Marvel Resurrects Wolverine’s Son as a New Type of Ghost Rider (Exclusive)

As a seasoned gamer who’s been through the Marvel Comics universe since the days of Chris Claremont and John Byrne, I must say, the return of Daken as Hellverine is a thrilling turn of events! The bonding with the Demon Bagra-ghul adds an intriguing twist to his character, and the glimpse into his troubled past brings a new level of empathy to this complex anti-hero.

In the Marvel Universe, Daken, Wolverine’s son who was thought to be deceased, has returned with an intense flame under his heels, known as Hellverine. This forms the basis for a fresh Hellverine comic series where Daken develops a connection with the Demon Bagra-ghul, who once inhabited Wolverine’s body. Previously, Daken was slain by Victor Creed during the initial skirmish of the “Sabretooth War” arc in Wolverine. However, it seems that a Wolverine can never truly be vanquished. Readers were introduced to Hellverine during last year’s Ghost Rider/Wolverine: Weapons of Vengeance crossover event, but now he steps into the limelight with his own ongoing series.

The exclusive first look at “Hellverine” #1, penned by Benjamin Percy, illustrated by Raffaele Ienco, colored by Bryan Valenza, and lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham, is now available from ComicBook. This issue presents an ordinary beginning, as we trace Daken transitioning between his everyday self and the Hellverine persona while journeying worldwide. The storyline also delves into Daken’s past, revealing how he came to be after Romulus murdered his mother during pregnancy. Subsequently, Daken was brought up by another family and endured bullying as a child, earning him the name “Daken,” which translates to either “bastard” or “mongrel.

In an unintended turn of events, Daken accidentally took the lives of one of his tormentors and his adoptive mother when his mutant abilities suddenly surfaced, causing bone claws to emerge from his wrists. Later on, he adopted the name Daken and embarked on a quest for revenge against Wolverine. Ultimately, this pursuit led to his demise. However, Daken was later given another chance at life. The story concludes with Daken entering a convenience store just as someone is hatching a murderous plan. One of Daken’s Hellverine powers enables him to detect evil.

Regarding the triumph of Hellverine and what lies ahead, Percy expressed, “I was penning Wolverine and Ghost Rider. Combining them was only natural. The ‘Weapons of Vengeance’ storyline was a massive success, thanks in part to Geoff Shaw and me creating Hellverine, a Logan variant featuring a flaming skull and claws. The audience excitement was so high that a Marvel Legends toy was announced and a spin-off limited series was greenlit. I had an absolute blast delving into the lore of the demon Bagra-ghul and resurrecting Akihiro from his brutal death in Sabretooth War, while also exploring new dimensions for a character I’ve always cherished. Now? More chaos, occultism, and fiery hell await. I am thankful to readers and vendors for their support, as a Hellverine ongoing series is on the horizon. I’ll be teaming up with acclaimed artist Raffaele Ienco, and we have grand, terrifying plans for the Hellverine and his role in the 616 universe.

The exclusive preview of Hellverine #1 is below. The issue goes on sale Wednesday, December 18th.

Marvel Resurrects Wolverine’s Son as a New Type of Ghost Rider (Exclusive)