A series of gorgeous New Champions variant covers highlights "secret sidekicks" of beloved Marvel heroes, with the X-Men icon Wolverine being honored with an intense new protégé, a wild berserker child who makes even Logan look tame.
The most famous Champions team at Marvel Comics was co-created by Ms. Marvel, Miles Morales, and Nova as a youth superhero group that worked apart from their jaded Avengers peers. Now, Marvel's stunning New Champions variant cover series imagines a world where there are even more young heroes active. The covers introduce sidekicks for heroes like Black Cat, Doctor Strange, Storm, and many more.
the X-Men's Wolverine had for a time in the '90s. However, Marvel has made it clear that these newly designed heroes are not actually canon to Earth-616 at this point.
Wolverine's Secret Sidekick Is Reminiscent Of The Feral '90s Logan
Wolverine, also known as Logan or James Howlett, is infamous for his nigh-unbreakable adamantium claws. However, it wasn't until an encounter with Magneto in 1993 that it was discovered that his claws are actually bone, and his skeleton is actually coated in adamantium, instead of being made from it. At the conclusion of the 1993 event Fatal Attractions, in which Magneto nearly destroys the planet, Wolverine assaults the villain and in retaliation Magneto brutally strips the adamantium from Logan's bones, almost killing him. The removal of the adamantium from Wolverine's skeleton severely impacts him, limiting his healing factor and leading to a devolution in his behavior. Logan turns feral both mentally and physically, becoming a danger to his teammates and innocents around him.
Leinil Francis Yu's New Champions cover for Wolverine #38 depicts a feral looking youth with a power set close to Logan's. He sports three vicious bone claws on each hand, as well as truly ferocious looking razor-sharp teeth and talons on his feet. For a time after becoming feral, Wolverine lived in the woods outside the X-Men's Westchester school, which this cover may be an homage too. Just like Logan's costume during his '90s feral period, this secret sidekick is sporting a similar bandanna mask and sharpened costume, representing the increased viciousness of the hero. Interestingly, the New Champions sidekick also has a Japanese samurai-like ponytail on his head. Given Logan's long history with Japanese culture and customs, it would actually be really awesome if there was a member of the Snikt Family who was from Japan.
Marvel's Snikt Family Is Constantly Growing
Wolverine has always had a large cast of characters as the X-Men hero with the longest history of solo comic series. But in the past 20 years Logan's "Snikt Family" has grown exponentially, adding several children to his Wolverine clan, like Daken, Laura Kinney, and Gabby. Logan has always been known to mentor young mutants, first Kate Pryde, then Jubilee, and more recently the hero Armor, so it would not be a surprise for Wolverine to have a secret feral sidekick whom he has mentored in private. Marvel has teased that these New Champions covers "may just be a glimpse into the future," meaning that some of these new young heroes could actually become canon in Earth-616 some day. Leinil Francis Yu's secret Wolverine protégé would be an awesome addition to the Snikt Family and the X-Men in general.
The X-Men hero Wolverine has always been known for his violent and savage ways, especially during his time as a devolved beast in the '90s. Leinil Francis Yu's New Champions secret sidekick cover is the perfect homage to Logan's more feral side, while somehow making the new young hero appear even more ferocious than Wolverine typically does, a truly impressive feat.
Source: Marvel
