Bobby Drake, also known as Iceman of the X-Men comic series, has come out of the closet as gay, according to the issue's writer.

"There are thousands if not millions of stories of people who, for many different reasons, felt the need to hide their sexuality," Brian Michael Bendis, who wrote the issue, said in a statement to CNN. "The X-Men, with the conceit of time travel, give us a fascinating platform in which to examine such personal journeys. This is just the first little chapter of a much larger story that will be told."

The circumstances concerning the reveal involve time travel. Writes CNN, "In the 'All-New X-Men' storyline, members of the X-Men team travel to the past, as younger versions of themselves. Mind-reading mutant Jean Grey (also an X-Men original) asks Bobby why he calls women 'hot,' when she knows he is gay."

But in the issue, Bobby does not immediately acknowledge that he is gay, according to CNN who received some of the pages from the forthcoming issue.

Bendis didn't want a big deal made about the reveal.

"i swear on my dogs, i wanted the issue to come out and just be. no press. no sensational headlines. no leaks. oh, well..." he wrote on Twitter.