About

Cloak and Dagger are characters in the 2024 video game Marvel Rivals, serving as a dynamic duo known for their complementary powers and unique backstory. They were created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Ed Hannigan, originally appearing in The Spectacular Spider-Man #64 in March 1983. The duo gained renewed attention following their adaptation into a television series, which aired from 2018 to 2019, and through their inclusion in Marvel's hero shooter game (Rivals), which sparked fan art, memes and jokes about the characters on X / Twitter, Reddit and TikTok, among other platforms, throughout the late 2010s and 2020s.

Origin

Cloak and Dagger^[1] was created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Ed Hannigan, first appearing in The Spectacular Spider-Man #64 in March 1983. Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson are two teenage runaways from very different backgrounds who gain extraordinary abilities after being subjected to an experimental drug against their will. Tandy develops the power to generate light-based daggers that can heal allies, while Tyrone gains the ability to teleport himself and others through the Darkforce Dimension, shrouding them in shadows.

Marvel Rivals was officially released on December 6th, 2024, featuring a roster of notable Marvel Comics heroes, including Cloak and Dagger, who function as supporters and healers. On December 3rd, 2024, a trailer for the duo was posted on Marvel Rivals' YouTube^[2] page, which amassed more than 893,000 views and 27,000 likes in three weeks.

Spread

Fan art and memetic content related to Cloak and Dagger gained significant popularity after their addition as playable characters on Marvel Rivals in late 2024, with players sharing their unique abilities and gameplay tips online. For example, on December 19th, 2024, YouTube^[3] user Lucky Chappy
posted a video titled "What your Marvel Rivals MAIN says about you – Cloak & Dagger," which amassed more than 200,000 views and 15,000 likes in a week (seen below).

On December 8th, TikTok^[4] user @c0rploxing_ shared a humorous video showcasing Cloak and Dagger’s switching bodies during a Marvel Rivals' match (seen below), which gained roughly 821,000 plays and 120,000 likes in three weeks.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References