Wolverine Wednesday #83

Ultimate Wolverine #1

Writer: Chris Condon | Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio | Colourist: Bryan Valenza | Letters: Cory Petit

First of all, I think it’s good to have an Ultimate universe back that is generating such a buzz. I have heard Spider-Man is very good, whilst I myself am very interested in The Ultimates and will be picking up the first trade. Black Panther and X-Men to my knowledge both received mixed reviews. Naturally, then I was very excited to see Wolverine would be the next character introduced to the line. Part of the interest stems from the fact that in the original Ultimates line Wolverine was pretty much still the same character. Here I am expecting something more radical in terms of a reimagining. A stand out of the new Ultimates line has been the willingness to turn books over to less established names like Deniz Camp on Ultimates. On Wolverine we have Chris Condon on writing duties who has built up an audience through his brilliant Image series That Texas Blood. With all this said it was obvious that Ultimate Wolverine would be going top of the reading pile this time around. It very much felt like this comic was written especially for me. It contains so many of the things I seek out In storytelling, whether it’s comics, movies or novels. It was the perfect blend of noir, espionage, conspiracy and superpowers. I was completely engrossed from page one, panel one right to the end. Without sounding like a broken record a good Wolverine story in my opinion rises and falls on the strength of its internal monologue. Well, that was what I always thought until I read this. Condon delivers like I said a story that completely drew me in from the get-go all without an internal monologue. Not only that Wolverine doesn’t have one line of dialogue. I recently reread Marc Cerasini’s novelization of the Weapon X comic. And both sort of portray Wolverine as the antagonist in a slasher movie. This had similar vibes in that the story and characters move around him, rather than him moving through the story. In terms of accessibility, this is completely new and reader-friendly. You don’t need any X-Men knowledge going in. Also, a wider understanding of the larger Ultimate Universe isn’t needed. I found that not knowing about things added to the mystery. For a first issue where your titular character doesn’t talk there are still plenty of plot threads offered up to sink your teeth into. The situation with Colossus, this universe’s version of the X-Men and how Wolverine came to be what he is are all open to be explored. I really like the shared aesthetic of the Ultimate line so far. The covers with the thick white border kind of added to the secret government conspiracy elements of this story, evoking a secret dossier feel. Cappuccio serves up some delightfully horrific images to match that slasher movie vibe. Wolverine smearing the giant test tube with his blood into an X is a cool moment. And there are a few instances of him in the snow that homages the great Barry Windsor Smith’s Weapon X. While his style isn’t the same as Clayton Crain’s the art did give me a similar feeling I had the first time I saw those early X-Force issues. Over the years there have been a few attempts to reinvent Wolverine’s costume but they never stray too far from the end result. This universe provides the perfect playground to try something bold and Cappuccio delivers. The full-face mask gets a thumbs-up from me and also pays tribute to a 616 counterpart. I definitely see Ultimate Wolverine being my go-to from the reading pile every month, was very impressed right out of the block with this.

Sabretooth The Dead Don’t Talk #2

Writer: Frank Tieri | Artist: Michael Sta. Maria | Colourist: Dono Sanchez-Almara | Letters: Joe Sabino

This was much more like the tone I was expecting from the first issue. I would even go as far as to say that this would have been perfectly suited as a first issue. For me personally, I didn’t and don’t need the connective tissue from the Ruins of Ravencroft one shot. I always feel with a mini-series you can’t waste any real estate, you need it all to deliver on entertainment. On the subject of entertainment, a lot of fun from the issue comes from the nods and winks to Marvel’s past and present. Throw into the mix the fact that Tieri takes his cues for this issue from Scorsese’s Gangs of New York makes for a brilliant mix. The fact that calling a gang The Dead Rabbits and another The Yancy Street Gang brings a warm feeling inside when you are reading, it adds to the experience. These moments aren’t just filler either, they flesh out the story, and they make it feel more organic by tying it to the larger Marvel lore. Going back to my point about making the most of the real estate, this issue moves at a clip. Four pages of world-building, followed by lots of solid, violent action and then a cliffhanger that serves its purpose. The pages in between allow Sabretooth to be Sabretooth. He is most at home when he is parting someone’s head from their body! There is no danger of him being turned into an anti-hero by the end of the series and that is exactly what I want from my stories about villains. Show them at their villainous best! All of the previous points got me thinking that a story like this would never have been possible in the Krakoan Era. Of course there were some elements of that setting that I really enjoyed, Wolverine was at his most consistent for years in that setting. However, it is somewhat of a relief to return to a style of storytelling that is more open to more possibilities. There are two moments in this issue that reinforce this theory. There are two moments that create this crazy genre mash-up and it elevates the all-around interest of both this issue and what is coming next. The art continues to be a good fit for the genre of story. We have blood spilling, bones crunching and claws clawing?! You can’t really ask for much more from a Sabretooth/Gangs of New York story. What I really like is the sketch quality of Sta. Maria’s art. The eyes are so expressive as well, which really helps in the action sequences. To accompany the writing the attention to detail in highlighting and giving unique looks to all the gangs is a plus point for the issue. Well choreographed action and great use of colour have been a plus and the art has grown on me. Which probably helped me enjoy this instalment more. This issue was an up-take in proceedings and left me feeling a lot more positive about what this series is and can be moving forward.

Wolverine Revenge #4

Writer: Jonathan Hickman | Artist: Greg Capullo | Inker: Tim Townsend | Colourist: Alex Sinclair | Letters: Cory Petit

Wow, I was not expecting this complete tonal shift! I didn’t see it coming, I don’t think anyone else reading this series saw it coming! It probably didn’t help that there was a significant gap between this and the previous issue, but wow it was such a stark change! So digging into things, this issue takes place 20 years after the events of #3 and with that simple caption all the things that I enjoyed about the previous three issues, all the things that made this a fun read are out the window with the kitchen sink. All the mystery, the violence, the dark humour and the high-octane action we got before is all gone. What we get in its place is what I can only describe as Old Man Logan Lite. The world-building is nowhere near as strong as the other issues or compared to other issues reviewed today! I didn’t care for it at all. By the midway of the issue it feels like we are going to get another Wolverine vs Sabretooth story to close out the series. At the start of the series Sabretooth was very much a henchman, Colossus was the big bad and how the world ended the way it was, was the mystery keeping the story going. One week I complain there aren’t enough Wolverine vs Sabretooth stories, this week I’m moaning there is another one! Maybe I am part of the problem? The saving grace of it all is Greg Capullo on art. Bearded Wolverine kinda works for this setting, I don’t know id I would accept him anywhere else. Sabretooth in Xavier’s big floating yellow chair, sure why not? One thing I really liked was the costume change. I don’t think anyone has done it before, but Capullo delivered something really simple but visually pleasing. What he did was draw the same costume but recolour it brown and yellow, instead of blue and yellow. Like I said I don’t think it has been done, seeing the shoulder pads in brown is a very cool look. Something I haven’t really picked up on in previous issues, but really stood out with this costume is the shorter ears on the mask. I think going forward my personal taste will be brown costume short ears. Blue costume long ears. There is one really well-choreographed fight scene. It’s Wolverine vs three adversaries and it does a good job of showcasing the three individual power sets and how Wolverine incapacitates all three. Just as a follow-up to this, the levels of violence are way down across the board. There is one moment in the fight, but that is more a good portrayal of a power effect by Capullo, rather than a violent for the sake of it moment. I don’t want to repeat myself, #1-#3 were so good, this was a big misstep. If Hickman somehow manages to stick the landing after this, I can easily shrug this one off. But it would be a disappointment if now the entire series fizzled out because of this. Time will tell…

Wolverine #5

Writer: Saladin Ahmed | Artist: Martin Coccolo | Colourist: Bryan Valenza | Letters: Cory Petit

Five issues in and the new series has been solid if not spectacular. There has been a certain level of consistency, that has seen more highlights than lowlights. There have been moments where perhaps I wanted to see something different. #5 carries on in stride with the previous issues and delivers a good enjoyable issue. The issue starts strong. We have a dynamic visual of Wolverine’s Adamantium skeleton on a splash page, almost Biblical in its presentation as the image is surrounded by the phrase “Purify the false.” With each issue Ahmed’s take on Wolverine’s internal monologue has got stronger. Here he uses it to really hot home the concept of the arc. Adamantine is what it is all about now. With Adamantium being confirmed for the MCU in the new Cap movie. It marks a nice moment of synergy between the comics and the movies and keeps Wolverine front and centre in a way. One of the highlights has been the relationship between Wolverine and the new Wendigo. It hits its highest peak here. The duo’s combination does supply most of the action sequences, early in the story. The issue is very well-paced, moving from an action-packed opening to an exposition-packed middle, which sets up a foreboding ending. Coccolo too on the ending delivers a second splash page, again showcasing the anatomy of Wolverine. But it’s not just a pretty picture with no reason, it serves the story. Cyber and Wolverine come face to face again for the first time since the first issue. And this is one of those moments where I wanted something different, something more. But that is also down to personal choice. Coccolo’s action is as well-paced as the storytelling itself. He displays creativity in his panel layouts. I’m always a fan of diagonal panels and borders in action sequences. I also like it when the background is dropped out of a panel and replaced with one colour with ‘speed lines.’ Valenza’s colours on the confrontation with Cyber t a burning warehouse really deliver on what I’m terming atmospherics, adding to the tension in the storytelling. After five well-paced issues I don’t see this story wrapping up after the sixth. I think we could be seeing this go 8 or even 10 issues. Who knows maybe it will even go 12, end and we get a new number one with a new creative team a year later?! As long as Ahmed and Coccolo stay on the book and keep to these levels I’ll be happy.