The esteemed Ryan Stegman joins Paul Cornell’s…interesting…take on “Wolverine,” in what will surely take the award for “Most Unnecessary Relaunch” in many an end of year list.
Written by Paul Cornell
Illustrated by Ryan StegmanWOLVERINE NO MORE?
After the events of KILLABLE, Wolverine has something to prove. Before he can take on Sabretooth again, he’ll need to build himself back up, get better and stronger than he’s ever been…but it’s not as easy as he thought, and he’ll soon find himself turning to other means of revenge when the normal channels don’t seem to be working fast enough. Can he fight back his demons, or is this the beginning of a Wolverine who’s gone to the dark side?
So…what just happened?
I’ll preface this review with a small caveat; I didn’t read the previous volume of “Wolverine,” which ended with the highly publicized ‘Killable’ arc. As such, some of this issue’s perceived clunkiness could be due to my own ignorance. However, as Marvel has decided to relaunch the series, under its fancy “All-New” banner, then the expectation is that anyone can jump on and enjoy.
Which, unfortunately, isn’t the case.
Not to say that “Wolverine” #1 is a complete loss. Ryan Stegman, unsurprisingly and quite appropriately, kills it. His scratchy, kinetic style is the perfect match for this sort of blockbuster action set piece. Furthermore, his design for Wolverine’s indestructible new duds (more on those later), are fantastic. If nothing else, this is a visually stunning issue.
Likewise, if you’re a fan of films like The Expendables, or think the idea of Logan playing headmaster at a school borders on blasphemy, then this sits square in your wheelhouse.
This leads to the book’s first problem. It’s unfair to suggest that multiple interpretations of characters can’t exists. The diversity of creators and fans makes for the opportunity for dozens of unique takes on a character, which is why “Batman ’66” and Snyder’s “Batman” can coexist. However, in an attempt to make Logan more in line with his cinematic version, Cornell has effectively stripped away the fantastic work done by creators like Jason Aaron and Rick Remender.
That alone wouldn’t be an unforgivable sin, if Cornell gave an adequate explanation for the reversal. Which is the second problem; he doesn’t.
In the middle of a typical heist scenario, we find Wolverine in league band of generic superhuman youths. This group is under the employ of a man called the Offer, who is interested in farming out Logan’s skills to Sabretooth. The idea doesn’t make much sense, even moreso because there’s no indication of what led to this new status quo in the first place. In attempting to create a sense of mystery, Cornell requires the reader to take a leap of faith that just isn’t justified.
Intercut with the present, Cornell does fill in a bit of what happened between this volume and the last. This leads to the issue’s most interesting opportunity; Logan’s acceptance of his mortality. It’s quickly squandered, however, as Logan’s first resolution is to play target practice with a Black Widow LMD.
“Wolverine” #1 clearly wants to have its cake and eat it too. Taking away Wolverine’s healing factor is all well and good, but then you have to deal with the fact that the character can’t escape any situation unscathed. That is, unless you give him an indestructible suit of armor. Oh, and a handgun. Handguns are cool.
Ultimately, “Wolverine” #1 is a bit of a mess. The plot meanders aimlessly, the characters fail to make an impression, and the bewildering ending confuses more than it shocks. Maybe this bizarro world will resolve itself in June next issue, when the camera is pulled back and the big picture is revealed. However, as a stand alone issue, it presents little reason to get invested in story at hand.
You know, other than the fact that next issue has Stegman drawing Superior Spider-Man again. That’s hot stuff.
Final Verdict: 5.0 – Pass. A terrific showcase for Ryan Stegman, but there are far better ways to get your monthly dose of Wolverine.
