Think of the characters in the Marvel Universe that are most suited for the MAX treatment. The vengeful and violent Punisher is the most obvious. Deadpool and Nick Fury felt like fitting choices for MAX books, as well. Been there, done that, and it was all mostly pretty great. The savage Wolverine seems like it would fit right in with this group as a prime target for a raw and vulgar take, but when the whole comic industry has doubled down on grit and maturity, how much of an impact does this whole affair really make?
Written by Jason Starr
Illustrated by Roland Boschi & Connor Willumsen– Your favorite X-Man done the way you wanted to see him — in a no-holds-barred MAX series!
– Written by award-winning crime novelist Jason Starr (PUNISHER MAX, The Chill)
– In modern-day Tokyo, Logan gets pulled into a terrorist’s plot…or was he the target all along?
– A new look at Wolverine’s past!
The book opens on our anti-hero floating among the wreckage of a fiery plane crash. As Wolverine comes to, writer Jason Starr peppers a few F-bombs in for good measure and to let us know what kind of book we’re reading, but he mercifully restrains himself from overplaying it. Another weakened survivor gets torn apart by a shark, which serves to showcase the bloodbath that we’re to expect from this book going forward. And you can bet that Wolverine isn’t going to let a shark get away with that punk move.
Much of the issue is spent on Wolverine trying to scrap together his past; his memories lost and left behind with the plane wreckage. This section gives the reader an idea of how Starr is going to treat Wolverine’s established canon. We see him employing his unique skills in conflicts throughout the ages of world history, a past that is integral to Wolverine’s character in the 616. But when a familiar rival shows up later in the issue, it’s clear that this is a very different universe. A universe that is true to Wolverine’s character, but not in anyway beholden to the 616 continuity.
Plotwise, “Wolverine MAX” isn’t reinventing any wheels. Logan needs to remember who he is and realize his place in the world as a conspiracy reveals itself around him. He can’t fight what’s coming until he figures out how he got there. It’s the Bourne formula. It works, but it doesn’t stun or mystify the reader at all. Starr does a good job of emphasizing Wolverine’s confusion and loss, as he navigates his way to where he needs to be in the plot without anything feeling too convenient along the way.
If I have any major quibbles with the narrative side of things, it’s with the MAX moniker itself. Aside from 5 “fucks” (or variations thereof) and a sex scene that might show more hairy ass than we’d usually get, there’s nothing here that really separates this Wolverine from his 616 version. In any continuity, Wolverine is a killer. The content may be slightly more objectionable, but the context is no different. We’ve seen a Wolverine this brutal in Jason Aaron’s recent run, and violence from mainstream Marvel and DC that goes toe-to-toe with this stuff. The book doesn’t deserve criticism for this – truly, it’s the quality of storytelling that matters most. It’s just interesting that one of the most popular and enduring characters in comic books is already a savage, vengeful killer at the end of the day, regardless of what rating the book gets.
No, the major problems with this book lie in the art. Roland Boschi is charged with the present day segments of the book. His approach highlights the “silent drifter” qualities in Wolverine and accentuates the fact that Wolverine is moving through the shadows, unsure of who he is or what lies in store. The art is strong from a conceptual standpoint, but Boschi has done stronger, more consistent linework on things like “Punisher: In the Blood.” Connor Willumsen gets to render the flashbacks and does so with ferocity. He uses a seemingly endless multitude of simple lines to construct his scenes and suggest shapes, rather than a clean style. Again, in concept this is strong. It certainly makes Wolverine into more of an animalistic force of nature and lends a grotesque quality to the violence. At the same time, it seems a little too raw and ugly (the characters and content, not the art itself) when compared to Boschi’s offering. Two entirely different styles that are more jarring than they are engrossing. Neither of them feels quite right on their own, and they definitely don’t look right together. Jock’s cover ends up being the most memorable bit. There are also some odd choices where wide angles make the focus of the panels too small to make an impact. When Wolverine has a dustup with the aforementioned rival, the full effect is lost in distance. All in all, this is a mixed bag of visuals.
There’s definitely something for Wolvie fans to take away from this issue though. If you want a book that delivers the content the uncouth, kill-happy 616 Wolverine promises, then you’ll get hints of that here. It doesn’t push the pedal down all the way when it comes to carnage, but it’ll whet your appetite. If you want a book that is true to who Wolverine is, but in a setting completely separate from the colorful capes of the Marvel proper, then this first issue is for you. But if you want something new or different from Wolverine’s usual solo adventures wandering amongst the ghosts of his haunted past, then you’re out of luck because that’s exactly what’s going on here. It’s fine – it’s just not as fresh or as pretty as it could have been.
Final Verdict: 6.3 – Browse.
