Wolverine, Old Man Logan

Wolverine 32

A excellent single issue story by Mark Millar and Kaare Andrews.  Wolverine plays the boogie man to a German concentration camp commandant during World War II.  The Nazi’s grasp on reality slowly unravels as Logan silently returns from execution after execution to haunt his waking moments.  It’s told as a spooky ghost tale, a great example of using a traditional superhero to tell a very different kind of story.

For some reason, this issue came out with a black and white edition, and that’s the one I have.  I actually have a hard time imagining what this would look like in color. Fine work by Andrews.

Oh, that's what it would look like in color.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Wolverine 66-72, Giant Size Wolverine: Old Man Logan 1

Old Man Logan.  When this came out, I did not imagine that he would ever be brought into the 616 continuity, nor spawn a whole series of “Old Man” titles.  Shows how much I know.

When Mark Millar is on his game, he is on.  He knows how to seed his arcs with build ups that have me literally holding my breath, and then force the air out of my lungs with a memorable gut punch of a climactic splash page.  Mega bonus points when it’s Steve McNiven drawing those pages.

Comments as I flip through this again:

The blind archer trope is hardly new (Montolio from RA Salvatore’s Drizzt novels, Stick from Daredevil), but that doesn’t diminish the awesomeness of Old Man Hawkeye.  And while I didn’t expect it, I’m hardly surprised that Marvel gave him his own prequel title. (I’ll probably check out the trade at some point.)  Also, it’s so like Clint to go and hook up with Peter Parker’s daughter.

I love how much this page says about how bad things have gotten:

After teasing us with it for four issues, Millar’s reveal of the shredding of Logan’s soul doesn’t disappoint.  McNiven depicts a riveting, no-holds barred brawl, which is exciting enough. But the hints that something is amiss ratchet up the tension, and right when I piece together what’s happening, I turn the page and see that the truth is as horrible as I imagine.

And before I can fully process that, I turn the page again and the full nightmare smacks me across the face.

It’s truly phenomenal storytelling, and it’s only halfway through the arc.  Of course, after all that, everything that follows pales in comparison. The Venom T-Rex, Hawkeye’s death, and Logan regenerating in Hulk’s stomach (!!!) would normally rate an image here, but not in this instance.  Of all the events that follow, only two more really stood out to me:

Straight out of Unforgiven.

So many elements I would never have placed in the same panel.

Oh, I forgot the cow hurling.  That deserves to be shown.

I’d really forgotten how good this was.  It’s probably worth putting out on the shelf.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Wolverine 75-80

The story of Daken’s time on Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers.  I’m not sure what got me to buy these, but I’m not sorry that I did.  Daniel Way and Marjorie Liu give Daken a wily intelligence that I did not expect.  He’s playing everyone against each other, and it’s pretty fun to read. It’s practically a spy thriller, another nice change of pace.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice