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As you know, Wolverine has found his long lost son, Daken .  Not only has Daken taken over his identity in the Dark Avengers , he is now taking over Wolverine's comic book.  Starting with issue #75, the book now becomes Dark Wolverine (on sale today, June 24).  Dark Wolverine will be co-written by (comic writer and novelist) Marjorie Liu ( NYX: No Way Home ) and Daniel Way .  I spoke to Marjorie last summer right before NYX came out.  I contacted her once again to find out what we can expect when Daken takes over Wolverine's title.

Comic Vine:   How did you get involved with Dark Wolverine?

Marjorie Liu:   Daniel Way was looking for a co-writer, and had enjoyed my work on NYX.  He approached me through our editor, John Barber, and I said yes!   A painless process, really. 

Comic Vine:   Has Marvel decided to make the change in title permanent for the time being?  (I guess Wolverine has plenty of other on-going titles).  Do you think Wolverine fans will be angry?

Marjorie Liu:   My sense is that the new title is, indeed, permanent.  For the time being.  But we all know that when it comes to publishing, what we think is the status quo can change rather quickly.  As for the fans, my hope is that regular readers of Wolverine will give the book a chance.  If it's not to their liking, then there are several other Wolverine-focused titles to choose from.  A little something for everyone! 

Comic Vine:   Will you and Daniel Way continue after the first three issue arc?

Marjorie:   Most certainly.

 

Comic Vine:   What's your take on Daken?  What sets him apart from Logan?

Marjorie:   Daken is a psychopath -- and a charming, brilliant, manipulator.   But he doesn't hurt people out of sheer meanness.  He doesn't even think about his life in terms of good, bad, mean, nice.  He's an animal, that way.  No conscience.  He has a long-term plan, and he'll do what it takes -- no matter what -- to achieve it.  

Logan is straightforward.  He's not manipulative.  But father and son both have bad tempers, are very smart fighters, and are relentless once they set their minds on something.   Who knows?  Maybe Daken will become even more like his father as time goes on.  

Or not.  

Comic Vine:   Before Dark Avengers happened, it almost seemed that Daken and Wolverine were about to reach an understanding, has his exposure to the Marvel Universe changed him?

Marjorie:   With Daken, nothing is what it seems.   Nor will change come easily to him, or overnight.  He's more than sixty years old and still harboring a grudge -- give him another sixty, and we'll talk about the possibility of change!   Having said that, however, exposure to the Marvel Universe will put Daken in unique situations that will test certain...beliefs...that he holds dear about himself. 

 

Comic Vine:   When the Fantastic Four meet up with Daken, do they know right away that it's not Logan?

Marjorie:   Yes.  Definitely.

Comic Vine:   Why the Fantastic Four versus a mutant team?

Marjorie:   It's not so much the Fantastic Four versus a mutant team (i.e. the Avengers), as it is an idea.  The Fantastic Four serve a purpose that goes far beyond their powers.  It's what they represent.  Their reputations are impeccable.  People love them, trust them, without hesitation.  Norman Osborn is trying to achieve that with his Avengers, but the fatal flaw is simple -- his team is made up of some not-very-nice people.  Whereas, the Fantastic Four really are the good guys.

Daken is going to exploit that. 

C omic Vine:   Can Daken ever truly be a hero or do you think he will always play on the 'dark' side?

 

Marjorie:   Let's put it this way -- over the course of a long life, people usually change in some way, for better or worse.  Given his healing factor, Daken is going to live longer than most.  And he's more complicated than most.  

Having said that, ideals of heroism and redemption are, to some degree, entirely relative -- and subjective.  Daken is being treated as a hero by virtue of wearing his father's uniform and being a member of the Avengers.  For those who don't know him well, he might get points for being Logan's son.  He's helping people, to some degree.  But that doesn't make him a hero.  

Personally, I'm not certain the concept of heroism (or redemption) applies to Daken.  He retains an amoral quality that sets him apart, and while one can act heroic, there's an internal component to being a hero that I'm not quite certain he harbors.

Comic Vine:   You've mentioned before about wanting to write Gambit or Jubilee , do you have a fondness for mutants?

Marjorie :  I suppose I do!  Those two especially. 

Comic Vine:   With the book signings you do for your novels, are you starting to get more comic book readers coming to meet you?

Marjorie:   Depends on where I'm signing.  At Comic Con?  You bet.  At regular bookstore signings?  Not so many.  Which isn't to say that I don't receive a lot of interest or questions -- the majority of my new and regular readers generally think it's cool that I'm writing comics -- but  they don't have easy access to them.  At least, not in the places where they usually shop for books.  Making that special trip to the comic book store, especially if you already have a ton of other things to do, is too much of a burden. 

Comic Vine:   How would you feel about writing another Marvel novel?

Marjorie:   At this point, my schedule is so packed that I'm not sure I could entertain the idea, even though I think it would be fun. 

 

Comic Vine:   What about one of your novels being adapted into a comic (Darkness Calls)?

Marjorie:   I would love that, but there are no plans yet.

Comic Vine:   Any more NYX in the future?

Marjorie:   I certainly hope so.  I have more stories to tell about those kids.

Comic Vine:   Now that you've attended a couple Comic-Con and other conventions, do you feel like a pro at them now?

Marjorie :  I don't think anyone ever feels like a pro when it comes to handling conventions.  It's kind of like surfing -- every wave is different, and you just have to do your best to ride them out.  Sometimes you manage with grace and ease, and occassionally just the opposite happens.  I do have a huge amount of fun at Comic Con, though.  It's my favorite convention of the year.

Comic Vine:   What are you looking forward to the most at this year's Comic-Con?

Marjorie:   First of all, I love the atmosphere -- all that crazy excitement.  And, of course, it's wonderful meeting  readers.  What I really enjoy the most, though, is spending time with my friends.  I only see some of them once a year, so this is a special trip for me.