Both Marvel comics and DC’s “New 52″ show a commitment to inclusion of LGBT characters in some of their best titles. I’ll likely expand and update this post to include more titles, so leave a comment to point out any I left out. If it’s a DC title, sightings should be post relaunch.
DC’s New 52 line up of titles contains a number that prominently feature LGBT characters. Stormwatch chronicles the future relationship between gay Superman and Batman analogues Apollo and The Midnighter. Their story has been told, but never in the DCU proper. Teen Titans will introduce Bunker, a flamboyant gay teen hero. Batwoman follows the costumed adventures of lesbian socialite Kate Kane. The Shade is a new maxi-series set in Opal City and the cast includes bisexual blue alien Mikasl Tomas a.k.a. Starman. No sign of recently resurrected Aussi gay were-hero Tasmanian Devil.
Marvel may not have rebooted their entire universe recently, but nonetheless also have a number of high profile titles showcasing LGBT characters. The most popular LGBT characters of the Marvel U would be gay teen Young Avengers… Wiccan and Hulkling. A close second would be gay couple Rictor and Shatterstar from Peter David’s brilliant X-Factor. Daken Akihiro, the tattooed, bisexual bad boy son of Wolverine is fast becoming a fan favorite. Speaking of Wolverine, when he scooped up the X-kids and brought them back-to-school, he included Anole, Graymalkin and Bling. Karma has also stated Weschester is her destination.
If you think I forgot about Alpha Flight… not so fast. You may not have heard that news of it’s status as an ongoing title was premature. Alpha Flight is cancelled as of issue #8.
I have good news for those of you who have missed the Runaways since their last series and found the sporadic cameos since unfulfilling. Issue #17 of Daken: Dark Wolverine will introduce the old gang (Nico Minoru, Chase Stein, alien lesbian Karolina Dean, Molly Hayes, Victor Mancha and Klara Prast) to Wolverine’s bisexual bad boy son Daken Akihiro. Just in time too. He could use some help.
BEWARE SPOILERS: Daken’s in a bad way. During the current “Claws Killer” arc he became addicted to “Heat,” a new experimental pharmaceutical grade hallucinogen that blocks his healing factor. Once he realized the rush wasn’t as fun as he thought, he managed to quit “cold turkey,” but he may have burned out his healing factor permanently. On top of that he’s up against the powerful enemy that hooked him on the deadly high in the first place… movie star, drug dealer, former lover and mysterious villain… “Marcus Roston.” Great set up to introduce a nice wholesome group of superpowered kids right? Has anyone notified the blue-haired-old-ladies to prepare their outrage?
In Daken: The Dark Wolverine #16 Roston mentions his “idiot family” used to rule LA underworld and exhibits a number of powers, including flight and shape-shifting. Could it be original Pride aren’t as dead as The Runaways thought? Or do we have another previously unrevealed uncle? Either way, its time for a team up (after a short fight caused by a misunderstanding).
Marjorie Liu has previously described Daken as an amoral psychopath — and a charming, brilliant, manipulator. This time around she comments on how the bisexual rogue uses sex as a weapon.
Asked about how far they can go, she mentions its not a MAX title and says “If we could do more we would.” So MAKE it a MAX title? Why not?
I’m glad that bisexual Wolverine Jr. doesn’t seem to be going anywhere despite the Heroic Age. Daken is a fascinating anti-hero with lots of potential. Is he a sociopath? or just a calculating strategist (he DID manage to make a “buddy” of Johnny Storm). Does he care about anyone or is every move a means to an end. But what end? What is his ultimate goal?
Did you really think that Daken wouldn’t be involved in sending Wolverine’s soul to Hell? Now that his father is out of the way, Daken is free to do whatever he wants. And what does he want? EVERYTHING.
With the way Daken’s character is developing, I don’t see the writers doing much with his bisexuality anytime soon beyond having him use his masculine wiles on a few guys either to further his agenda or just for kicks (sexual or sadistic). If Daken ever get to an emotional place where he is capable of caring for another person, then I could see a boyfriend. But he’d have to be someone Daken saw as an equal and I get the feeling that is a VERY short list.
FINALLY! All the back and forth “I’m gonna kill you” flirting (which I read like the psychopath’s version of pulling pigtails at recess) between Wolverine’s openly bi son Daken and his murderous teammate Bullseye a.k.a. Hawkeye is going to pay off with a kiss.
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!! Daken has been given glimpses of the life he could have-as well as the lives he might destroy-and the time for a choice is finally at hand.
Will he become a force for good…or reign as a king in Hell?
In the midst of The Siege, Bullseye is about to bolt when Daken true to the amoral rogue he is, plants on on him right there on the battlefield! I’m guessing its just because he has bigger fish to fry that Bullseye doesn’t try to kill him for it there and then… but what if he liked it? Maybe he goes both ways too?
I still have no idea exactly what Daken is up to. He’s managed to make himself look good AND mess with his boss, which I’m sure is what he set out to do. But why screw with Norman? What does he have to gain by doing things his way… is it just about smug satisfaction? a psychotic need to cause carnage and death? or is there something more insidious going on?
Norman Osborn’s plan to improve Daken’s public image has gone horribly wrong, resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent people. Meanwhile, Daken’s plan is moving along quite nicely…
Posted in Comics, SFW on 10/26/2009 12:18 am by fanboi
Although we are in for some Daken-on-Hulkling action during the finale of the YA miniseries, Wiccan doesn’t have anything to worry about. Teddy really is true blue (er green) and immune to the pheremonal charms of Wolverine’s tattooed bisexual bad boy offspring. Now if only he can do something about the slashing claws.
So can the Young Avengers and those who would be Young Avengers form one big happy group? Can either of them live under Norman Osborn’s rules? Will blood out? Will guilt win? Will Speed and Coat or won’t they? It’s the end. And lots of terrible stuff happens. And everything ends in tatters.
I can’t wait to see where this leaves the Young Avengers gang. It’s been announced that creator Allen Heinberg has a YA project coming.
Posted in Comics, SFW on 10/18/2009 02:43 pm by fanboi
Norman Osborn is one sneaky sonuvabitch. He managed to fool the Black Widow (Natasha) into thinking she was working undercover for Nick Fury when she was actually reporting to Osborn. But I don’t think Norman has a clue about whatever Daken is up to. He’s seriously underestimated Daken and it WILL bit him in the ass. I’d feel better about that if I knew what Wolverine jr. wants because it seems like everything that has happened since he took over the Wolverine title has been part of some as-yet-unrevealed master plan.
As an Avenger, Daken is supposed to be one of the good guys˜to the public, anyway. But when a tape revealing his true colors is leaked onto the internet, Daken will be forced to clean up his act…and confront the possibility that being a hero might just be more difficult than being the villain!
It looks like he was responsible for leaking the video himself and now he has manipulated the woman who help him into running to her death so it couldn’t be traced back to him. What do YOU think he is after? Power? Money? Position? Revenge? Kicks? or all of the above?
I’m really glad that Dark Reign has forced me to get to know Daken. I find him fascinating now and when he was first introduced I was indifferent at best. It’s not just due to his announced bisexuality either. His exchanges with Norman Osborn have proven him to be an intelligent man of distinction and taste, far from the mindless tool I first considered him to be. Must be that feminine side he’s in touch with.
Daken has proven himself capable of wearing many masks, but who’s the real man underneath? As one of Norman Osborn’s Avengers, he has it all: power, fame, access…but what if it’s not enough? Could Wolverine’s son have a heart after all—and if so, will it be the Fantastic Four who help him discover it? Or will they find themselves on the receiving end of a betrayal so huge it will put them at war with the Dark Avengers? Part 3 (of 3)
Note the exchange between Daken and Venom where Mac asks if he “struck out” with Ares. There is an interesting camaraderie between these two. I think Venom is growing to like and respect Daken (as a buddy) despite himself.
UTOPIA TIE-IN Who are the Dark X-Men and how did they come to be? FIND OUT HERE! Each issue has 3 11-page stories, each dedicated to one of the Dark X-Men and how they came to be part of the team.
Now that I know about Daken’s sexual flexibility, I will have to start picking this up. I know he is just the kind of depraved bisexual that had GLAAD complaining about Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, but he has that hot bad boy thing going on, and sometimes an anti-hero is more interesting than a goody-goody. I’m interested to seeing what his master plan is all about.
“THE PRINCE” From the pages of DARK AVENGERS, the journey of WOLVERINE’S son continues! Just as Daken’s Machiavellian plans begin to take shape, he hits a snag. Or rather, four of them. Guest-starring THE FANTASTIC FOUR! Part 2 (of 3)
Here are some choice moments from part 1 in case you missed it like me (though I’ll be picking it up this week if they have any left).
Whenever a new LGBT character is outed in a mainstream comics, I try to feature them here. There was a curious exchange between Dark X-Man/Dark AvengerDaken (the son of Wolverine) and the Dark AvengerHawkeye (Bullseye) in this weeks Dark Avengers #7 that got me wondering about Daken’s sexuality…
I don’t think writers do things like this by mistake. Usage of commonly known idiom‘s such as “playing for both teams” are pretty obvious. Thoughts? What will Wolvie think of it? I’m guessing Daken‘s a bisexual top, he seems bossy.
Thanks to Jennifer of FantasticFangirls who pointed out that this is far from the first hint of this tattooed bad boy’s AC/DC inclinations. Apparently Daken admitted to kissing (and killing) a man in Wolverine Origins #11, and has been using his pheromone power to sexually manipulate women and men in Dark Wolverine. Damn – ANOTHER title I’ll have to start picking up!
Also thanks to reader and regular commenter Psiwire who sent me these panels that reveal how Daken sexually manipulated a male H.A.M.M.E.R. employee with his pheromone power and him hitting on fellow Dark Avenger Mac Gargan – the Dark Avengers answer to “Spider-Man” (really Venom – formerly The Scorpion).
With all this evidence, it seems this is not just a tease. I love that all these new (and old) characters are coming out these days!
Anyone else got a scan that adds fuel to the bisexual fire? Send it in for a shout out! For that matter – send me anything you spot that “outs” ANY comic book character!
