Wolverine #8 – Review

By Jason Aaron (script), Daniel Acuna (art), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The girls get some much-needed back-up in the battle for Logan’s mind, as Dr. Nemesis and Cyclops get ready to pull the trigger.

The Review:  Celebrate!  The interminable possessed Wolverine/hell/demon stuff is over!  That alone made me enthusiastic, as this story has felt endless.  Worse still, by Jason Aaron’s standards, this arc has been “just ok,” particularly when compared to some of the ripping stuff he wrote in Weapon X.  Not only does the arc end, but it ends in a fashion that promises bloodshed and violence, as Wolverine is left very, very pissed and entirely dedicated to revenge.  Now THAT’S a Wolverine story I can get behind!

But back to this issue.  Much like the rest of these demon-related comics, while not spectacular, it’s not bad either.  Indeed, Aaron has some fun with the X-characters he brings in for cameos this month.  In particular, Dr. Nemesis and Fantomex shine with Aaron having a firm grip on both characters.  The good doctor is as much of a dick as ever, while Fantomex is his usual fun self.  It’s clear that Aaron quite likes writing these characters.

However, while humor works well here, in other places, that isn’t the case.  Given how grave this arc is, Aaron’s insertion of some comedy in the girls’ exploring the hidden corners of Logan’s mind (Emma finds his “sexual fantasies”) is jarring and terribly out of place.  Oddly paced, it feels very awkward

Though he never does or says anything earth-shattering, Aaron also does good work with Nightcrawler.  It’s a shame that Aaron’s entered the X-verse at a time where Kurt is dead, because it’s clear that Aaron not only likes the character, but has a good ear for him as well.  Aaron’s Kurt is incredibly likable and, even when he’s only in a comic for fleeting moments, it’s instantly clear why the character has the fanbase that he does.  I truly wish he was a live, if only so that Aaron could use him more.  Kurt’s really been a highlight the past couple of issues, with Aaron using the character very well.  In fact, I just wish this issue was longer so that we could see more of him.  Better still, I love how Aaron continues to suggest that while the other characters in Logan’s mind are parts of Logan, Kurt may very well be the real Kurt, back from the dead.  The ambiguity is excellent.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Uncanny X-Men #535 – I should go back through my notes to see if I’ve ever let Uncanny X-Men wear the Big Sombrero and get to strut around as Best of the Week, but I don’t think I have before.  This comic made me so happy.  As a child of the 1980’s, Uncanny X-Men was the comic book for me and when I got back into comics as an adult, it really pained me that it often wasn’t a very good title.  Sure, there were often other X-books that were pretty good, but I wanted Uncanny to be good dammit!  So, I was extremely tickled to see Kieron Gillen knock his first issue out of the park with a fun and fast paced story that takes a small group (thank you) of X-Men off on a cool mission to mop-up some Break World leftovers from Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men run.  Great art by the Dodson’s too!  Runner-up: The Unwritten #24

Most Anticipated: Dark Horse Presents #1 – I LOVE me some anthologies and not many anthologies have a stronger pedigree than Dark Horse Presents.  Dark Horse properties such as Concrete, NextMen and Sin City are just a few of the properties that were first printed in earlier iterations of DHP.  This issue promises the first Concrete story in awhile, a Star Wars story and a sneak-peak at Xerxes (Frank Miller’s follow-up to 300).  Chances are there will be at least one awesome story in this issue.

Other picks: 68 #1, Hack Slash #3, Super Dinosaur #1, 28 Days Later #22, Thunderbolts #156, Hulk #32

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Journey into Mystery #622 – Despite it being a big week, this was an easy pick.  Journey into Mystery was possibly the best first issue of 2011.  If you are at all interested in Thor, or fantasy in general, you need to be reading this comic.  If future issues are as good as this one, this may end up being Marvel’s best book, or at the very least in the running for that title.

Most Anticipated: Uncanny X-Force #8 – Whoa, two weeks in a row of Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force?  That’s awesome.  More awesome still is the fact that this issue sees the return of Jerome Opena on art.  I like Esad Ribic fine enough, but Opena’s work on this series has been outstanding.  Couple that with a plot that sounds like some over-the-top, 80s/90s, goodness and I am very excited.  Even if you can’t stand X-books, I highly recommend you give this book a shot.  It’s one of the very best team-books on the market.

Other Picks: Green Lantern Corps #59, Green Lantern #65, DMZ #64, Avengers #12, Invincible Iron Man #503, Iron Man 2.0 #4, Wolverine #8, Scarlet #5