Wolverine: Origins #37 – Review

By Daniel Way (writer), Scot Eaton (pencils), Andrew Hennessy (inks) Andy Troy (colors)

The Story: Wolverine is out to find the man, or dog-man, Romulus, that has been pulling his strings for most of his life. He’s out with a vengeance and taking no prisoners as he navigates different strata of Russian society to confront Romulus, only to find himself wrapped up in the adamantium coils (hint-hint) of one of his deadliest enemies.

What’s Good: A little disclaimer: this is the first Wolverine Origins comic I’ve ever read, so I’m coming to this series with fresh eyes and no knowledge of things past. What I liked about this comic was Wolverine’s ferociousness. In every scene it seemed like he was getting ready to pop a blood vessel in rage. This depiction is more like Aaron’s Weapon X version of Wolverine and not like the portrayal in the other X books. It’s an honest portrayal of the character and it keeps the book engaging and full of momentum.  I think Easton is as much responsible for this as Way, as Logan both looks and feels like an active volcano.

What pulled me into this title was the scope of this arc, which is centered fully on Wolverine encountering Romulus. To that end, this book delivers as interesting details about Romulus are revealed and his nature is more discerning. I really don’t know what to make of this character and that is what brought me to this book. The guy who is behind manipulating the most interesting character in the Marvel Universe has to bring something unique to the table, right? I guess it remains to be seen, but so far the Romulus angle has me hooked.

I’m new to Eaton’s work, but I was impressed with what he did, here. I already mentioned his depiction of Wolverine was really solid, but his landscapes and other character designs were also well done. His characters are all extremely emotive.

Can’t let this go: Best cover I’ve seen on a Marvel book in a while!

What’s Not So Good: 95% of the time, first installments in any arc are usually bland affairs so it is hard to come down too hard on these types of issues. That being said, I thought that the trap was thrown on Wolverine a little too obvious. The whole time it was clear what was going to go down and although it was well played, I wonder why it worked in a way that was void of mystery and surprise.

Conclusion: As a newcomer to this series I was not let down for my new investment. I think the story is there, and the characterization is strong. As long as this arc delivers something substantial and interesting regarding Romulus than it will remain in good shape. I like the way Wolverine is at the end of the rope and unrelenting in his quest to confront his biggest and most influential arch-nemesis. I guess I’m surprised that this arc isn’t receiving more hype than it is. Perhaps that is in fact a bad thing that the Marvel Machine isn’t selling this arc more because it is not meant to really deliver, but just to keep the Romulus saga going. But for now, I’ll stay optimistic and give this comic a…

Grade: B+

-Rob G.

Wolverine Fights We’d Like To See

With Wolverine taking Hollywood by storm the past weekend, a few of our editors got together and chose who we would like to see him battle in a future comic. Here are some fight scenes that’ll make you wish Marvel would’ve pulled some power move and just rip the X-license from Fox.

Rob G.’s Pick: Drax the Destroyer

When recently rereading Anhilation, I was once again drawn into Drax the Destroyer and his methodical and brutal fighting style. As I journeyed with Drax as he mowed down negative zone bugs with his two knives in his pursuit of Thanos, it dawned on me that he was like a cosmic Wolverine. So, I thought: wouldn’t it be cool to see these two, Woverine and Drax, duke it out. I have no idea who would win as they both are near indestructible and although Drax might have more strength, Wolverine could easily compensate for the deficit with some good ol’ fashion berserker fury.

Kyle Posluszny’s Pick: Kratos (From God of War)

Adamantium Claws Vs. Chain Blades.  Weapon X. vs. The Ghost of Sparta. Berserker Rage Vs. The Rage of a God. I really can’t think of a better opponent for Wolverine than Kratos from the videogame series God of War. They match up incredibly well as far as skill/power set is concerned. In addition, they both possess an incomparable knack for brutality and bloodshed that would take the battle to unprecedented heights.

Ray Hilario’s Pick: Midnighter (From The Authority)

It’s the X-men most dangerous weapon vs. the Authority’s most sadistic member. Honestly, what more can you ask for from a fight between two guys that are vastly skilled and that have the healing factor. Wolverine’s got the feral nature, and the various martial arts skills that allows him to keep fighting until he has won the battle. Midnighter on the other hand, also has the enhanced speed and fighting skills like Wolverine, but also the ability to predict the unfolding of a battle before it starts. It would be a classic battle between two indestructible forces duking it out till the end.

DS Arsenault’s Pick: The Brood

Wolverine is about four things: (A) “He’s the best there is at what I do,” (B) He follows a code of honor, (C) He’s a loner, and (D) He’s got a deep, savage side.  So the perfect Wolverine fight would have to be physical, visceral and savage.  It would have to be him alone, with no one able to help him against the overwhelming odds.  And the stakes would have to be for all the marbles.  Who can push Wolverine to the limit?  The Brood.  Giant flying insects with poisoned stingers, armored plate skin, razor sharp teeth and a taste for flesh.

So, who would you guys like to see Weapon X tear into? Post your picks in our comment section!

Wolverine: Weapon X #1

By Jason Aaron (Writer), Ron Garney (Artist), and Jason Keith (Colorist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: At first, like any sane person, I really wanted to dismiss Weapon X as something that I need not waste my time reading or reviewing. I mean, at first glance, it seems to have all the trappings of what would pretty much be THE ultimate Marvel cash-in series. In my mind I thought, “It stars Wolverine, launches just weeks before a film starring the character hits theaters, and is subtitled “Weapon X” (which just so happens to be an integral part of the Wolverine movie)…yep…” Then I noticed that the creative team attached to the book is the same team responsible for “Get Mystique!” one of my favorite Wolverine stories of all time. Suddenly, Wolverine: Weapon X became a must read series…

The Story: After getting a tip from Maverick, Wolverine heads off to investigate the latest attempt at resurrecting the Weapon X program. It turns out that a private military contractor recently bought Weapon X files off the black market and is looking to give it’s mercenaries a boost. The investigation into the facility hosting the experiments triggers some old memories of Wolverine’s time as part of the program…

What’s Good: Jason Aaron and Ron Garney waste no time establishing the gritty, violent tone Wolverine: Weapon X will have. Both the visuals and the writing do a fantastic job of tapping into the dark side of Marvel’s main mutant. While it’s definitely too early to tell just which directions the first arc will take, it’s obviously going to be a brutal, bloody affair. And I, for one, could not be more pleased about that.

What’s Not So Good: I guess my biggest complaint is that the debut of Weapon X is very much a textbook example of how a standard first issue should play out. The first threads of a plot are introduced, Wolverine’s character is established, and off he goes with a purpose. The formula works, that’s for sure, but I wish the series would have hit the ground running a bit harder. I mean damn near everyone is already familiar with Wolverine on some level, so why not just get to it? Sure, it’s a blast reading Aaron’s take on Wolverine no matter what the character is doing. And sure, I couldn’t be much happier with Garney’s distinct visual style. But I wish things moved forward a bit more from a plot perspective instead of spending so much time establishing Wolverine as a badass…most people already know that he is.

Conclusion: I really like the first issue of Weapon X, especially on a technical level, I just wish it had a bit more substance. That said, what substance there is has some interesting storytelling potential that, under the control of Jason Aaron, Ron Garney, and Jason Keith, should be in good hands. I look forward to see what happens next.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Men: Original Sin #1 – Review

By Daniel Way (Writer), Mike Deodato (Art), and Rain Beredo (Colors) and Mike Carey (Writer), Scot Eaton (Pencils), Andrew Hennessy (Inks), and Jason Keith (Colors)

The Story: This one-shot serves to get readers up to speed on what’s been happening in both X-Men: Legacy and Wolverine: Origins, the two books involved in the much-hyped Original Sin crossover event. Wolverine, searching for Professor X, calls in a favor from an old acquaintance to provide shelter for his amnesiac son, Daken. What little peace Daken finds is quickly shattered by the appearance of the “Sebastian Shaw controlled” Miss Sinister. Meanwhile, Wolverine confronts Charles Xavier in order to “convince” him to help repair Daken’s mind.

What’s Good: Quite a lot actually, especially for something that mainly serves as a foundation. I was only slightly interested in the crossover prior to reading this one-shot, but it definitely looks to be something worth following. The writing by Daniel Way and Mike Carey flows together smoothly, the artwork in both chapters is fantastic, and at five parts, the whole thing will require a minimal investment. Also, it’s worth mentioning that the story is extremely easy to pick up on whether you’re a new reader or someone like me who only follows one of the X-books (X-Men: Legacy).

What’s Not So Good: The fact that this story seems to be for a specific audience despite the easy-to-follow introduction. I honestly can’t imagine this hooking too many new readers as many suffer from Wolverine fatigue as it is. In addition, while it has been said that this crossover will have an effect on the X-Men as a whole, I don’t really see how this can fit into the larger scheme of things as it stands at the moment. This looks to be an entertaining, self-contained story that doesn’t need to be shoehorned into the larger picture unless it can fit comfortably.

I also have to add that I think Daken looks ridiculous (outside of his cool looking claws), and Miss Sinister seems to offer little more than sex-appeal. They are decent enough as character concepts, but this book does little to show why I should care about either.

Conclusion: This visually attractive, high quality one-shot does everything it needs to do in order to get readers interested in the Original Sin crossover. While nothing groundbreaking, it provides the necessary background and enough hooks to grab those willing to check it out. Definitely worth a look for “X” fans or those already picking up either X: Men: Legacy or Wolverine: Origins.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny