One Million Moms Targets Comic With Gay Wedding

One Million Moms, the group that unsuccessfully tried to get Ellen DeGeneres booted from her JC Penney commercial gig, has a new target: the first mainstream comic book to feature a same-sex wedding.

The organization, affiliated with the antigay American Family Association, is calling on Toys "R" Us stores to cease carrying the issue of Life With Archie that portrays the wedding of Kevin Keller, the first gay character in the Archie Comics universe. Life With Archie is a series that follows Archie Andrews and his friends in the town of Riverdale past high school and into adulthood.

The One Million Moms website urges followers to let Toys "R" Us know they object to the display of the comic and threaten to boycott the retailer. The site provides a sample letter, reading in part, "Unfortunately, children are now being exposed to same-sex marriage in your toy store. This is the last place a parent would expect to be confronted with questions from their children on topics that are too complicated for them to understand."

Archie Comics CEO John Goldwater issued a statement defending the comic, Think Progressreports. "We stand by Life With Archie #16," he said. "As I've said before, Riverdale is a safe, welcoming place that does not judge anyone. It's an idealized version of America that will hopefully become reality someday. We're sorry the American Family Association/OneMillionMoms.com feels so negatively about our product, but they have every right to their opinion, just like we have the right to stand by ours. Kevin Keller will forever be a part of Riverdale, and he will live a happy, long life free of prejudice, hate and narrow-minded people."