Wolverine #2 – Review

By Jason Aaron (writer), Renato Guedes (artist), Matthew Wilson (colorist)

The Story: His soul now trapped in Hell while his possessed body walks the Earth killing those closest to him, Logan is forced to answer for a lifetime of murder by battling his victims before they can break him completely.

The Good: After what I felt was a decent, but rather mediocre first issue, I’m pleased that Aaron has jacked up the intensity and made this issue a much more entertaining read. It never ceases to amaze me that writers continue to find new things to do with Wolverine, especially considering how often he is used and abused in comics, and Aaron stands poised to pull off one of the most audacious Wolverine tales to date. Which is good! I like creators who are willing to sound off like they’ve got a pair and take these well-worn characters and do ridiculous shit with them because, when done right, that makes for the kind of entertainment that will keep me coming back month after month.

The thing that struck me about this issue was how creepy it was. Aaron imbues every page with details that underscore just how out of his league Logan really is. When Logan observes how there’s no passing of time, how he’s not actually breathing, or how his claws are once again bone and his healing factor has been compromised, you realize that he has, for all intent and purpose, been rendered powerless in a very mortal way, and part of the strength of this issue comes in watching Logan fight past his limitations and overcome what can only be described as the most insurmountable odds he has ever faced. This is the foundation of good storytelling. Aaron is fully aware of this, I’m certain of it, and I’m ready to trust him to take this story to the next level. Why, you ask? Well, just go back and look at that splash page of Sabretooth’s fate and tell me that didn’t get under your skin just a little bit. And just when you think you’ve got this story figured out and know what to expect next, Aaron pulls off one of the most ridiculously outrageous (and I really do mean that in a good way) cliffhangers I’ve seen in awhile and reminds you why you need and want to see what he comes up with next.