Marvel has announced the return of a series called Marvel’s Voices: Pride for Pride Month that features Marvel stars like Loki, Hulkling, Wiccan and Spider-Man’s love interest Black Cat.
The annual comic celebrates LGBTQIA+ characters and creators, the company explained. Marvel promises the issue will be a “diverse collection of tales, all brought together by an incredible lineup of new and established talent.”
This is the third year in a row that Marvel has released the special issue, which will “proudly spotlight characters from all walks of life and identities in stories ranging from heartfelt to action-packed.” Marvel said there will be a “multitude of exciting character debuts”, like those of previously introduced characters Somnus and Escapade who started in the series and went on to appear in flagship titles like Marauders and New Mutants. Marvel said the issue has a whole lot of surprises.
These include the “scoop on an unannounced X-Men title coming later this year” starring a new character named Gimmick, who was the breakout star from Children of the Atom. Other stories will feature Black Cat at New Orleans Pride and Wiccan and Hulkling getting stranded on a much-needed getaway.
There will also be a number of Star Wars variant covers, like Star Wars: Sana Starros #5, featuring Sana Starros; Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #35, featuring Domina Tagge; Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2 #1, featuring Just Lucky and Star Wars: Darth Vader #35, featuring Magna Tolvan.
Luciano Vecchio, and artist responsible for the Darth Vader cover, said the issue was their first “official assignment for a galaxy far, far away. And a Pride one, nonetheless!”
“As a queer Star Wars fan it feels awesome to contribute to this aspect of the franchise. Fully developed characters like Magna and Doctor Aphra prove once again that comics as a medium is the place in entertainment where limits and representation are pushed and equality is restored.”