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Wolverine: Weapon X #1-3
Wolverine By Jason Aaron Omnibus HC Vol 1
Written by JASON AARON Penciled by HOWARD CHAYKIN, RON GARNEY, STEPHEN SEGOVIA, PACO DIAZ LUQUE, YANICK PAQUETTE, C.P. SMITH, DAVIDE GIANFELICE, ESAD RIBIC, ADAM KUBERT, UDON STUDIOS & JOCK Cover by D
Comic
First published October 19, 2011
6 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Jason Aaron
2,346 books1,673 followersJason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 24, 2021
I am always floored when I read Aaron's older stuff because I'm blown away with how GOOD it was and now he churns out Avengers...a flagship title but with NO flavor, nothing that made Aaron stand out as a writer, and I just don't understand it.
I mean to be fair Wolverine fits inside Aaron's wheelhouse. A dark and moody person who is very good at murdering people...this is perfect for Jason. Especially back then when that was all he wrote really. But picking up the Omnibus that collects the first half of his stuff I was a little surprised at how mixed the stories were. From more serious, grounded stories, to over-the-top wonky adventures. This was a nice mix.
The stories that stood out the most for me were Get Mastique, Man in the Hole, the standalone issue of Wolverine coming to terms with the passing of Kurt, and I actually enjoyed the terminator like story at the end a lot too. These stories range from grounded, somber, and over the top sci-fic adevnture.
I also enjoyed the start of the Weapon X story with others just like Wolverine hunting him down. Though it felt a little dragged on at points the end result was great and some really fucked up foreshadowing for Draken that comes later in Wolverine's life. I thought the Mad Scientist bit was the weakest of the bunch. First, the whole dream sequence, am I really crazy, was my life a lie? Has been done to DEATH and better. It was just okay here. On top of that, the villain was way TOO goofy and he got away with shit way too often.
But overall this is a great collection. I REALLY enjoyed around 75-80% of this. Way more than I expected. So much so I picked up the second half of this run in Omnibus form. Pretty excited to get to it one day.
A 4 out of 5.
I mean to be fair Wolverine fits inside Aaron's wheelhouse. A dark and moody person who is very good at murdering people...this is perfect for Jason. Especially back then when that was all he wrote really. But picking up the Omnibus that collects the first half of his stuff I was a little surprised at how mixed the stories were. From more serious, grounded stories, to over-the-top wonky adventures. This was a nice mix.
The stories that stood out the most for me were Get Mastique, Man in the Hole, the standalone issue of Wolverine coming to terms with the passing of Kurt, and I actually enjoyed the terminator like story at the end a lot too. These stories range from grounded, somber, and over the top sci-fic adevnture.
I also enjoyed the start of the Weapon X story with others just like Wolverine hunting him down. Though it felt a little dragged on at points the end result was great and some really fucked up foreshadowing for Draken that comes later in Wolverine's life. I thought the Mad Scientist bit was the weakest of the bunch. First, the whole dream sequence, am I really crazy, was my life a lie? Has been done to DEATH and better. It was just okay here. On top of that, the villain was way TOO goofy and he got away with shit way too often.
But overall this is a great collection. I REALLY enjoyed around 75-80% of this. Way more than I expected. So much so I picked up the second half of this run in Omnibus form. Pretty excited to get to it one day.
A 4 out of 5.
March 1, 2015
It can be a little hard to review these omnibus collections, since they compile SO MUCH from a given writer or series. I can say in this case, though, that Jason Aaron's voice is so consistent that you just can't help but feel like you're reading a complete book, despite the fact that most of the stories in here stand completely alone and don't affect the story at large.
I'm wildly impressed with how readable this collection is. Wolverine is perhaps the most overwritten, overused character in the Marvel Universe, and yet Jason Aaron has managed to breathe new life into him by sheer force of creative will. This seems to be mostly due to his ability to insert his own thoughts and experiences into the character, acknowledging the character's past without directly relying on it. He forges his own new ground, using this hardened killing machine in new and different ways, always keeping him fully grounded and human. Wolverine is no longer just claws and fury. He's a measured, tortured figure who also just so happens to be almost cursed with the ability to live through anything and kill anyone.
I won't go into each individual storyline in this collection, as it would take me just as long to review as it did to read. But suffice it to say that they run the gamut, from small, emotional stories to massive, epic sci-fi fare to straight-up action pieces, all without sacrificing the character Aaron has developed even a little bit. This is an impressive body of work, and I fully intend to read all of Jason Aaron's Wolverine stuff going forward.
I'm wildly impressed with how readable this collection is. Wolverine is perhaps the most overwritten, overused character in the Marvel Universe, and yet Jason Aaron has managed to breathe new life into him by sheer force of creative will. This seems to be mostly due to his ability to insert his own thoughts and experiences into the character, acknowledging the character's past without directly relying on it. He forges his own new ground, using this hardened killing machine in new and different ways, always keeping him fully grounded and human. Wolverine is no longer just claws and fury. He's a measured, tortured figure who also just so happens to be almost cursed with the ability to live through anything and kill anyone.
I won't go into each individual storyline in this collection, as it would take me just as long to review as it did to read. But suffice it to say that they run the gamut, from small, emotional stories to massive, epic sci-fi fare to straight-up action pieces, all without sacrificing the character Aaron has developed even a little bit. This is an impressive body of work, and I fully intend to read all of Jason Aaron's Wolverine stuff going forward.
October 27, 2012
Another entry into the world of Wolverine. THIRTY entries to be exact.
You know, I think one of the problems with these huge editions is that you kind of lose track of the fact that this is about 2 1/2 years worth of comics. Which means it's necessarily uneven. This one in particular starts great, but then we go to the nut house and Pete gets bored.
In honor of the 30 issues, I wanted to talk about my top 30 issues...WITH WOLVERINE!
1. So Wolverine had a mysterious past, which always haunted him. Now he remembers the past. Aaaaand it haunts him. The confusing thing, to me, is that I don't understand the point of clearing up the past in order to have him feel the same way about it.
2. There's always some asshole out there who tries to send guys after Wolverine who have claws like Wolverine. Enough. Cyclops shoots lasers FROM HIS GODDAMN EYES. Let's think for a second which of those abilities would be better to power your super assassin.
3. What's with Wolverine and the Asian stuff? There's always something tangentially-related to Japan going on with this guy. I feel like it's a holdover from the days when a man like me, a loser, a dolt, a pathetic worm, couldn't just jump on a plane and be miserable being in Japan in just a few extremely long hours. Somehow Japan just doesn't hold the same Mystique.
4. Related to that point, when did we start calling Mystique "Raven"? I could see it if she wanted to change her name to Sally. Or Jennifer. But why waste the time changing your name from Mystique just to make it something equally asinine?
5. We're being constantly reminded that Wolverine's healing factor means getting drunk is a big to-do. I would think he would have abandoned beers long ago in favor of funneling hard liquor into his...tighter quarters. I mean, do you want to drink booze or not?
6. Every time I see Wolverine in the future it seems like he's lost at least one hand. I'm not completely sure how this happens, but I hope that he's learned a lesson by now and is a little bit careful.
7. Specific to this collection, there's a story about a guy who uses brains to somehow power a machine that does mind control stuff. I'm not a guy who needs an explanation for everything. I spent a few hours reading about a Canadian guy with retractable metal claws, so I'm pretty "on board" most times. But why a brain machine? Isn't that like making a love machine powered by hearts? It's sort of like the Batman movie where Mr. Freeze had a gun powered by diamonds. What an asshole. Could he have found a more coveted, hard-to-come-by fuel source? I have a machine that can turn a diamond into coldness as well. It's called a divorce court. Boom!
8. Why is Wolverine always letting the X-Men dress him?
9. How come there isn't a good Wolverine game yet? It would have all the great elements of great games. Stealth, cameos, non-stop murderous rage. It's got it all!
10. I kind of feel like if I knew what a Wolverine was, I wouldn't have been as impressed with the name right off.
11. I once received as a Christmas gift, a Wolverine set that came with a mask and a claw arm thingy. The claw arm was sort of like a hard plastic glove, and you would put it on over your hand. Of course, retractable claws were included. Unfortunately, you only got one claw, which was (to use the parlance of the time) bogus, AND my head was too big for the mask. But I kept it despite the fact that the very product was on the news because it was "dangerous" and "hazardous" to children. Which made sense to me because I was, after donning the mask with the aid of a safety pin to extend its strap, a killing machine. Anyway, they need to remake this set for the child of large head size and murderous ambitions.
12. I just learned that Wolverine has been known as Patch, Logan, and James. James! Seriously, no offense to anyone named James out there, but in a fair race between Patch, Wolverine, Weapon X, Logan, and James, I have to go with any of the other names.
13. Is there a reason he also has vampire teeth?
14. I wonder how many misguided elementary school reports have been done on wolverines in a misguided attempt to connect a boring project with something of interest. Excuse me, I excluded something there. Let me try again. I wonder how many misguided elementary school reports have been done BY ME on wolverines in a misguided attempt to connect a boring subject with something of interest.
15. Wouldn't you think that by now these dum-dum bouncers and night club thugs would know about Wolverine and stop fucking with him? It seems like every other day some punk in some podunk is starting shit and then we cut to the next panel and he's upside down in a garbage can. I know who Chuck Liddell is, and I don't want to fight him, and he doesn't even have half a dozen knives that pop out of his fists.
16. Where'e the issue where Rogue says, "Alright, enough of this bullshit. I'm taking you to get a goddamn decent haircut"?
17. If you are Wolverine and you go skydiving, do you bother to wear a parachute, and regardless, does this activity have any thrill without the danger of potential death?
18. If Wolverine were real, how long would it take before the market was flooded with As Seen On TV knives that mimicked Wolverine's three claws and had names like "The Marmot"?
19. How come his emotions don't heal? Why, god? Why?
20. Does Wolverine's natural healing and whatnot keep him so ripped? Because I kind of like the idea of a Wolverine that's chubby, but deadly. In fact, I'd like to see a whole team of heroes with guts and arm flab. Gone to Seed we could call it.
21. Sometimes I have to say that Wolverine is really only as entertaining as the side characters that are with him.
22. You'd think a guy with such hairy forearms would be down for some sleeves once in a while.
23. I just don't understand ninjas. This dude has killed about 18 billion ninjas, and somehow they still swarm him. Is every ninja thinking that he's The One, the ninja who will finally bring down Wolverine? Do they just not care? Do you become a ninja because you're ready to die? Are most ninjas secretly old men and cancer patients, hence the full mask and frequent death?
24. Can Wolverine push harder and make his claws come out longer?
25. On Thanksgiving, when Professor X puts the turkey on the table, do all heads just slowly turn towards Wolverine?
26. Does Wolverine ever use a knife, the kind that a person holds in a hand, for any purpose? I would think he might prefer a serrated knife if he was cutting bread, but maybe I'm wrong here.
27. I bet an X-Man or two has gotten real fucked up because Wolverine came home drunk, fell asleep on the kitchen floor, and then the aforementioned X-Man stepped on him in the dark.
28. Can Wolverine get tattoos, or do they heal away?
29. His balls must be just awful.
30. It must be impossible for Wolverine to keep a nice pair of sunglasses. I break one every three months and I don't have ninjas and space men attacking me. I mean, that almost never happens. So I can only imagine that it's probably not even worth buying them anymore.
You know, I think one of the problems with these huge editions is that you kind of lose track of the fact that this is about 2 1/2 years worth of comics. Which means it's necessarily uneven. This one in particular starts great, but then we go to the nut house and Pete gets bored.
In honor of the 30 issues, I wanted to talk about my top 30 issues...WITH WOLVERINE!
1. So Wolverine had a mysterious past, which always haunted him. Now he remembers the past. Aaaaand it haunts him. The confusing thing, to me, is that I don't understand the point of clearing up the past in order to have him feel the same way about it.
2. There's always some asshole out there who tries to send guys after Wolverine who have claws like Wolverine. Enough. Cyclops shoots lasers FROM HIS GODDAMN EYES. Let's think for a second which of those abilities would be better to power your super assassin.
3. What's with Wolverine and the Asian stuff? There's always something tangentially-related to Japan going on with this guy. I feel like it's a holdover from the days when a man like me, a loser, a dolt, a pathetic worm, couldn't just jump on a plane and be miserable being in Japan in just a few extremely long hours. Somehow Japan just doesn't hold the same Mystique.
4. Related to that point, when did we start calling Mystique "Raven"? I could see it if she wanted to change her name to Sally. Or Jennifer. But why waste the time changing your name from Mystique just to make it something equally asinine?
5. We're being constantly reminded that Wolverine's healing factor means getting drunk is a big to-do. I would think he would have abandoned beers long ago in favor of funneling hard liquor into his...tighter quarters. I mean, do you want to drink booze or not?
6. Every time I see Wolverine in the future it seems like he's lost at least one hand. I'm not completely sure how this happens, but I hope that he's learned a lesson by now and is a little bit careful.
7. Specific to this collection, there's a story about a guy who uses brains to somehow power a machine that does mind control stuff. I'm not a guy who needs an explanation for everything. I spent a few hours reading about a Canadian guy with retractable metal claws, so I'm pretty "on board" most times. But why a brain machine? Isn't that like making a love machine powered by hearts? It's sort of like the Batman movie where Mr. Freeze had a gun powered by diamonds. What an asshole. Could he have found a more coveted, hard-to-come-by fuel source? I have a machine that can turn a diamond into coldness as well. It's called a divorce court. Boom!
8. Why is Wolverine always letting the X-Men dress him?
9. How come there isn't a good Wolverine game yet? It would have all the great elements of great games. Stealth, cameos, non-stop murderous rage. It's got it all!
10. I kind of feel like if I knew what a Wolverine was, I wouldn't have been as impressed with the name right off.
11. I once received as a Christmas gift, a Wolverine set that came with a mask and a claw arm thingy. The claw arm was sort of like a hard plastic glove, and you would put it on over your hand. Of course, retractable claws were included. Unfortunately, you only got one claw, which was (to use the parlance of the time) bogus, AND my head was too big for the mask. But I kept it despite the fact that the very product was on the news because it was "dangerous" and "hazardous" to children. Which made sense to me because I was, after donning the mask with the aid of a safety pin to extend its strap, a killing machine. Anyway, they need to remake this set for the child of large head size and murderous ambitions.
12. I just learned that Wolverine has been known as Patch, Logan, and James. James! Seriously, no offense to anyone named James out there, but in a fair race between Patch, Wolverine, Weapon X, Logan, and James, I have to go with any of the other names.
13. Is there a reason he also has vampire teeth?
14. I wonder how many misguided elementary school reports have been done on wolverines in a misguided attempt to connect a boring project with something of interest. Excuse me, I excluded something there. Let me try again. I wonder how many misguided elementary school reports have been done BY ME on wolverines in a misguided attempt to connect a boring subject with something of interest.
15. Wouldn't you think that by now these dum-dum bouncers and night club thugs would know about Wolverine and stop fucking with him? It seems like every other day some punk in some podunk is starting shit and then we cut to the next panel and he's upside down in a garbage can. I know who Chuck Liddell is, and I don't want to fight him, and he doesn't even have half a dozen knives that pop out of his fists.
16. Where'e the issue where Rogue says, "Alright, enough of this bullshit. I'm taking you to get a goddamn decent haircut"?
17. If you are Wolverine and you go skydiving, do you bother to wear a parachute, and regardless, does this activity have any thrill without the danger of potential death?
18. If Wolverine were real, how long would it take before the market was flooded with As Seen On TV knives that mimicked Wolverine's three claws and had names like "The Marmot"?
19. How come his emotions don't heal? Why, god? Why?
20. Does Wolverine's natural healing and whatnot keep him so ripped? Because I kind of like the idea of a Wolverine that's chubby, but deadly. In fact, I'd like to see a whole team of heroes with guts and arm flab. Gone to Seed we could call it.
21. Sometimes I have to say that Wolverine is really only as entertaining as the side characters that are with him.
22. You'd think a guy with such hairy forearms would be down for some sleeves once in a while.
23. I just don't understand ninjas. This dude has killed about 18 billion ninjas, and somehow they still swarm him. Is every ninja thinking that he's The One, the ninja who will finally bring down Wolverine? Do they just not care? Do you become a ninja because you're ready to die? Are most ninjas secretly old men and cancer patients, hence the full mask and frequent death?
24. Can Wolverine push harder and make his claws come out longer?
25. On Thanksgiving, when Professor X puts the turkey on the table, do all heads just slowly turn towards Wolverine?
26. Does Wolverine ever use a knife, the kind that a person holds in a hand, for any purpose? I would think he might prefer a serrated knife if he was cutting bread, but maybe I'm wrong here.
27. I bet an X-Man or two has gotten real fucked up because Wolverine came home drunk, fell asleep on the kitchen floor, and then the aforementioned X-Man stepped on him in the dark.
28. Can Wolverine get tattoos, or do they heal away?
29. His balls must be just awful.
30. It must be impossible for Wolverine to keep a nice pair of sunglasses. I break one every three months and I don't have ninjas and space men attacking me. I mean, that almost never happens. So I can only imagine that it's probably not even worth buying them anymore.
February 16, 2020
Tak toto bola neskutočná jazda. Jason Aaron to s Wolverinom skrátka vie. Vrcholom tejto zbierky je určite psycho masaker Insane in the Brain, ktorý vrelo odporúčam. Avšak ani ostatné príbehy nezaostávajú. Akčný road trip Get Mystique, priniesol zdanlivo nekončiacu naháňačku. V príbehu Manifest Destiny sme sa zase vrátili k Wolverinovým japonským základom. The Adamantium Men nám zase ukázalo, že aj keď dáte vojsku Wolverinove schopnosti, bude to stále málo. Wolverine je totiž jedinečný. Skvelé boli aj one-shoty, kde Logan preberal vzťahy, vieru v Boha, temné zákutia ľudskej prirodzenosti a podobne. Jediný príbeh, ktorý ma úplne nedostal bol Tomorrow Dies Today, lebo to bol slabo prepraný Terminátor a rôzne časové paradoxy ma fakt nebavia. Ak si chcete Wolverina užiť vo viacerých polohách a rôzne zameraných príbehoch, tento omnibus bude skvelou voľbou.
May 21, 2018
It's great to have all of Aaron's early Wolverine work collected in an omnibus, especially now that it's finally got a companion for his later work, in the Wolverine Goes to Hell Omnibus. With that said, most of Aaron's early Wolverine work is unfortunately middling, with just a few standouts, all of them shorter pieces (The Man in the Pit, A Mile in My Moccasins, and the Melita issue).
The Man in the Pit (Wv2 #56). I'm always impressed that Aaron's first Wolverine story is also one of his best. But, this is a superb tale that goes to the heart of who and what Logan is and humanizes both him and his tormenters [5/5].
Get Mystique (Wv2 #62-65). Aaron's writing is, as usual, sharp. There's terrific backstory set in 1921 and the goal of differentiating Logan and Mystique is both worthwhile and well done. However, the comic is ultimately plagued by two problems. First, it's too decompressed, as we watch a 4-issue chase. Mystique flees and Wolverine follows. It gets old. Second, Aaron can't actually offer any resolution to the plot arc. [3+/5].
Wolverine: Manifest Destiny. A nice setup for Wolverine in San Francisco that integrates his history with Chinatown. Parts of the recurrent fights drag a bit, but otherwise this suggests that we'll have some great stories out on the west coast [3+/5].
A Mile in My Moccasins (Wv2 #73-74). Impressively, this great story is one part humor, mocking how Wolverine appears everywhere, and one part serious, looking into the psychology of why he might do that. Another of Aaron's best. [5/5].
Adamantium Men (WX #1-5). It's great to see Melita Garner introduced, as she's been a crucial character in most of Wolverine's stories from here to his "Death". The idea of Weapon X being revisited by a modern mercenary outfit called Blackguard is also a nice pulled-from-the-headlines bit. Unfortunately, the story does hold up to that, as it's mainly an excuse for a long fight with Wolverine clones [3+/5].
Dark Reign. The Dark Reign event was one of Marvel's best. This pair of stories focus on Osbourne's hiring of Mystique (which is a nice coda to "Get Mystique") and on his interest in The World (which is a crucial piece of X-Men lore, but a bit too focused on fighting) [4/5].
Insane in the Brain (WX #6-9). This is a fairly bizarre Wolverine story, as the grotesquerie of Dr. Rot's asylum would fit right into the darkest Batman stories. Still, it's a nice extension of the Weapon X story that doesn't just continue straight on. Instead, we're seeing different ripples in the pond, in the form of a modern-day program to create weapons and a hidden secret of Weapon X. A bit too much of this story descends (again) into mindless violence, but the horrific asylum is so evocative that it may keep you up at night [3+/5].
Melita (WX #10). This is again Aaron at his best, offering a beautifully non-linear, character-focused story of Wolverine's newest girlfriend, Melita. One of its joys is that it's funny, which often brings out the best in Aaron [5/5].
Tomorrow Dies Today (WX #11-15). One more Weapon X arc, one more attempt to create super-soldiers. This time, it's Deathloks from the future. The story feels pretty derivative of Terminator with a few dollops of "Days of Future Past", and is heavily fight-oriented. The only saving grace is some fun timey-wimeyness [3+/5].
The End of the Beginning (WX #16). It's good to get Logan's response to Kurt's (temporary) death, but having a whole issue of Kurt trying to force his religion on Logan is actually pretty offensive [0/5].
The Man in the Pit (Wv2 #56). I'm always impressed that Aaron's first Wolverine story is also one of his best. But, this is a superb tale that goes to the heart of who and what Logan is and humanizes both him and his tormenters [5/5].
Get Mystique (Wv2 #62-65). Aaron's writing is, as usual, sharp. There's terrific backstory set in 1921 and the goal of differentiating Logan and Mystique is both worthwhile and well done. However, the comic is ultimately plagued by two problems. First, it's too decompressed, as we watch a 4-issue chase. Mystique flees and Wolverine follows. It gets old. Second, Aaron can't actually offer any resolution to the plot arc. [3+/5].
Wolverine: Manifest Destiny. A nice setup for Wolverine in San Francisco that integrates his history with Chinatown. Parts of the recurrent fights drag a bit, but otherwise this suggests that we'll have some great stories out on the west coast [3+/5].
A Mile in My Moccasins (Wv2 #73-74). Impressively, this great story is one part humor, mocking how Wolverine appears everywhere, and one part serious, looking into the psychology of why he might do that. Another of Aaron's best. [5/5].
Adamantium Men (WX #1-5). It's great to see Melita Garner introduced, as she's been a crucial character in most of Wolverine's stories from here to his "Death". The idea of Weapon X being revisited by a modern mercenary outfit called Blackguard is also a nice pulled-from-the-headlines bit. Unfortunately, the story does hold up to that, as it's mainly an excuse for a long fight with Wolverine clones [3+/5].
Dark Reign. The Dark Reign event was one of Marvel's best. This pair of stories focus on Osbourne's hiring of Mystique (which is a nice coda to "Get Mystique") and on his interest in The World (which is a crucial piece of X-Men lore, but a bit too focused on fighting) [4/5].
Insane in the Brain (WX #6-9). This is a fairly bizarre Wolverine story, as the grotesquerie of Dr. Rot's asylum would fit right into the darkest Batman stories. Still, it's a nice extension of the Weapon X story that doesn't just continue straight on. Instead, we're seeing different ripples in the pond, in the form of a modern-day program to create weapons and a hidden secret of Weapon X. A bit too much of this story descends (again) into mindless violence, but the horrific asylum is so evocative that it may keep you up at night [3+/5].
Melita (WX #10). This is again Aaron at his best, offering a beautifully non-linear, character-focused story of Wolverine's newest girlfriend, Melita. One of its joys is that it's funny, which often brings out the best in Aaron [5/5].
Tomorrow Dies Today (WX #11-15). One more Weapon X arc, one more attempt to create super-soldiers. This time, it's Deathloks from the future. The story feels pretty derivative of Terminator with a few dollops of "Days of Future Past", and is heavily fight-oriented. The only saving grace is some fun timey-wimeyness [3+/5].
The End of the Beginning (WX #16). It's good to get Logan's response to Kurt's (temporary) death, but having a whole issue of Kurt trying to force his religion on Logan is actually pretty offensive [0/5].
July 22, 2025
This is just a collection of dumb stories unfortunately written by Aaron. The Mystique stories sucked, no depth or basis. Manifest destiny was dreadful to get through. Weapon X 16 issues were dreadful to read through. The entire storyline, whatever it even was, turned out to be simply dumb. Jumping from one storyline to another with no true closure on the previous garbage. I didn’t enjoy any of these to be honest and only gave it two stars because some of the art was decent.
Off to the next volume by Aaron. Wolverine goes to hell? Oh boy. *Yawn
Off to the next volume by Aaron. Wolverine goes to hell? Oh boy. *Yawn
July 11, 2015
3.5 Stars
I'm taking into account that these stories are pretty much Aaron's first published work, at least for Marvel. Overall, his writing style is average and acceptable but at times his plot ideas reach above that level.
A couple story arcs seem to be Aaron just putting Wolverine in different genres and having fun (kung fu movie and psychological thriller/horror for example). Another has Wolverine going after Mystique with the intent to kill her (my biggest complaint here is that she can go toe to toe with Logan, and I don't buy that, shape shifter or not.) Despite these varied stories, Aaron always has at least one little nugget about Logan's personality: whether it's his faith (or lack of), his honor, some bit of history, you can usually find it which to me is lacking nowadays. Across these stories there are also little bits that carry through, not a lot, usually a minor character referenced in an earlier story, giving his run a little bit of continuity.
What I really think is a plus is that Aaron always writes a visceral Wolverine and that's what I haven't seen in a long time. You get claws poking through torsos, limbs cut off, etc. I'm glad they allowed him to go with a more mature rating.
Art-wise it varies and for the most part is acceptable. You do have some really nice covers by Garney and Adam Kubert among others.
I'm looking forward to the second volume. Hopefully Marvel won't make me wait too long.
I'm taking into account that these stories are pretty much Aaron's first published work, at least for Marvel. Overall, his writing style is average and acceptable but at times his plot ideas reach above that level.
A couple story arcs seem to be Aaron just putting Wolverine in different genres and having fun (kung fu movie and psychological thriller/horror for example). Another has Wolverine going after Mystique with the intent to kill her (my biggest complaint here is that she can go toe to toe with Logan, and I don't buy that, shape shifter or not.) Despite these varied stories, Aaron always has at least one little nugget about Logan's personality: whether it's his faith (or lack of), his honor, some bit of history, you can usually find it which to me is lacking nowadays. Across these stories there are also little bits that carry through, not a lot, usually a minor character referenced in an earlier story, giving his run a little bit of continuity.
What I really think is a plus is that Aaron always writes a visceral Wolverine and that's what I haven't seen in a long time. You get claws poking through torsos, limbs cut off, etc. I'm glad they allowed him to go with a more mature rating.
Art-wise it varies and for the most part is acceptable. You do have some really nice covers by Garney and Adam Kubert among others.
I'm looking forward to the second volume. Hopefully Marvel won't make me wait too long.
September 9, 2018
What’s great about Jason Aaron’s runs with established characters is that they’re just good, solid stories that could work with most characters, but the ones they’re written with gives the whole arc a layer making the whole cake even sweeter.
August 25, 2014
A hit-and-miss collection of Wolverine stories written by Jason Aaron. It has issues from the second Wolverine series as well as a run from the Weapon X series and some other individual issues from other stuff. Some of it I liked, some of it I disliked, and some of it I hated. Well, maybe not hate but not sure of a word that would be close enough to hate.
The best story arc is the one where Wolverine meets a new batch of 'Weapon X' soldiers who are genetically engineered to be as close to Wolverine as possible. It was a great series. I also liked how Wolverine discussed how much he hates the ocean - how it is the only thing on the planet that can kill him. This is because of his adamantium skeleton - it is so heavy that he cannot float and its weight will drag him to the ocean floor. Wolverine has taken it upon himself to rid the world of any and all Weapon X programs he encounters - this nearly gets him killed in the process.
The most stupid story that I hated the most involved Logan encountering an escaped whackjob who turns mentally ill people into bizarre weapons. The original doctor of the insane asylum was one of the survivors when the inmates turned against the medical crew. The original doctor would create specially designed assassins to fit the needs of whatever criminal element ordered. The whackjob just needs to die. He is a sick individual - I assume Marvel's attempt at creating a 'Joker' for their universe. At one point, Wolverine slices open his intestines and guts him; the con attempts to strangle Wolverine using his own intestines!?! What the heck? It was a sick, disturbing story and one I will be happy to forget about reading if possible.
The second dumbest story had to do with the Deathloks. They were sent back through time to kill people who would lead the resistance against their kind in the future. This was done much better in Terminator Three, and that Terminator was a lot more attractive to boot. If this story wasn't so sadly familiar it might have barely passed as almost interesting. The ending was anticlimactic to the extreme. A little boy grows up to become a mass murder [wasn't that already done in Terminator Salvation?] and is turned into a Deathlok [I swear the author is merely recycling Terminator movies as his own story line for a comic book story arc!] who travels back in time to consider killing himself [instead of Kyle Reese] - we discover that instead of killing himself, he goes on to lead the resistance against himself in the future. Sheer stupidity.
The best story in the whole collection involves Wolverine honoring Nightcrawler's last request. He is to take a piano to a mission in South America by dragging it to the top of a mountain on which the mission is located. It had some good reflections on conversations between Logan and Kurt as Logan attempted to honor Kurt's last request in his own unique fashion.
The last 'dumb' story involves Wolverine having to 'kill' Mystique. A part of me gets it - Logan is not sinking to her level and killing her even though she deserves to die. Still, though, part of me does not get it. She deserves to die; she even acknowledges her betrayals and glories in them. She should have been killed. She should have died considering her wounds in the desert. Whatever.
The story where Norman Osborne attempts to recruit Mystique was equally stupid. Not as bad as the whackjob in the nuthouse but still stupid. Her last line was completely predictable and completely idiotic. Lets see - a shape changer with a modest healing factor and some fighting skills honestly can beat sustained semi-automatic and automatic gunfire. Really? Don't think so - she's not that good.
There were two other good 'stories' - well, a two-comic arc that shows how hectic Wolverine's life has become due to the infinite number of teams of which he is a member. He is trying to remove the red from his ledger by doing as much good as he can, and he believes it will never be enough. But that does not keep him from trying. A great two-comic arc; kind of makes his conversations with Kurt more poignant as Kurt discusses forgiveness, healing, and a spiritual future which Logan cannot accept due to his overwhelming guilt.
A mass collection of garbage and drivel with some gems in it. The gems make it a higher rating that I probably would have given it. If you can, buy the shorter compilation of Weapon X [#1-5] involving the Weapons X soldiers - that is a great arc. Otherwise, I would avoid this omnibus as there are better ones out there.
The best story arc is the one where Wolverine meets a new batch of 'Weapon X' soldiers who are genetically engineered to be as close to Wolverine as possible. It was a great series. I also liked how Wolverine discussed how much he hates the ocean - how it is the only thing on the planet that can kill him. This is because of his adamantium skeleton - it is so heavy that he cannot float and its weight will drag him to the ocean floor. Wolverine has taken it upon himself to rid the world of any and all Weapon X programs he encounters - this nearly gets him killed in the process.
The most stupid story that I hated the most involved Logan encountering an escaped whackjob who turns mentally ill people into bizarre weapons. The original doctor of the insane asylum was one of the survivors when the inmates turned against the medical crew. The original doctor would create specially designed assassins to fit the needs of whatever criminal element ordered. The whackjob just needs to die. He is a sick individual - I assume Marvel's attempt at creating a 'Joker' for their universe. At one point, Wolverine slices open his intestines and guts him; the con attempts to strangle Wolverine using his own intestines!?! What the heck? It was a sick, disturbing story and one I will be happy to forget about reading if possible.
The second dumbest story had to do with the Deathloks. They were sent back through time to kill people who would lead the resistance against their kind in the future. This was done much better in Terminator Three, and that Terminator was a lot more attractive to boot. If this story wasn't so sadly familiar it might have barely passed as almost interesting. The ending was anticlimactic to the extreme. A little boy grows up to become a mass murder [wasn't that already done in Terminator Salvation?] and is turned into a Deathlok [I swear the author is merely recycling Terminator movies as his own story line for a comic book story arc!] who travels back in time to consider killing himself [instead of Kyle Reese] - we discover that instead of killing himself, he goes on to lead the resistance against himself in the future. Sheer stupidity.
The best story in the whole collection involves Wolverine honoring Nightcrawler's last request. He is to take a piano to a mission in South America by dragging it to the top of a mountain on which the mission is located. It had some good reflections on conversations between Logan and Kurt as Logan attempted to honor Kurt's last request in his own unique fashion.
The last 'dumb' story involves Wolverine having to 'kill' Mystique. A part of me gets it - Logan is not sinking to her level and killing her even though she deserves to die. Still, though, part of me does not get it. She deserves to die; she even acknowledges her betrayals and glories in them. She should have been killed. She should have died considering her wounds in the desert. Whatever.
The story where Norman Osborne attempts to recruit Mystique was equally stupid. Not as bad as the whackjob in the nuthouse but still stupid. Her last line was completely predictable and completely idiotic. Lets see - a shape changer with a modest healing factor and some fighting skills honestly can beat sustained semi-automatic and automatic gunfire. Really? Don't think so - she's not that good.
There were two other good 'stories' - well, a two-comic arc that shows how hectic Wolverine's life has become due to the infinite number of teams of which he is a member. He is trying to remove the red from his ledger by doing as much good as he can, and he believes it will never be enough. But that does not keep him from trying. A great two-comic arc; kind of makes his conversations with Kurt more poignant as Kurt discusses forgiveness, healing, and a spiritual future which Logan cannot accept due to his overwhelming guilt.
A mass collection of garbage and drivel with some gems in it. The gems make it a higher rating that I probably would have given it. If you can, buy the shorter compilation of Weapon X [#1-5] involving the Weapons X soldiers - that is a great arc. Otherwise, I would avoid this omnibus as there are better ones out there.
April 9, 2023
I loved the story with Nightcrawler at the end, as well as the very violent asylum story (I can’t believe this wasn’t a Max book!) There is also some crap mixed in here, too.
May 28, 2021
This collection is uneven: some great stories and some real eye-rollers. Don't be afraid to skip a story that's going nowhere and you'll have a good time.
In general, Jason Aaron tells a great mopey, introspective Wolverine, and the best stories are ones that gently mock him for several pages. The Mystique and Deathlok arcs are quite good, playing up the sense of fatigue and repetition that differentiates Wolverine from all those other brooding antiheroes. Aaron's attempts at pulp action and psychological horror with one-dimensional new characters are far less effective: the asylum arc of Weapon X is just "I wish I were writing Batman" for six issues, while the kung fu arc combines a nonsense plot with a strong sense of trying too hard.
In general, Jason Aaron tells a great mopey, introspective Wolverine, and the best stories are ones that gently mock him for several pages. The Mystique and Deathlok arcs are quite good, playing up the sense of fatigue and repetition that differentiates Wolverine from all those other brooding antiheroes. Aaron's attempts at pulp action and psychological horror with one-dimensional new characters are far less effective: the asylum arc of Weapon X is just "I wish I were writing Batman" for six issues, while the kung fu arc combines a nonsense plot with a strong sense of trying too hard.
August 16, 2018
I freaking loved Aaron’s work in this Omni! After reading the his introduction and the stories, you can tell he really loves what he does and doesn’t take it for granted.
We see Wolverine in all manners of time periods getting the crap beaten out of him physically and emotionally.
Aaron takes us to the darker and twisted areas of Logan’s life from the get go while still showing his relationships with Mystique, Nightcrawler, Steve Rogers, and Spidey.
Seeing Wolverine as someone who is doing his damndest to make up for his sins by killing out of necessity to protect millions of people over his seemingly immortal life makes him an intriguing and complicated character worth reading.
We see Wolverine in all manners of time periods getting the crap beaten out of him physically and emotionally.
Aaron takes us to the darker and twisted areas of Logan’s life from the get go while still showing his relationships with Mystique, Nightcrawler, Steve Rogers, and Spidey.
Seeing Wolverine as someone who is doing his damndest to make up for his sins by killing out of necessity to protect millions of people over his seemingly immortal life makes him an intriguing and complicated character worth reading.
February 7, 2017
Some pretty good stuff. The stories here illustrate how Marvel Comics have tried to grow up over the last decade. We have stories that aren't all about action. Aaron has tried to add some depth to the character. He does a good job and Wolverine feels genuine, but some of the storylines were a little good and a little bad. They brought back some forgotten characters from the Deadly Hands of Kung Fu magazine that have barely been seen in years. There is also a Deathlok story that makes less sense the more you read it. In general, I like these stories, but don't love them.
January 12, 2024
Jason Aaron is completely overrated.
Each issue is full of violence, blood and emptiness.
What I really appreciate of a writer is the capacity to help you to connect the reader with a character but Jason is incapable of it.
Wolverine is an unknown character hidden in tons of violence.
Such a pity of the good artists here they follow a script that lead them to a bloody art no pleasant at all.
Yes, they capture the action but what else?
Wolverine has become an horror comic book.
I miss Claremont and John Buscema
Each issue is full of violence, blood and emptiness.
What I really appreciate of a writer is the capacity to help you to connect the reader with a character but Jason is incapable of it.
Wolverine is an unknown character hidden in tons of violence.
Such a pity of the good artists here they follow a script that lead them to a bloody art no pleasant at all.
Yes, they capture the action but what else?
Wolverine has become an horror comic book.
I miss Claremont and John Buscema
April 30, 2024
This volume of Jason Aaron penned Wolverine stories is pretty fantastic. There really aren't any lows in this book at all. I only dock the rating one star as it serves more as a collection of stories rather than a sprawling epic.
September 16, 2025
mixed bag of stories, but when it's good it's very good
June 18, 2015
Wolverine brought Jason Aaron to Marvel, inspiring the latter to write a comic pitch that won him a talent search and launched his career as a comic book writer. This collection, in many ways, is a love letter to Wolverine, collecting a number of (very) different stories about the character Aaron wrote over the years.
At times, the book feels rather uneven, largely due to the nonlinear assembly of the stories within its covers. The weakest moments are Aaron's stories that try to go too "big" with Wolverine, trying to make him feel more epic than the story calls for. The most egregious examples of these being two stories from the Weapon X series involving time traveling Deathlok robots eliminating people before they become threats to the Roxxon corporation (Logan feels like a bit of an afterthought in this narrative, and the ending doesn't really make a lot of sense) and a bizarre story set in Dunwich Sanatorium that pits our hero against Dr. Rotwell (who feels like he belongs in Tom Six's Human Centipede universe more than the Marvel timeline).
But when the stories work... boy do they work. The best moments in this collection tend to be "small" ones, focusing on Wolverine as a man rather than a superhero. Aaron makes a point of drawing on the fact that Logan has been around for over a century, telling tales about our favorite furry Canadian in 1920s Kansas City, San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s, and even that one time he took Captain America out for a night of epic drinking. The dialogue showcases that Wolverine is a lot smarter, a lot deeper, than many have made him over the years; Aaron makes him a character who is genuinely interesting.
I came to the book and its contents rather late, having first read Aaron's work in Wolverine & The X-Men before tracking down this volume. You can see some of the stuff the writer had in mind for Wolverine's later adventures starting to form in these stories, and that in itself makes me glad to have picked it up. But, ultimately, I loved reading the issues exploring the relationships between Wolverine and his friends. You can see Aaron figuring out just what kind of a person Wolverine is with these exchanges, and it's really lovely to watch it all unfold. They're all great, but my personal favorite was the one-shot where Logan receives a lot of advice about his new relationship from just about every major Marvel woman he's teamed up with.
This book isn't perfect, but it adds up to a sum greater than its parts. Generally, it presents several original and interesting perspectives on a character who has often felt generic and overexposed. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and I expect I'll continue to do so for several years to come.
At times, the book feels rather uneven, largely due to the nonlinear assembly of the stories within its covers. The weakest moments are Aaron's stories that try to go too "big" with Wolverine, trying to make him feel more epic than the story calls for. The most egregious examples of these being two stories from the Weapon X series involving time traveling Deathlok robots eliminating people before they become threats to the Roxxon corporation (Logan feels like a bit of an afterthought in this narrative, and the ending doesn't really make a lot of sense) and a bizarre story set in Dunwich Sanatorium that pits our hero against Dr. Rotwell (who feels like he belongs in Tom Six's Human Centipede universe more than the Marvel timeline).
But when the stories work... boy do they work. The best moments in this collection tend to be "small" ones, focusing on Wolverine as a man rather than a superhero. Aaron makes a point of drawing on the fact that Logan has been around for over a century, telling tales about our favorite furry Canadian in 1920s Kansas City, San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s, and even that one time he took Captain America out for a night of epic drinking. The dialogue showcases that Wolverine is a lot smarter, a lot deeper, than many have made him over the years; Aaron makes him a character who is genuinely interesting.
I came to the book and its contents rather late, having first read Aaron's work in Wolverine & The X-Men before tracking down this volume. You can see some of the stuff the writer had in mind for Wolverine's later adventures starting to form in these stories, and that in itself makes me glad to have picked it up. But, ultimately, I loved reading the issues exploring the relationships between Wolverine and his friends. You can see Aaron figuring out just what kind of a person Wolverine is with these exchanges, and it's really lovely to watch it all unfold. They're all great, but my personal favorite was the one-shot where Logan receives a lot of advice about his new relationship from just about every major Marvel woman he's teamed up with.
This book isn't perfect, but it adds up to a sum greater than its parts. Generally, it presents several original and interesting perspectives on a character who has often felt generic and overexposed. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and I expect I'll continue to do so for several years to come.
June 29, 2012
I found this book on a trail to a swimming hole just outside the 2012 Rainbow Gathering. So if you lost your copy, I have it. It was inscribed "To Logan, from Sketch." There is no doubt in my mind that this book was shoplifted. Maybe it's possible that it was discarded because page 763 is ripped, but probably not.
Since it was the only comic book for miles around, I devoured it. A thousand pages of Wolverine is more than anyone should read in three days, but I did it and here is what I have to say.
Barry Windsor-Smith's Weapon X story is surprisingly deep study of the way traumatic experiences trap their sufferers in an emotional loop, seen through the prism of a feral mutant and the three scientists who control his brain with electrodes.
The original appearance of Wolverine in Hulk #181 is the sort of annoying garbage that Marvel used to be famous for, shot through with some truly worrying 70s racism for no reason at all.
The most remarkable thing about Miller's Wolverine series, read with adult eyes, is the amount of negative space he leaves on each page. Makes sense when you're drawing for a writer as loquacious as Claremont. Miller is also as good as drawing ninjas fighting as he is bad at drawing faces.
Kitty Pryde vs. Wolverine veers between creepy and forgettable. The fact that Milgrom has become a master comics artist today is all the more painful when you see how far away he was in the early 80s.
Then come two forgotten masterworks, or at least I forgot them. Captain America and Wolverine marked the moment, for better or worse, that defined 90s comics action. It all started with Mike Zeck, and that cover really is as good as you recoall it. After this is Spider Man/Wolverine, a grim and interesting spy story that is so 80s that it happens in East Berlin. If I had to recommend a single 80s Marvel comic, this would probably be it.
After that we get to the 90s and the Marvel Comics Presents years. There is good art and occasional writing. The less said the better.
On the whole, it's a decent collection, far more thorough than it has any reason to be, but it sure isn't worth whatever they charge for it. Logan, if you want your book back, you can have it.
Since it was the only comic book for miles around, I devoured it. A thousand pages of Wolverine is more than anyone should read in three days, but I did it and here is what I have to say.
Barry Windsor-Smith's Weapon X story is surprisingly deep study of the way traumatic experiences trap their sufferers in an emotional loop, seen through the prism of a feral mutant and the three scientists who control his brain with electrodes.
The original appearance of Wolverine in Hulk #181 is the sort of annoying garbage that Marvel used to be famous for, shot through with some truly worrying 70s racism for no reason at all.
The most remarkable thing about Miller's Wolverine series, read with adult eyes, is the amount of negative space he leaves on each page. Makes sense when you're drawing for a writer as loquacious as Claremont. Miller is also as good as drawing ninjas fighting as he is bad at drawing faces.
Kitty Pryde vs. Wolverine veers between creepy and forgettable. The fact that Milgrom has become a master comics artist today is all the more painful when you see how far away he was in the early 80s.
Then come two forgotten masterworks, or at least I forgot them. Captain America and Wolverine marked the moment, for better or worse, that defined 90s comics action. It all started with Mike Zeck, and that cover really is as good as you recoall it. After this is Spider Man/Wolverine, a grim and interesting spy story that is so 80s that it happens in East Berlin. If I had to recommend a single 80s Marvel comic, this would probably be it.
After that we get to the 90s and the Marvel Comics Presents years. There is good art and occasional writing. The less said the better.
On the whole, it's a decent collection, far more thorough than it has any reason to be, but it sure isn't worth whatever they charge for it. Logan, if you want your book back, you can have it.
November 7, 2011
I've been ambivalent about Wolverine for a long time. To me, he's always had the stigma of being one of the harbingers of the 90s age of "Extreme" comics, with the blood and the gore and the perpetual scowling. I did like him a lot in Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men, and of course with Hugh Jackman's fantastic portrayal in the X-Men films, but I never really felt compelled to read his solo comics. That is, until I was encouraged to check out Jason Aaron's series of Wolverine stories. I had previously been recommended his series of Ghost Rider stories, which were extremely entertaining, and so I decided to take advantage of a good deal on this omnibus to read a bunch of Wolverine comics. I was not disappointed. There are all kinds of stories in here, from a series of flashbacks detailing Wolverine and Mystique's first meeting in the 1920s, to a superhero version of Big Trouble in Little China, a series about Wolverine fighting a corps of upgraded Weapon X soldiers with laser claws(!), and a moving story about Wolverine dragging a piano up a mountain in South America as a favor to a dead friend. Jason Aaron has a talent for writing real down-to-earth characters in absolutely insane circumstances. His Wolverine is a guy who reads Louis L'Amour in his spare time and likes John Wayne movies. It's the little details that add up to some fantastic stories.
This collection also includes one of my favorite Spider-Man lines I've read recently. "Look, people fleeing from a subway station! I know, I'll check it out! That won't get me punched in the face for absolutely no reason! It never does!"
This collection also includes one of my favorite Spider-Man lines I've read recently. "Look, people fleeing from a subway station! I know, I'll check it out! That won't get me punched in the face for absolutely no reason! It never does!"
February 3, 2013
Umm, wow. That sure was a lot of Wolvie. And dark. Lots of dark.
It is a lot to take in at once but I definitely feel like I have something of a handle on the Wolverine story. Not as much Avenger stuff as I though, but I guess that would be a different collection?
All the different comic lines and stories are confusing to me, the nerdy newcomer. Is there an explanation of how they all go together somewhere?
And another thing. I understand why you cant kill off a main nemisis. HOWEVER OMG WHEN YOU HAVE HER IN THE DESERT DONT JUST ASSUME FFS THAT SHE WILL DIE. Seriously. Take off her head.%$##!!! Just &%#%%$!!
It is a lot to take in at once but I definitely feel like I have something of a handle on the Wolverine story. Not as much Avenger stuff as I though, but I guess that would be a different collection?
All the different comic lines and stories are confusing to me, the nerdy newcomer. Is there an explanation of how they all go together somewhere?
And another thing. I understand why you cant kill off a main nemisis. HOWEVER OMG WHEN YOU HAVE HER IN THE DESERT DONT JUST ASSUME FFS THAT SHE WILL DIE. Seriously. Take off her head.%$##!!! Just &%#%%$!!
December 22, 2013
I want to read more of Aaron's Wolverine work. That's a good sign. His strengths in this volume are the short stories that focus on Logan's character. Collectively, the longer story arcs are all over the place in terms of plot and theme. The books consists of stories from across a variety of books with months and years separating their initial publication. I hope a second volume is published because I've heard that the a greater whole story is visible then. The strength and range of the artists who contribute to this collection help elevate it beyond any lower rating I would give it because of the story.
December 7, 2011
Some very good arcs (especially the latter two of the full blown Weapon X series) some good shorter ones (I really liked the Chaykin one off) but all over the place in terms of tone - I get that that's slightly the point, but it means that no one will ever love everything in this.
I myself was bored to tears by the Kung-fu face-off in Chinatown, the Manifest Destiny series.
But the quality is high, even in those unwanted parts.
As to the art - again, all over the place. Four issues with the god-like Yanick Paquette, but mainly the workmanesque Garney. I can't complain.
I myself was bored to tears by the Kung-fu face-off in Chinatown, the Manifest Destiny series.
But the quality is high, even in those unwanted parts.
As to the art - again, all over the place. Four issues with the god-like Yanick Paquette, but mainly the workmanesque Garney. I can't complain.
May 25, 2015
A surprisingly solid collection given the span of time it took place over.
Jason Aaron won his writing gig. The story is impressive for its brevity.
The Deathlok storyline is kind of lame, but that's mostly because I don't care for time-travel stories that are anymore complicated than the first Terminator.
The best story is the mourning of Nightcrawler. It's rare that a crossover tie-in is worth anything without reading the full event. It's also really touching that without reading years of X-Men, I can still feel the closeness of Nightcrawler and Wolverine.
Jason Aaron won his writing gig. The story is impressive for its brevity.
The Deathlok storyline is kind of lame, but that's mostly because I don't care for time-travel stories that are anymore complicated than the first Terminator.
The best story is the mourning of Nightcrawler. It's rare that a crossover tie-in is worth anything without reading the full event. It's also really touching that without reading years of X-Men, I can still feel the closeness of Nightcrawler and Wolverine.
August 25, 2012
Jason Aaron is to Wolverine like Garth Ennis is to The Punisher. He truly understands the character and his long history. This contains many different type of stories. Time travel, insane asylums, crazy kung-fu with a guy who can punch your soul. Fantastic.
October 14, 2015
Great collection with a consistent voice
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