Wolverine: Weapon X #13 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Jason Keith (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The New Avengers get involved as Cap and Logan confront the inventor of the Deathloks.

What’s Good: Going into this issue, I was not overly thrilled with the idea of Aaron bringing in the New Avengers.  I liked his inclusion of Captain America, but bringing in a whole team, I feared, would dilute the comic.  What I didn’t count on, however, was the fact that Aaron writes an awesome Spider-Man.

His Spider-Man is absolutely hilarious.  His banter is awesome and his constant ribbing of the Thing is equally riotous.  But Aaron’s Spider-Man’s wit is so sharp that it borders on the metatextual.  For instance, his complaints regarding the fact that characters from the future always come from a dystopian wasteland, or his mocking of the sheer number of catch-phrases that the Thing has are both wonderfully done.  When Aaron writes Spider-Man talking and bantering exactly like the Thing, it’s utter genius and a hilarious statement on the character.

Then, not done yet with character, Aaron presents us with a grizzled, commando Spidey of the future who is a tragic shadow of his present-day go-getter.  Aaron’s Spidey, so madcap and hilarious in his present day version, finds himself unable to tell a joke or find humor in the future.  This alone speaks volumes about the darkness of his environment and in retrospect, is chilling.

Beyond this, what we get from Aaron is basically a smattering of coolness.  We get a headless Deathlok flailing about and punching through a guy’s chest.  We get a surprising callback to Aaron’s Wolverine: the List one-shot.   Then there’s a demoted mad scientist who makes cyborgs from roadkill, who serves as a surprising source for comedy (“Take care….of my possums…”).

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Legion of Super-Heroes – Levitz really came through on Legion of Superheroes #1. The book felt right and started with a bang that left me satisfied with the intro, but waiting for more. Best book for an starved Legion-fan. And in keeping with DC’s marketing, I want my flight ring!Morrison started us slowly in his 6-part saga, but the adventure, and the anticipation built up around it, were enough to propel this book into first place in my pull list.

Most Anticipated: Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2 – Where and when the heck is Bruce? What’s happening to him and why will his return to the present destroy everyone?

Other Top Picks: Brave and the Bold #34, Green Lantern #54, Green Lantern Corps #58, Power Girl #12, The Thanos Imperative: Ignition #1, X-Force #27

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Ex Machina #49 -Tough one, but despite a valiant effort by American Vampire #3, I have to give it to Ex Machina.  There was no more emotionally significant moment this week than seeing the Great Machine take the skies once again.  Seeing a comic geek like Mitchell Hundred being drawn, and responded to, like Superman is sure to be one of the many great moments this series has given us.  I’ll be sad when this book finally says its farewells in July.

Most Anticipated: Secret Avengers #1 – Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato.  What’s not to love.  Pair that creative team with a clearly hand-picked line-up and comics gold is all but guaranteed.  The book isn’t even off the ground yet, and I’m already fairly certain that this will end up being the best Avengers book out there.

Other Picks:Batman: the Return of Bruce Wayne #2, Fantastic Four #579, Green Lantern #54, Madame Xanadu #23, Scalped #38, Secret Warriors #16, Thor #610, Unknown Soldier #20, Wolverine: Weapon X #13

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: American Vampire #3 – These aren’t your grandfather’s vampires.  While the more mainstream comics were bumbling around with “good, but not great” efforts last week, Scott Snyder, Stephen King and Rafael Albuquerque gave us a very strong comic with great story and glorious art.  There has been nothing to dislike about this series yet.

Most Anticipated: Thanos Imperative Ignition #1 – I feel like I haven’t gotten a Marvel Cosmic fix in months, so even in a week where Secret Avengers and a few other strong titles are coming out, I am really excited to kick off the next big Cosmic event.

Other picks: Amazing Spider-Man #632, Choker #3, Secret Avengers #1, Wolverine Weapon X #13, 7 Psychopaths #1