Growing up in Bangladesh, where queerness remains criminalized under outdated colonial laws, finding stories that mirrored my true self was a challenge. Superheroes became my sanctuary, offering a glimpse into lives larger than the one I was expected to live. Their secret identities, vibrant aesthetics, and struggles with difference and belonging resonated deeply with me, providing a sense of freedom.
As I entered young adulthood, comics began to embrace queerness more openly. In 2011, I encountered Wiccan, a character who transformed my perspective. Wiccan’s immense power and his relatable struggles with family dynamics, body image, mental health, and the need to hide his true self were profoundly affirming. His journey showed me that strength and pain could coexist, and that one’s potential need not be suppressed to survive.
Wiccan and Hulkling: A Love Story That Resonated
Wiccan’s love story with Hulkling became one of the most meaningful fictional romances I had ever encountered. Their open, tender, and unapologetic love was electrifying. What stayed with me most was the emotional depth of their story. Wiccan and Hulkling navigated first love and superhero chaos while grappling with identity, heritage, displacement, and belonging. Wiccan’s connection to his Romani roots and Hulkling’s story as a refugee resonated deeply with me, as I had long felt unsafe in my own homeland.
Meeting My Hulkling
Years later, in 2016, I met my partner, T, on a dating app. Our connection began with a shared love for comics and superheroes, which made us feel instantly familiar to each other. After previous experiences shaped by racism and prejudice around my immigration status, I approached online dating with caution. However, T’s kindness, humor, and sincerity set him apart. His pictures in a superhero costume were an added charm.
I introduced T to Wiccan and Hulkling, and he connected with Hulkling in the same way I had with Wiccan. Over time, their names became our nicknames for each other. What started as a shared love of comics slowly became woven into the fabric of our relationship.
The Dolls That Keep Us Close
We discovered a queer crafter online who made crocheted dolls of Wiccan and Hulkling, and we couldn’t resist getting them. Initially, they were a sweet, shared gift, a tribute to characters who meant so much to us. However, they soon became part of our ritual. Whenever one of us travels, we take the other person’s doll along. If T is away, he takes Wiccan. If I am away, I take Hulkling.
Currently, I am in Bangladesh, holding the little Hulkling doll close. Before I left, I sprayed the Wiccan doll with my cologne; T had already done the same with Hulkling for me. It might seem like a small, almost silly gesture, but when you love someone across distance, small things can become enormous. Holding that doll reminds me that I am loved, thought of, and connected to someone who has made my life safer and softer.
In the grand scheme of the world, our story may not change much. Wiccan and Hulkling may have saved universes, but our version of that story is quieter. It lives in private gestures, shared references, handmade dolls carried across continents, and the comfort of knowing that even from far away, we are still holding each other close.
For me, that is part of what queer love can look like: not only passion or resilience, but tenderness, imagination, and the freedom to build meaning from the stories that once helped us survive. Wiccan and Hulkling first helped me imagine a future where someone like me could be loved fully. Today, my partner is my superhero, and he has saved me countless times. Every time I hold that little doll in my hands, I am reminded of his love and safety.
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