The Iceman Cometh......out of the closet.

It would have been much more funnier if they suddenly made Hank "The Beast" McCoy gay. Unless they reconned it and I missed it the whole marvel universe still thinks of him as a gay mutant icon. Which he isn't.

I understand your point but if I were to take the black characters you named for example. I would describe them as blaxplotation characters. Which is no surprise as that is the era they where created in (Looking at you Luke Cage). This for me, is there reason those characters (at least) fail. They may appeal to some people but on the whole they are exactly what you claim to hate now. They are gimmicks, created for exactly that reason (Luke cage - 1972....blaxplotation....1970's)

I never said or assumed that comics never had a minority cast. You have taken my comment way out of context. I suppose if you don't agree that they are products of an un-pc world but i'd appreciate it if you didn't misinterpret what I have written to match up with what annoys you.
In fact outright denial of the fact that these characters where made in a world where the writers didn't have all the creative freedom they desire makes it very difficult for me to take you seriously or continue this conversation going forward.

The below is in regards to the Batgirl Gay marriage storyline......It still happens today.......that was my point
Oh yeah, there was another reason people were suspicious of DC’s motivations for banning a high-profile gay marriage from happening in their comics: because they had recently hired a high-profile writer who actively campaigns to ban gay marriage in real life. Noted homophobe Orson Scott Card is otherwise known for his classic sci-fi novel Ender’s Game, which is probably what he was hired for, rather than for his bigotry. But it was the bigotry that captured the public’s imagination.
Card was tapped to write a story for the anthology series Adventures of Superman, which in the end never got published. Fans and comic shops alike threatened to boycott the series (a similar fate befell the recent film adaptation of Ender’s Game) due to Card’s outspoken political views and, whilst DC first took the position of “we believe in freedom of expression, his views aren’t our views etc”, artist Chris Sprouse leaving the project over all the bad publicity seemed the final nail in the coffin

More......taken from wiki....feel free to argue against wiki and it's references....or bring your own......In short, this suggests it was more than just the readership which stopped these kind of characters being brought to the forefront
LGBT themes in comics are a relatively new concept, as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) themes andcharacters were historically omitted intentionally from the content of comic books and their comic strip predecessors, due to either censorship or the perception that comics were for children.[1] With any mention of homosexuality in mainstream United States comics forbidden by the Comics Code Authority (CCA) until 1989,[2] earlier attempts at exploring these issues in the US took the form of subtle hints or subtext regarding a character's sexual orientation.[3] LGBT themes were tackled earlier in underground comix from the early 1970s onward. Independently published one-off comic books and series, often produced by gay creators and featuring autobiographical storylines, tackled political issues of interest to LGBT readers.

Marvel Comics' incorporation of LGBT themes has been unfavorably compared with that of DC; its use of gay characters has been described as "less prolific but more deliberate".[5] Marvel reportedly had a "No Gays in the Marvel Universe" policy during Jim Shooter's 1980s tenure,[62] and Marvel's policy from the 1990s had stated that all series emphasizing solo gay characters must carry an "Adults Only" label, in response to conservative protests. However, these policies did not stop creators from slipping in gay characters and themes; J.M. DeMatteis introduced Arnie Roth, a childhood friend of Steve Rogers, who comes to Cap seeking help in rescuing his "roommate" Michael.[n 4] Later, Arnie himself is captured by Baron Zemo and forced to dress in flamboyant clothes and stage make-up and give a speech about how his love for Michael is false and unnatural. Cap rescues Arnie and reassures him that his love for Michael is as genuine as Cap's own love for his girlfriend.[n 5] The story appears to have gone under the radar purely because DeMatteis did not use the word "gay". Subsequent official character biographies have confirmed Arnie Roth as gay. As of 2006, these policies are no longer enforced and LGBT characters appear regularly in Marvel comics.[63] Although same-sex couples are depicted occasionally kissing, intimate or sexual scenes have not been shown, even in Marvel's "Adult only" imprint.[64] The use of mutants and the discrimination they face in the X-Mencomics has been seen as a metaphor for the real-world discrimination directed at minority groups including LGBT people.[65]

Sorry too late to edit but in the interests of impartiality I found the code of conduct. It doesn't explicitly mention homosexuality, who knows exactly how it was enforced but it it clear what they were referring to in the lines I have highlighted red.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics_Code_Authority

• Crimes shall never be presented in such a way as to create sympathy for the criminal, to promote distrust of the forces of law and justice, or to inspire others with a desire to imitate criminals.
• If crime is depicted it shall be as a sordid and unpleasant activity.
• Policemen, judges, government officials, and respected institutions shall never be presented in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority.
• Criminals shall not be presented so as to be rendered glamorous or to occupy a position which creates a desire for emulation.
• In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds.
• Scenes of excessive violence shall be prohibited. Scenes of brutal torture, excessive and unnecessary knife and gunplay, physical agony, gory and gruesome crime shall be eliminated.
• No comic magazine shall use the words "horror" or "terror" in its title.
• All scenes of horror, excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust, sadism, masochism shall not be permitted.
• All lurid, unsavory, gruesome illustrations shall be eliminated.
• Inclusion of stories dealing with evil shall be used or shall be published only where the intent is to illustrate a moral issue and in no case shall evil be presented alluringly, nor so as to injure the sensibilities of the reader.
• Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, torture, vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism, and werewolfism are prohibited.
• Profanity, obscenity, smut, vulgarity, or words or symbols which have acquired undesirable meanings are forbidden.
• Nudity in any form is prohibited, as is indecent or undue exposure.
• Suggestive and salacious illustration or suggestive posture is unacceptable.
• Females shall be drawn realistically without exaggeration of any physical qualities.
• Illicit sex relations are neither to be hinted at nor portrayed. **** scenes as well as sexual abnormalities are unacceptable.
• Seduction and **** shall never be shown or suggested.
• Sex perversion or any inference to same is strictly forbidden.
• Nudity with meretricious purpose and salacious postures shall not be permitted in the advertising of any product; clothed figures shall never be presented in such a way as to be offensive or contrary to good taste or morals.

I hear opposites attract. Does that mean he is attracted to Johnny Storm? I hear Johnny melts his heart....

Northstar's sister seemed to think otherwise.

It probably falls under the categories that you highlighted in red.

Not only is jean outing him wrong, the whole situation is pandering for a money grab. After the marvel u gets rebooted (which will happen very soon), it won't stay.