Darnell Wade had a rough childhood, being passed around the Brooklyn’s foster care system. Living in New York in the Marvel Universe he knew there were superheroes all around him, although not close enough to rescue him from his hard knock life.
Now in his mid-20s Darnell works at a used clothing store, which barely leaves him able to make ends meet while also moonlighting as Shade, a drag queen inspired by the superheroes he watched as a child. Shade and best friend drag queen Tea-yana Taylor ran a lip-synch night in Astoria, hoping to get picked up for a drag competition TV series. When Tea got picked up for competition without her partner, she brought a reality tv film crew to record her snubbing Shade and taking their duo show away. That blow was immediately followed by Darnell returning home to find that his electricity had been shut off since he was behind on his bills.
The emotional stress triggered the emergence Darnell’s latent mutant powers, when he wished he could just disappear. His fan became imbued with the Darkforce, allowing him to create pocket voids for teleportation. While in his emotional state he used his powers to engage in an unpaid “shopping spree” at a makeup store with a fellow drag queen, but it went awry when the police show up. Darnell escaped through the Darkforce Dimension but lost his friend.
From then on Darnell vowed to never use the Darkforce except to bring joy in drag as the new hero Darkveil! He chooses to use his power of darkness to help create light in the world.
Darkveil has become an associate of the X-Men, serving as Master of Ceremonies at New York’s first ever Mutant Pride event and again at the birthday party for Iceman. She has also fought alongside the X-Men, helping to stop Mr. Sinister’s makeshift Marauders and mind-controlled Morlocks attacking the Mutant Pride event! Darkveil also attended the first ever superhero Gay Pride parade, organized by Wiccan and Hulkling, carrying a poster in tribute to Marsha P. Johnson.
Darkveil is a mutant with the power to control and manipulate darkness and shadow, through connection to the Darkforce. This includes the ability to teleport herself or others through the Darkforce Dimension. She uses her fan to help focus this power.
Darkveil first appeared (as Shade) in Iceman (2018) #4 by Sina Grace and Nathan Stockman. Sina Grace wrote an Official Handbook entry included in Uncanny X-Men: Winter’s End which provided most of Darkveil’s backstory. Art by Sina Grace and Rachelle Rosenberg.
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Contributed by Mike McDermott