Warning: contains preview for Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1!
Marvel’s LGBTQ+ characters are showcased in a new preview for the upcoming pride special. Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1 is an upcoming special commemorating Pride month. A new character and variant covers have been announced, and now there is a sneak peek at what and who will be in the issue.
Numerous superheroes in Marvel’s character gallery are LGBTQIA+ characters and now they’re being brought together into one comic celebrating them. This is the fourth special comic released this year. Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices, Marvel’s Voices: Legacy #1, and Women of Marvel #1 have all come out already, celebrating Marvel’s character diversity.
Marvel Comics has released a sneak peek for Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1. Mystique, Black Cat, Daken, Iceman, Northstar, Wiccan, and Hulking – who appear in this brief glimpse – have all been featured on variant covers. Now they, and many others, are spotlighted in this preview. Creative teams have also been revealed for some included stories. There are fan-favorites like Nico Minoru and Karolina Dean, as well as lesser known characters like Jessie Drake. Check it out here:
This special is loaded with X-Men characters, as well as some other iconic characters. Prodigy and Speed are featured in the first story, written by Kieron Gillen, art by Jen Hickman, and colors by Brittany Peer. Prodigy is a mutant with X-Men affiliations. He and Speed were both part of the Young Avengers and became a canon couple in Empyre as written by Chip Zdarsky and Anthony Oliveira, the latter of which is writing a story involving Iceman for this special. Karma’s shown on the next page. She will be in a story by Vita Ayala, Joanna Estep, Brittney Williams, and Brittany Peer. Karma came out as lesbian in the early 2000s, becoming one of the first in popular comics. Iceman is also included in a story by Anthony Oliveira, Javier Garrón, and David Curiel. He’s seen here in a page with Angel and Magneto.
Somnus is shown next. Daken, Wolverine’s son, will also be included in this same story by Steve Orlando and Claudia Aguirre. Not much is known about Somnus just yet, though he was designed by Luciano Vecchio and looks absolutely fabulous in one of the first views fans have had of him. Mystique – another staple of the X-Men – is shown here with Destiny, her long-time lover. The two have always come back together, even after being forced apart for many decades. Their story will be told by the team of Tini Howard, Samantha Dodge, and Brittany Peer. Black Cat is shown here with Jessie Drake in a story created by Leah Williams, Jan Bazaldua, and Erick Arciniega. Jessie was not in many comics and has largely disappeared until now, despite being Marvel’s first openly trans character.
Nico and Karolina – part of the Runaways – are in a story by Mariko Tamaki, Kris Anka, and Tamra Bonvillain. Anole is featured in a story by Terry Blas, Paulina Ganucheau, and Kendall Goode. Northstar, Marvel’s first gay character, and his husband are also included in a story written and illustrated by JJ Kirby. Elektra and Dr. Charlene McGowan will be in a story by Lilah Sturges, Derek Charm, and Brittany Peer. In the last preview page, Titania and She-Hulk are shown and will be featured in a story by Crystal Frasier, Jethro Morales, and Rachelle Rosenberg. A story not previewed here that will be included in the upcoming Pride special will include Wiccan and Hulking following their marriage. It will be written by Allan Heinberg with art by Jim Cheung. Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1 releases June 23, 2021.
