12th Apr2023

Wolverine Wednesday #60

by Ian Wells

Wolverine #31

Writer: Benjamin Percy | Artist: Juan Jose Ryp | Colorist: Frank D’Armata | Letters: Cory Petit

Let’s just get it all out in the open right away. Despite this issue having a new title it is really still carrying on the same story arc. After my mixed reaction to the previous 2/3 issues, Percy manages to make it all feel fresh again. So how does he do it? The simple answer… everything just seems to click. But we aren’t here for the simple answer! Now a lot of this review will seem like I am talking about Beast. Every hero needs a great villain and Beast is certainly becoming that. I have longed hailed Percy as the king of pacing and once again he shows us why. The flow of the story is narrated by Beast as his plan comes more into the light. It plays out in a way that the narration is telling one story and the pictures are telling all the other stuff. What makes it work is that they play off of each other, they don’t tread on each other and they both engage the reader. What really sold it to me was the fact Beast name-checks the title of the story arc in his big villain speech! A title like ‘Weapons of X’ is always going to the attention of an old-school Wolverine mark like myself. With a lot of narration leading the story Ryp understands the assignment and brings the brilliant visuals. Like Egon in Ghostbusters it appears Ryp excels when it comes to moulds, spores and fungus. One criticism I have is the colouring on the ‘spore Beast’ page. Because it is set at night the colours are a little subdued. It would have been much more killer if it had been bright and bold. Something more in line with the colours and vibe on the last page splash that play up the tech, almost body horror element. There is a visual element to the story I really want to talk about but it comes as a spoiler so 3…2…1… The Pointe comes alive and walks into the sea. On paper it may seem like a crazy idea, but Ryp sells it makes it metal! Essentially it is a Krakoan Sentinel and it rocks! I get the feeling with the way this issue went, there is going to be plenty of action coming up in the remainder of the arc and Ryp is going to shine. After all, as readers all we want is artists playing to their strengths. So all the talking is done let the action ensue and let Ryp loose! This issue is testament to the importance of good collaboration. At this stage now Percy must have worked with close to ten different artists across Wolverine, X-Force and X Lives/Deaths and it has never skipped a beat. Add into the mix now he is working on Ghostrider with yet another artist and that is getting positive reviews too! My reading of this issue coincided with seeing a few tweets praising the consistency of the Wolverine series of late. As well as plenty of positive reactions to Beasts turn to the dark side. In fact, in this issue there is an editor not alluding to another of Beast’s secret side projects. In the X-Force issues I have read Beast has been dickish but I wouldn’t say he was a fully-fledged villain if I was just reading those issues. Again an X-Force trade paperback catch-up is needed. Like I said it is a Beast-heavy issue and he is well written, showing all the trademarks of comics most nefarious villains, the main one being he thinks he is right. At this point in the story, Wolverine feels exclusively like a loaded weapon. He does what needs to be done and says what he needs to say. No w he just needs to be pointed in the right direction. There has been a lot of news swirling in recent weeks about the upcoming ‘Fall of X.’ If this event is the end of the Krakoan age or just the beginning of the next chapter I hope Percy plans on sticking around. Fingers crossed Wolverine and X-Force can continue pretty much untouched from how they are now and fingers double crossed that neither receives new number ones. Excellent work from Percy to hit the refresh button and deliver an entertaining, action-heavy issue. It keeps the ready involved from front cover to back cover through a perfect balance between both forms of storytelling. I’m strapped in and ready for Weapons of X.

X-23: Deadly Regenesis #1

Writer: Erica Schultz | Artist: Edgar Salazar | Colourist: Carlos Lopez | Letters: Cory Petit

When I saw we were getting new X-23 I was very happy. But I didn’t read the solicitations properly and a few pages in I realised this was a retroactive, so after that my feelings were mixed. Admittedly it is my own fault for not reading the full solicitation, but I am going to give it an even go and not abandon the series. X-23 is still X-23. Usually, a retro active story is up my alley, but pop culture seems to be over-saturated with them at the moment. First and foremost a story should be entertaining and I am not saying this won’t be over the course of its five issues. But a big part of what makes a story entertaining are the consequences for the protagonist. And we know nothing is going to happen to Laura because she has to end up where she is now. It is exactly the same problems the Star Wars shows on Disney+ face. In my opinion, a Laura mini-series set in the Krakoan era would have been a good touchstone for new and old readers alike. The issue in question is pretty standard act one for a mini-series. You have your protagonist talking the reader through their current status quote and the introduction of an antagonist with their motivations seemingly in place. I will reserve judgement on the story path I think they will go down and instead hope Schultz can deliver some surprises along the way. I will say though they do feel very 90s at the moment with their paint-by-numbers origin and the visual on the last page splash, even down to the name Haymaker! Throughout the story Salazar delivers some lovely visuals. I have stated many a time I like a visual call back and here we get some panels homaging the first two X-23 stories ‘Innocence Lost’ and ‘Target’. These visuals offer more than a little nostalgia hit for older readers like me, they show the character’s evolution for newer readers. These flicks back to her past along with the narration also move the story along as her past is informing her actions in the present. There are four nice splash pages throughout the issue, one in particular of Laura exiting a burning building playing the hero is amazing. Also Salazar displays a good Delucca effect segment. One trick I really like is the grainy effect applied to the flashback sequences. It makes them really stand out as you switch between then and now. I really like the colours from Lopez in the whole issue. For instance the whole story pretty much takes place at the night, but as the pages turn you can get a sense of time passing through the use of lighting. A big explosion which features heavily in the second act feels hot and dangerous, again shadows at night and from the fire add to the effect. As for the story, you get a lot of it for the price, it’s a weighty issue one. Hopefully all issues will be of the same length. Schultz has a good grasp of Laura’s internal monologue. At times it can feel like ‘Wolverine Lite’ but considering where Laura is at this time in her life it kind of fits the character. Kimura’s dialogue is perfect for a nefarious villain, equal parts camp sarcasm and vindictive malice. Although I have mixed feelings when this story is set I still feel there will be enough to keep me invested as a reader. I was beginning to miss regular Laura in my reading pile so I hope the rest of the series can deliver a fitting story for her.

Deadpool 3… A Rant

I am looking towards Deadpool 3 with equal parts excitement and scepticism. The original announcement was exciting and seeing Hugh Jackman bulk up again is a nostalgia trip. But the current phase of MCU movies has been such a mixed bag that is where the negativity creeps in. The Deadpool movies had a very distinct look and tone and I would like to see that brought to the MCU rather than having too much of the MCU flavour rub off onto Deadpool 3. For example, Deadpool 2 played with time travel before it became a staple of the MCU. There is a rumour the Owen Wilson character will be in the movie in some capacity. If he is the main antagonist that is a major anti-climax. This movie potentially could be the first building block for mutants in the MCU. Go big, give us Sinister or Sentinels, not some character from a Disney+ show half the audience won’t even know! Other recent rumours about the cast include Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Famke Janson as Jean Grey and for some reason, Ioan Gufford returning as Reed Richards. I remember all the excitement around Doctor Strange 2’s multiverse cameos and then it being a massive anti-climax. Jean Grey makes the most sense to me from a story point of view. They can allow the events of i to go untouched and then still have Logan ride off into the sunset with his true love and maybe into a Disney+ anthology series. Which would also allow for a certain Laura Kinney to be the MCU Wolverine…

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