #1 (September 1996) |
| Created by | Karl Kesel (writer) Steve Mattsson (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Hero Cruz |
| Team affiliations | The Ravers The Titans |
| Abilities | Derive from Hero Dial artifact |
Hero Cruz is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics. Within the narrative of the fictional DC Universe, Hero is a portrayal of a Latino gay superhero of African descent. He first appeared in Superboy and the Ravers (September 1996) and was created by Karl Kesel and Steve Mattsson.
According to Richard T. Rodríguez in Graphic Borders, Hero is an updated take on the concept of a gay superhero: "Unlike the earlier, effeminate characterization of Extraño nine years before, Hero Cruz was fashioned as a character who was unmistakably masculine and who didn't wear his homosexuality on his sleeve".