Artist David Nakayama has made a splash with yet another exclusive Hellfire Gala 2022 variant cover, and this one features Wolverine in all of Laura Kinney’s bladed glory. The second Wolverine is finishing up her first year serving on the Krakoan era iteration of the X-Men, and her Hellfire Gala look will make the occasion all the more memorable. The drama and glamour of Nakayama’s cover tease quite the night for all invited, especially Wolverine.
David Nakayama’s specific approach for his Hellfire Gala covers mimics the look of contemporary fashion magazines like Vogue or Vanity Fair. It’s a fun take with gorgeous results, and it is consistent on a meta-level with the Hellfire Gala as a Krakoan take on the real-world Met Gala. Like the Gala itself, Nakayama is creating these covers for the second year in a row, and his Hellfire Gala catalogue includes characters such as Gambit, Scarlet Witch, Rogue, Magik, Jean Grey, Storm, Emma Frost (twice), Captain Britain, and now Wolverine.
Artist Russell Dauterman created the initial design for Wolverine’s Hellfire Gala attire this year as well as many of the other guests, but Nakayama’s cover keeps the spotlight focused on Laura in his variant cover for A.X.E.: Judgment Day #2. In Krakoan script, the cover reads “A Cut Above.” Alongside that in English, the cover firmly rebukes anyone scoffing at her sharing a codename with her father, “yes, I am Wolverine.” Also, Nakayama’s cover teases Laura’s future with the tagline “X-Termination: Girls Night Out,” referencing Leah Williams’ upcoming X-Terminators title which features Wolverine.
She may be her father’s daughter, but Laura Kinney is her own kind of Wolverine, and she’s not new to the title either. Between century-spanning missions in the Vault, building new and complicated friendships with her fellow Krakoans, and saving the world a few times in Gerry Duggan and Pepe Larraz’ X-Men series, Wolverine has kept quite busy since the rise of mutant sovereignty on Krakoa. That combined with the perfectly punk couture that makes up her Hellfire Gala ensemble this year and she’s more than worthy of being Nakayama’s covergirl.
Laura Kinney is fierce, fun, and occasionally a diva. Her 2022 Hellfire Gala redesign highlights these aspects of the heroine, and David Nakayama’s newest variant cover gives her the shine she deserves. Pick up the variant cover for A.X.E.: Judgment Day #2 later this year during Kieron Gillen and Valerio Schiti’s Judgment Day event to get a copy of Laura’s moment on the cover of Hellfire mag.
