Wolverine's Son Went Through Hell in 2024, But Emerged With Hardcore New Powers
Warning: Contains spoilers up to Hellverine #1!Wolverine's son had a hell of a year in 2024, but it ended with him vaulting up the ranks of Marvel's most powerful heroes, a new status that comes with a paranormal twist. After suffering a brutal death at the beginning of the year, Akihiro finished it out strong with a brand-new superhero identity, Hellverine, in his very own ongoing series, which will keep developing the character in 2025.
Not long after his death in Sabretooth War, Akihiro re-emerged in Hellverine – written by Benjamin Percy, with art by Julius Ohta. – possessed by the demon Bagra-ghul, becoming essentially a Wolverine/Ghost Rider hybrid.
As Hellverine, Akihiro now stars in an ongoing title, which debuted at the end of last year, also written by Percy, this time with art by Raffaele Ienco. As the complicated character gets killed and reborn, his extreme new powers have turned him into an undeniably hardcore hero, one that will raise hell in the Marvel Universe.
In 2024, Wolverine's Son Died And Was Reborn As "Hellverine," Become A Powerful Mashup of Marvel Icons
Hellverine #1 – Written By Benjamin Percy; Art By Raffaele Ienco; Available Now From Marvel Comics; Hellverine #2 Releases January 22, 2025
Akihiro’s death at the hands of Sabretooth seems to have had a supernatural silver lining, as it became the catalyst for his possession by the demon Bagra-ghul, which turned him into the Hellverine. Bagra-ghul had originally possessed his father, but later found Akihiro and reassembled his corpse some time after his murder, giving Wolverine’s son a new rebirth as a vessel for the demon to enact brutal violence. After another run-in with Wolverine as Hellverine, Akihiro was finally able to take control of his new identity, believing that the demon had now become a force he could use for good.
Though he’s now a reanimated corpse possessed by a demon, the Hellverine transformation has really given Akihiro a new lease on life, and the character is more powerful than ever before. Akihiro already has mutant powers similar to those of his father, Wolverine, but also has more demonic powers that make him more like a take on Ghost Rider now. In addition to the new fiery skull and claws, Marvel’s new version of the Spirit of Vengeance has an infernal sense, meaning Hellverine can literally sense the evil in those around him before punishing them in an appropriately gruesome manner.
The Harrowing History of Wolverine’s Son Akihiro, From His Debut To Deaths (And Resurrections)
First Full Appearance in 2007's Wolverine: Origins #10 – Written by Daniel Way; Art by Steve Dillon; Killed Off In 2024's Wolverine #41 - Written By Benjamin Percy & Victor Lavalle; Art By Geoffrey Shaw
Before he ever made his Hellverine transformation, Akihiro was already known as one of Wolverine’s deadliest children. Though he made his first full appearance and met Wolverine in a later issue, Akihiro’s story began in Wolverine: Origins #5, with his official debut coming two issues later.In his traumatic origin, Wolverine’s wife, Itsu, was killed while pregnant with the boy. Though Akihiro was left with another wealthy couple, he was bullied and struggled to control his new mutant powers. Taking on the controversial name Daken, he became a powerful villain and formidable adversary against his father, Wolverine.
Akihiro was actually already killed by his father in one devastating moment, but has been resurrected a few times since then, with his character softening over the years. When the X-Men reached the Krakoa era, Akihiro eventually rejected his former name and went by Fang, transitioning into a full-blown mutant hero. However, at the beginning of 2024, Akihiro was savagely killed in the Sabretooth War. In Wolverine #41, his body was graphically strewn about in bits, left for Wolverine to discover as a grotesque birthday message. Thankfully, that was not the final note for the character.
After an Eventful 2024, Hellverine Has Endless Possibilities & A Bright Future As One Of Marvel Comics' Hottest Characters
The Hellverine Ongoing Series Is Just The Start
It was a hellish transformation for the character in 2024, but Akihiro’s new hero identity as Hellverine truly unlocks his powerful potential in the future of Marvel Comics. As he uses the demon Bagra-ghul as an outlet to eliminate evil in the world, Akihiro tries to redefine and redeem his dark past. However, though the demon is keeping him alive for now and not harming innocents, the latest Hellverine #1 by Percy and Ienco proposes a theory that Akihiro is really an unwilling puppet of Mephisto, and he may still have to battle against the most frightening forces of Hell.
Despite the terribly traumatizing events leading to his fiery new status as Hellverine, the fresh update to his lore has truly made Wolverine's son one of Marvel’s coolest characters and reinvigorated his potential.
From suffering one of the most violent deaths in Marvel history, to becoming one of their most fearsome figures, Akihiro has truly had a diabolical year. Despite the terribly traumatizing events leading to his fiery new status as Hellverine, the fresh update to his lore has truly made Wolverine's son one of Marvel’s coolest characters and reinvigorated his potential. Regardless of if Akihiro can keep up his heroic redemption in the new year, or if the demon possessing him twists Hellverine into a sadistic threat, Wolverine'ssonhasseriously leveled up as a paranormal powerhouse in 2024.
Hellverine #2 will be available January 22, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
- NAME
- James "Logan" Howlett
- Alias
- James "Logan" Howlett
- Created By
- Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.
- POWERS
- Retractible claws and Adamantium skeleton. Superhuman senses, stamina, and strength. Healing factor and longevity.
- Franchise
- X-Men, Marvel
- Age
- 197 (in the MCU)
The human mutant Wolverine (a.k.a. Logan) was born James Howlett, blessed with a superhuman healing factor, senses, and physiology. Subjecting himself to experimentation to augment his skeleton and claws with adamantium, Logan is as deadly as he is reckless, impulsive, and short-tempered. Making him the X-Men's wildest and deadliest member, and one of Marvel Comics' biggest stars. He's played in Fox and Marvel's movie franchises by Hugh Jackman.
