Marvel Comics has unveiled the Pride Month variant cover for Wolverine #13, depicting Logan’s son, Daken by artist Phil Jimenez. The once-villainous, still-ruthless son of Wolverine stands before a stark-white background stained with blood, looking simultaneously threatening and seductive, as he is so often portrayed in the X-Men titles. His iconic, free-flowing mohawk is depicted with black brush strokes, adding an element of mixed media to the standard pencils and inks.
Created by writer Daniel Way and Steve Dillon in the pages of Wolverine Origins #10, Daken was initially conceived to be a major complication in Logan’s life. As Wolverine’s long-lost son, Daken spent much of his early publication history as a cold-blooded villain manipulated into fighting his father. Since then, he’s served as a member of the Dark Avengers, the Brotherhood of Mutants, and currently X-Factor Investigations. Following his first appearance in 2007, Daken has come to be one of Marvel Comics’ most recognizable bisexual characters.
To commemorate Pride Month, Marvel Comics has recruited some of the industry’s top talent to provide variant covers for their ongoing titles showcasing LGBTQ+ heroes and villains. Eisner-nominated artist Phil Jimenez and colorist Marte Gracia have lent their talents to this stunning rendition of Daken. Blending sexuality with violence, this cover perfectly captures the elements of this character that have transformed him from a questionable villain to a fan-favorite, morally ambiguous antihero.
Daken can currently be found in the pages of the ongoing X-Factor title from creative team Leah Williams and David Baldeon. As part of the predominately-queer team which investigates mutant murder cases and discrepancies in the Krakoan resurrection protocols, Daken has been fully redeemed from his history as one of the X-Men’s most brutal villains. Throughout the course of the series, he has started a causal relationship with former Alpha Flight member, Aurora.
Thanks to the mutant nation of Krakoa’s amnesty program, Daken has been absolved of his past sins and has been embraced as a member of Logan’s extended family, which includes his clones Laura Kinney and Scout (formerly Honey Badger). In June, the X-Men titles are participating in the Hellfire Gala, a one-night event that will unfold over the course of 12 issues across the line, and promises another major change to the fate of the mutant species. If the character’s history is anything to go by, Daken’s motivations and alliances are subject to change, no matter what the future has in store for Wolverine and the X-Men.