A new female Thor, a new African-American Captain America, and Archie Andrews takes a bullet for a gay character? This is a brave new world for comic books in this contemporary era, and it is forever changing.

It was announced this week that Thor, God of Thunder, will be a woman; Steve Rogers' friend and ally, the Falcon, will be taking over as Captain America; and Archie Andrews of the popular "Archie" comics, will die protecting the rights of another person who is gay. Comic-books are getting noticed more now because of its somewhat realistic depiction of a growing diverse audience.

Announced on the popular daytime talk-show "The View," moderator and co-host Whoopi Goldberg stated that "Thor, the God of Thunder, he messed up. He is no longer worthy to hold that damn hammer of his. And for the first time in history, that hammer is being held by a woman," Wired magazine reported.

Hours later, it was then confirmed by Marvel editor Wil Moss, via a press release, that "The new Thor continues Marvel's proud tradition of strong female characters like Captain Marvel, Storm, Black Widow and more. And this new Thor isn't a temporary female substitute, she's now the one and only Thor, and she is worthy!" Wired magazine reported.

This new female Thor could indeed be permanent. Who will be the new Thor? Marvel sources say that it will be sometime before audiences actually know who she is after the comic debuts in the fall. Maybe it will be similar to the "How I Met Your Mother" story arc, instead it will be called "How I Met the New Thor."

After the new Thor was announced, days later came Falcon as the new and African-American Captain America. The Falcon will be entrusted to become him when Steve Rogers aka Captain America, finds himself in a position where he can no longer do it, Entertainment Weekly reported.

In fairness, this is Marvel's second feat of changing big popular white superheroes into African-American ones. It was in 2011 that comic-book aficionados saw the new Spider-man played by a mixed race young man Miles Morales, half African-American and half Latino. 

The creators, writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli for comic-books "Death of Spider-man," and "Ultimate Comics: Spider-man;" and Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, came up with this idea that was inspired by the 2008 election of President Barack Obama, and an episode of the NBC comedy "Community," The Latin Rapper reported.  

And finally, on writing this article, Archie Andrews would have already died protecting his openly-gay best friend Kevin Keller in "Life with Archie." John Goldwater, Archie Comics publisher and co-CEO, claimed that Archie "dies selflessly," the Associated Press reported. Goldwater added that Archie's death "epitomizes not only the best of Riverdale but the best of all of us."

"Life with Archie" is a futuristic series that showcases the lives of Archie and the gang long after they leave High school and college, The Verge reported. In 2010, Kevin Keller's character was introduced in "Veronica Issue#202"; the issue had become so popular that Archie Comics had to do reprints.

Keller, created by artist Dan Parent, had his own four-issue mini-series. By 2012, Keller became a recurring character on "Life with Archie." One year later in the final issue of the Keller mini-series, there was a story arc where he openly kissed another man, the Salon reported.

"It's about time," says Marvel executive editor Tom Brevoort about the change in the Marvel universe. "In 2014, this should be a thing that we shrug off, it shouldn't be seen as revolutionary, but it still feels exciting," the New York Daily News reported.

This is true in that the comic books of DC Comics and Marvel Comics, among others, have made gigantic strides to recapture its old audiences, and attract new ones that reflect the changing times.

The new female Thor is coming out this fall in Oct., while the new Captain America featuring the Falcon will be coming out in Nov. as "Captain America Issue #1."

"Life with Archie Issue#36" is out now.