The Pursuit Of Peace: The Story Of Wolverine And Itsu

In recent years, Japanese culture has found its way into the mainstream western comic industry through Marvel and DC. Marvel has done an excellent job of presenting the nuances of the Japanese way of life in characters such as Silver Samurai and Sunfire. And much of this influence is attributed to the work of Chris Claremont and Frank Miller in the 1980s, with their revamp of Wolverine into a failed samurai looking to reclaim his honour.

Wolverine’s connection to Japan is essential to understanding who he is, and his appreciation for the country has manifested through the women he’s loved. One of Logan’s greatest loves was Itsu, a character who shaped a significant portion of his life.

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A Tale Of Two Healing Factors: Comparing Daken And Wolverine’s Superpowers

Learning about the superpowers of a comic character is a great way of gaining more insight into their backstory. A superhero like Wolverine is known for having incredible healing abilities, but it can be interesting to see how powers change when they are passed down through generations. Daken, Wolverine’s son, has inherited many of his father’s traits, while also developing powers that are unique to him.

Analysing The Nature Of Shinto Funerals With Daken And Wolverine

Everyone has their own way of coping with death, whether through carrying out their own personal rituals or spending time with loved ones. The passing of my grandad has made me think about the burial ceremonies from different cultures, with comics offering an insight into the various practices. After all, death is never constant in comics. But we still mourn characters if we’ve read about them for years. Japanese funerals are some of the most elaborate, so it seemed appropriate that Wolverine’s death would be honoured through a culture that shaped his life.

During the Death of Wolverine arc, Logan’s son, Daken, carried out a traditional Shinto funeral for his father. Shinto funerals have twenty steps and I’m looking into each one as a way of seeing how grief is processed.

Death Of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy Review: A Memorable Short Story Collection About Grief

Wolverine is a character that’s been around for a long time, creating relationships that have been good and bad. Enemies like Sabretooth and Mystique have tried to kill him, while allies like X-23 have fought by his side. But when Wolverine isn’t around anymore, how are the lives of his family and enemies defined? Death Of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy asks that question through showing how Daken, X-23, Sabretooth, Mystique and Lady Deathstrike cope with Logan being gone. The graphic novel is written by different people, such as Charles Soule and Kyle Higgins. This gives it the feeling of a short story collection, with each character’s perspective captured through a distinct lens.

The Essential Reading List: Daken

When reading about a comic character you’re interested in, it can be hard to keep up with all the stories they’ve appeared in. That’s where The Essential Reading List comes in. I’m compiling all the important appearances of characters that I appreciate and this edition is focusing on Daken. As the son of Wolverine, Daken has done plenty to establish himself within the X-Men mythos, but he’s also become one of the most intriguing characters in the wider Marvel Universe. Here’s a look into the major stories that he’s been a part of.

Dark Wolverine: The Prince Review: A Machiavellian Coup

It’s no secret that Wolverine is one of the most popular comic characters in the world. So, when his son steals the spotlight, it’s going to make for an interesting story. Dark Wolverine: The Prince, written by Marjorie Liu and drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli, follows Daken as he usurps his father’s identity in Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers. I remember collecting the single issues of Dark Wolverine when it first came out and it turned Daken into one of my favourite characters. It was good to come back to the series after so many years and relive the story with fresh eyes.

5 Fantastic LGBT Characters In Marvel Comics

It’s Pride Weekend for the LGBT community in Manchester, and it’s got me thinking about how they’re handled in comics. Marvel has a strong representation of gay and bisexual characters who aren’t defined by their sexuality. They are portrayed as three-dimensional people with their own motivations and flaws. To celebrate Pride Weekend, here are five of my favourite LGBT characters in Marvel.

Manipulation, Bisexuality And Badassery With Daken

Throughout his life, Wolverine has loved many women and developed many fatherly roles. He’s acted as a father to Kitty Pryde, Jubilee, Amiko and Pixie. Logan will also be the debut of X-23 on the silver screen, who as his clone can also be considered his ‘daughter.’ But I’d rather put the spotlight on another of his children. Daken is Wolverine’s biological son. He was born in Japan in 1946, when Logan settled down with a Japanese woman called Itsu. Daken is everything his father isn’t and I’ll explain why.

Beneath The Pages: Marjorie Liu

I’ve decided to introduce another segment called Beneath The Pages, where I’ll talk about someone from the comic industry I admire. This could be a writer, artist, penciller or editor. They are the people who bring characters to life, who create works of art that stand the test of time. The first person I’m going to focus on is Marjorie Liu, who’s known for her work on comics like Dark Wolverine, X-23 and Black Widow.