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Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel's Wolverine
Wolverine. Logan. Weapon X. By any name, Marvel Comic's savage, brooding antihero is, in his own words, the best at what he does--killing with gratuitous precision. Paradoxically violent yet humane, the beer-swilling, cigar-smoking mutant with retractable claws is universally misjudged in the Marvel Universe yet esteemed by fans worldwide. The author explores Wolverine's development from bit character to modern legend over more than four decades, with a focus on his enduring appeal as an allegory for resilience through torment.
- GenresNonfictionComics
205 pages, Paperback
Published June 19, 2018
26 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Suzana E. Flores
2 books11 followersOver the past three years Dr. Flores has studied the Facebook phenomenon extensively, interviewing people from across the globe on their experiences with social-media addiction, and how social-media has affected their sense of self, social interactions, sense of privacy, need for validation, relationships, along with their emotional responses to stress encountered online, cyber-bullying, and emotional manipulators.
As a social-media expert and commentator, she regularly appears as the resident psychologist on The Ron Kelly Show and co-hosts radio show The Bad Boy and The Doc. She is a regular blog contributor to Pros and Cons, and has appeared on national and international Newscasts, Podcasts, radio and talk shows including CBS.com, WGN Radio Chicago, The ManCow Show in Chicago, National Public Radio (NPR), Univision Television News, Sound Off with E.V.E, Charlotte News WSOC-TV, WLTH 1370AM Radio, "LIVE! with The Love Dr." Deanna Lorraine, and radio broadcasts out of Cologne, Germany.
She also frequently contributes to print media and was quoted in CBS Chicago, Esquire.com, Everyday Health Magazine, Mashable.com, Dame Magazine, The Nation Magazine, SheKnows.com, Vegas Seven Magazine, New Parent Magazine, Hispanic Health & Beauty Magazine, La Raza Newspaper, Newlyweds.com, Upwave.com, Mujeres Sin Censura, and Moms.me.
Dr. Flores is frequently asked to present at various universities and organizations throughout the Chicago-land area. Recently she presented at the National Security Awareness Symposium through CSSIA on privacy issues surround social-media.
As a social-media expert and commentator, she regularly appears as the resident psychologist on The Ron Kelly Show and co-hosts radio show The Bad Boy and The Doc. She is a regular blog contributor to Pros and Cons, and has appeared on national and international Newscasts, Podcasts, radio and talk shows including CBS.com, WGN Radio Chicago, The ManCow Show in Chicago, National Public Radio (NPR), Univision Television News, Sound Off with E.V.E, Charlotte News WSOC-TV, WLTH 1370AM Radio, "LIVE! with The Love Dr." Deanna Lorraine, and radio broadcasts out of Cologne, Germany.
She also frequently contributes to print media and was quoted in CBS Chicago, Esquire.com, Everyday Health Magazine, Mashable.com, Dame Magazine, The Nation Magazine, SheKnows.com, Vegas Seven Magazine, New Parent Magazine, Hispanic Health & Beauty Magazine, La Raza Newspaper, Newlyweds.com, Upwave.com, Mujeres Sin Censura, and Moms.me.
Dr. Flores is frequently asked to present at various universities and organizations throughout the Chicago-land area. Recently she presented at the National Security Awareness Symposium through CSSIA on privacy issues surround social-media.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 20, 2019
A Flawed Book with a Few Good Insights (Better Recommendations Included)
Before I begin my strong criticisms about this book, I would like to discuss what the author does really well. In chapters two, three, and four, she discusses the comic book stories of Origin and Weapon X in depth, and she provides a really good overview of trauma, PTSD, and related psychological issues. The author outlines how Wolverine’s early childhood (and early adulthood) experiences in Origin and Wolverine’s torture at the hands of the Weapon X Program resulted in deep psychological trauma for our hero. For instance, instead of viewing Wolverine’s enhanced senses as a byproduct of his random, genetic mutant powers, they are instead viewed as extreme hypervigilance due to his PTSD. Yes, this is a retcon, but this is the good kind of retcon as it brings Wolverine’s world closer to ours. The author similarly relates these critical storylines to Wolverine’s dissociative amnesia, learned helplessness, and difficulty forming platonic and romantic bonds that endure. These chapters are what this book intends to be about. It is my theory that the author was able to write these chapters well because they were self-contained comic book stories that touched on deep psychological issues that are close to her heart. (The author discloses some of her trauma history in the introduction, which makes it easy to understand why she chose this project. I solute her courage and I respect that she may feel closer to Wolverine as a character that I ever have. But her long-term expertise just is not there, which is evident by how much she relies on the movies to make her points and the disjointedness that I discuss later in this review.)
Nevertheless, the bulk of the book is just not well written. Chapters seven, eight, and nine do not qualify as in-depth analyses of either Wolverine nor of psychological principles. She spends a lot of time discussing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love, and other psychological theories that read like an “Introduction to Psych 101” pamphlet. While she does tie them into aspects of Wolverine, the specific theories she chose never feel critical to our understanding of Wolverine. They’re just there to justify the “Psychology” part of the title.
Things really turn ugly with chapters five and six. Her fifth chapter, “When the Claws Come Out,” is a very poor analysis of Wolverine’s greatest rivals and enemies. Each entry is brief, lacking in depth, and fails to look at any events between Wolverine and the other person that deviate from the norm (e.g., times that Wolverine teamed up with Sabretooth). The author’s discussion of personality disorders was sorely lacking and ham-fisted. But, it is chapter six, “The X-Men: Oppression and the M-Word,” that makes me want to go into a berserker rage. This chapter barely mentions Wolverine at all because it is so busy explaining the mutant metaphor. (A very important task but mostly irrelevant because of how she does it.) Even worse, it gets stuck on the “classic” (and intellectually poor) argument that Professor Charles Xavier is Martin Luther King Jr. and Magneto is Malcolm X, which turns both the fictional characters and real-life people into two-dimensional cardboard cut-outs of themselves. (Moreover, this analogy implies that Malcom X was wrong (at best) and a supervillain (at worst). It also neglects how both Marin Luther King Jr’s and Malcom X’s philosophies changed throughout their lives. There are many critical analyses of these arguments that you can easily find online.)
What makes the author’s Xavier-Magneto discussion especially egregious is that she does not even mention Schism! Using the bad analysis above, Schism results in Wolverine becoming the new Xavier and Cyclops becoming the new Magneto. But, of course, it’s way more complex than that. From Wolverine’s perspective, Cyclops is turning the next generation of mutants into child soldiers, so Wolverine re-opens the school as the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning (see Wolverine and the X-Men). Of course, being Wolverine, he also secretly keeps running the new X-Men black ops hit squad to kill anyone who is a significant threat to mutants (see Uncanny X-Force). Thus, Wolverine takes on a “sin-eater” role where he kills bad guys in order to keep mutants (and humans) safe so that children don’t have to become killers like himself. (While the X-Men fight for a world that hates and fears them, Wolverine often hates himself and fears anyone else becoming him.) This is quintessential Wolverine. And, NONE of this is in this book.
I am able to spot the flaws int this book because I a clinical psychologist with a PhD and a huge X-Men and Wolverine fan. I am very well versed in Wolverine for the years 1974 – 1990, 1993-2000 and 2010 – 2014, and I have consumed numerous comic book blogs, podcasts, TV shows, and movies about the X-Men and Wolverine. Meanwhile, the author of this book appears to be a Wolverine neophyte. I am not convinced that she has read fifty Wolverine issues total as her citations appear to be random (with the exceptions of Origins, Weapon X, and his first solo mini-series). For instance, she mentions Magneto ripping out Wolverine’s adamantium from his bones in Fatal Attractions but fails to analyze how this makes him physically and psychological vulnerable for years (before the inevitable return of the iconic metal). More puzzling, she mentions Wolverine’s marriage to Viper during Chris Claremont’s infamous return in Wolverine (vol. 2) # 125 – 128, even though this event had very little impact on Wolverine both in the months afterwards and further down the line. It’s largely irrelevant. Additionally, she frequently switches back and forth between the mainstream comics Wolverine and the Fox films with Hugh Jackman that would lead many short-term fans to be confused about which events happened to which character. One does not have to love Wolverine for decades in order to be a “true fan.” There are no “fake nerds,” even if you’ve only read one issue or seen one movie or TV episode. However, one should have a much longer history with Wolverine before writing a book on the topic (or limit their discussion to the Fox movies only).
In conclusion, this book is not uncanny, astonishing, nor essential. Instead of buying this book, I highly recommend that you read the following:
(1) X-Men and Philosophy (2009) edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski, which has a great chapter titled “Amnesia, Personal Identity, and the Many Lives of Wolverine,” frequently mentions of Wolverine throughout the book, and possesses an incredible ability to grant insight into philosophy using the X-Men and vice versa.
(2) The excellent blog entries by Neil Kapit on Handi-Capeable, including "Maybe It Just Hurts To Be Me; Wolverine and Chronic Pain" by dated November 28, 2009 and "Wolverine By Paul Cornell and Alan Davis, Superhero Comic of the Year" dated December 24, 2013.
(3) The Wolverine Spotlight on UncannyXMen.net, located under Cerebro Files.
(4) The following Wolverine comic book stories that can generate deep conversations about Wolverine’s psychology:
(a) Origin # 1 – 6 (2001) written by Paul Jenkins and penciled by Andy Kubert. Wolverine faces rejection and heartache growing up as a young child and young adult.
(b) Marvel Comics Presents (vol. 1) # 72 - 84 (1991) written and penciled by Barry Windsor-Smith and collected as Wolverine: Weapon X in trade paperback (TPB). Wolverine is tortured by the Weapon X Program and given his adamantium skeleton.
(c) Wolverine (vol. 1) # 1 - 4 (1982) written by Chris Claremont and penciled by Frank Miller. This story initiates the idea that Wolverine is a ronin (a samurai without a master).
(d) Uncanny X-Men (vol. 1) # 2015 (1986) written by Chris Claremont and Barry Windsor-Smith and penciled by Barry Windsor-Smith. An amnesiac Wolverine must fight Lady Deathstrike in a blizzard while protecting a young child’s innocence.
(e) X-Force (vol. 3) # 1-28 (2008-2010) written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost and penciled by Clayton Crain, Mike Choi, and others. Wolverine is the field leader of Cyclops' secret black-ops hit squad. This is violent and dark but really good.
(f) Uncanny X-Force (vol. 1) # 1-35 (2010-2013) written by Rick Remender and penciled by Jerome Opena, Phil Noto, and others. Wolverine runs a new, secret black-ops hit squad after Cyclops tells him to disband it. This is violent and dark but really good. Starting with issue # 19 this occurs concurrently with Wolverine and the X-Men, which makes for a great pairing but can be read independently.
(g) Schism # 1-5 (2011) written by Jason Aaron and penciled by Carlos Pacheco, Adam Kubert, and others. Wolverine’s and Cyclops’ philosophical divide about the future of mutantkind explodes.
(h) Wolverine and the X-Men (vol. 1) # 1 - 42 (2011-2014) written by Jason Aaron and penciled by Chris Bachalo, Nick Bradshaw, Ramon Perez, Pepe Larrazm, and others. Wolverine reopens the school for mutants and learns what it is to be a principal and teacher for young minds. This is often funny but with a deep heart.
Before I begin my strong criticisms about this book, I would like to discuss what the author does really well. In chapters two, three, and four, she discusses the comic book stories of Origin and Weapon X in depth, and she provides a really good overview of trauma, PTSD, and related psychological issues. The author outlines how Wolverine’s early childhood (and early adulthood) experiences in Origin and Wolverine’s torture at the hands of the Weapon X Program resulted in deep psychological trauma for our hero. For instance, instead of viewing Wolverine’s enhanced senses as a byproduct of his random, genetic mutant powers, they are instead viewed as extreme hypervigilance due to his PTSD. Yes, this is a retcon, but this is the good kind of retcon as it brings Wolverine’s world closer to ours. The author similarly relates these critical storylines to Wolverine’s dissociative amnesia, learned helplessness, and difficulty forming platonic and romantic bonds that endure. These chapters are what this book intends to be about. It is my theory that the author was able to write these chapters well because they were self-contained comic book stories that touched on deep psychological issues that are close to her heart. (The author discloses some of her trauma history in the introduction, which makes it easy to understand why she chose this project. I solute her courage and I respect that she may feel closer to Wolverine as a character that I ever have. But her long-term expertise just is not there, which is evident by how much she relies on the movies to make her points and the disjointedness that I discuss later in this review.)
Nevertheless, the bulk of the book is just not well written. Chapters seven, eight, and nine do not qualify as in-depth analyses of either Wolverine nor of psychological principles. She spends a lot of time discussing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love, and other psychological theories that read like an “Introduction to Psych 101” pamphlet. While she does tie them into aspects of Wolverine, the specific theories she chose never feel critical to our understanding of Wolverine. They’re just there to justify the “Psychology” part of the title.
Things really turn ugly with chapters five and six. Her fifth chapter, “When the Claws Come Out,” is a very poor analysis of Wolverine’s greatest rivals and enemies. Each entry is brief, lacking in depth, and fails to look at any events between Wolverine and the other person that deviate from the norm (e.g., times that Wolverine teamed up with Sabretooth). The author’s discussion of personality disorders was sorely lacking and ham-fisted. But, it is chapter six, “The X-Men: Oppression and the M-Word,” that makes me want to go into a berserker rage. This chapter barely mentions Wolverine at all because it is so busy explaining the mutant metaphor. (A very important task but mostly irrelevant because of how she does it.) Even worse, it gets stuck on the “classic” (and intellectually poor) argument that Professor Charles Xavier is Martin Luther King Jr. and Magneto is Malcolm X, which turns both the fictional characters and real-life people into two-dimensional cardboard cut-outs of themselves. (Moreover, this analogy implies that Malcom X was wrong (at best) and a supervillain (at worst). It also neglects how both Marin Luther King Jr’s and Malcom X’s philosophies changed throughout their lives. There are many critical analyses of these arguments that you can easily find online.)
What makes the author’s Xavier-Magneto discussion especially egregious is that she does not even mention Schism! Using the bad analysis above, Schism results in Wolverine becoming the new Xavier and Cyclops becoming the new Magneto. But, of course, it’s way more complex than that. From Wolverine’s perspective, Cyclops is turning the next generation of mutants into child soldiers, so Wolverine re-opens the school as the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning (see Wolverine and the X-Men). Of course, being Wolverine, he also secretly keeps running the new X-Men black ops hit squad to kill anyone who is a significant threat to mutants (see Uncanny X-Force). Thus, Wolverine takes on a “sin-eater” role where he kills bad guys in order to keep mutants (and humans) safe so that children don’t have to become killers like himself. (While the X-Men fight for a world that hates and fears them, Wolverine often hates himself and fears anyone else becoming him.) This is quintessential Wolverine. And, NONE of this is in this book.
I am able to spot the flaws int this book because I a clinical psychologist with a PhD and a huge X-Men and Wolverine fan. I am very well versed in Wolverine for the years 1974 – 1990, 1993-2000 and 2010 – 2014, and I have consumed numerous comic book blogs, podcasts, TV shows, and movies about the X-Men and Wolverine. Meanwhile, the author of this book appears to be a Wolverine neophyte. I am not convinced that she has read fifty Wolverine issues total as her citations appear to be random (with the exceptions of Origins, Weapon X, and his first solo mini-series). For instance, she mentions Magneto ripping out Wolverine’s adamantium from his bones in Fatal Attractions but fails to analyze how this makes him physically and psychological vulnerable for years (before the inevitable return of the iconic metal). More puzzling, she mentions Wolverine’s marriage to Viper during Chris Claremont’s infamous return in Wolverine (vol. 2) # 125 – 128, even though this event had very little impact on Wolverine both in the months afterwards and further down the line. It’s largely irrelevant. Additionally, she frequently switches back and forth between the mainstream comics Wolverine and the Fox films with Hugh Jackman that would lead many short-term fans to be confused about which events happened to which character. One does not have to love Wolverine for decades in order to be a “true fan.” There are no “fake nerds,” even if you’ve only read one issue or seen one movie or TV episode. However, one should have a much longer history with Wolverine before writing a book on the topic (or limit their discussion to the Fox movies only).
In conclusion, this book is not uncanny, astonishing, nor essential. Instead of buying this book, I highly recommend that you read the following:
(1) X-Men and Philosophy (2009) edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski, which has a great chapter titled “Amnesia, Personal Identity, and the Many Lives of Wolverine,” frequently mentions of Wolverine throughout the book, and possesses an incredible ability to grant insight into philosophy using the X-Men and vice versa.
(2) The excellent blog entries by Neil Kapit on Handi-Capeable, including "Maybe It Just Hurts To Be Me; Wolverine and Chronic Pain" by dated November 28, 2009 and "Wolverine By Paul Cornell and Alan Davis, Superhero Comic of the Year" dated December 24, 2013.
(3) The Wolverine Spotlight on UncannyXMen.net, located under Cerebro Files.
(4) The following Wolverine comic book stories that can generate deep conversations about Wolverine’s psychology:
(a) Origin # 1 – 6 (2001) written by Paul Jenkins and penciled by Andy Kubert. Wolverine faces rejection and heartache growing up as a young child and young adult.
(b) Marvel Comics Presents (vol. 1) # 72 - 84 (1991) written and penciled by Barry Windsor-Smith and collected as Wolverine: Weapon X in trade paperback (TPB). Wolverine is tortured by the Weapon X Program and given his adamantium skeleton.
(c) Wolverine (vol. 1) # 1 - 4 (1982) written by Chris Claremont and penciled by Frank Miller. This story initiates the idea that Wolverine is a ronin (a samurai without a master).
(d) Uncanny X-Men (vol. 1) # 2015 (1986) written by Chris Claremont and Barry Windsor-Smith and penciled by Barry Windsor-Smith. An amnesiac Wolverine must fight Lady Deathstrike in a blizzard while protecting a young child’s innocence.
(e) X-Force (vol. 3) # 1-28 (2008-2010) written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost and penciled by Clayton Crain, Mike Choi, and others. Wolverine is the field leader of Cyclops' secret black-ops hit squad. This is violent and dark but really good.
(f) Uncanny X-Force (vol. 1) # 1-35 (2010-2013) written by Rick Remender and penciled by Jerome Opena, Phil Noto, and others. Wolverine runs a new, secret black-ops hit squad after Cyclops tells him to disband it. This is violent and dark but really good. Starting with issue # 19 this occurs concurrently with Wolverine and the X-Men, which makes for a great pairing but can be read independently.
(g) Schism # 1-5 (2011) written by Jason Aaron and penciled by Carlos Pacheco, Adam Kubert, and others. Wolverine’s and Cyclops’ philosophical divide about the future of mutantkind explodes.
(h) Wolverine and the X-Men (vol. 1) # 1 - 42 (2011-2014) written by Jason Aaron and penciled by Chris Bachalo, Nick Bradshaw, Ramon Perez, Pepe Larrazm, and others. Wolverine reopens the school for mutants and learns what it is to be a principal and teacher for young minds. This is often funny but with a deep heart.
July 2, 2018
Thank you NetGalley and McFarland & Company for this ARC.
The author explores Wolverine's development from bit character to modern legend over more than four decades, with a focus on his enduring appeal as an allegory for resilience through torment.
I was super excited when I got the approval notice for this one. Wolverine is one of my favourite comic book characters, and no not just 'cause he's Canadian....though that helps ;)
Fun fact found in the book: Wolverine was created to satiate the growing incline of Canadian comic book readers. Booyah!
I was expecting an in depth look at Wolverine and all his fascinating personality traits and the growths in his psyche over his lifetime. There was some of this though not as much as you would have though given the title.
"Wolverine (a.k.a James Hewlett, and later known simply as Logan) is a mutant, an antihero, and a human being all in one conflicted carcass."
The author pulls her research from his comics, movie appearances, and creative geniuses behind all the works. There is A LOT of unnecessary words in this book. Including (but not limited to) a long winded rant about the 2016 Presidential election in America, and far too much detail on how torture is carried out all over the world. Straying so far off topic so often throughout the book made it difficult to get through something I was so very much looking forward to reading.
"He wasn't born a rebellious lone wolf; he was made on."
I did enjoy the deconstruction of Wolverine's love life found in Chapter 7:The One That Got Away. I thought the way she broke down some of his more infamous relationships using clinical theories and comparative examples before explaining the hows and whys to reinforce them was brilliant! If the whole book had been more like this chapter this would have been a solid five stars for me.
The author explores Wolverine's development from bit character to modern legend over more than four decades, with a focus on his enduring appeal as an allegory for resilience through torment.
I was super excited when I got the approval notice for this one. Wolverine is one of my favourite comic book characters, and no not just 'cause he's Canadian....though that helps ;)
Fun fact found in the book: Wolverine was created to satiate the growing incline of Canadian comic book readers. Booyah!
I was expecting an in depth look at Wolverine and all his fascinating personality traits and the growths in his psyche over his lifetime. There was some of this though not as much as you would have though given the title.
"Wolverine (a.k.a James Hewlett, and later known simply as Logan) is a mutant, an antihero, and a human being all in one conflicted carcass."
The author pulls her research from his comics, movie appearances, and creative geniuses behind all the works. There is A LOT of unnecessary words in this book. Including (but not limited to) a long winded rant about the 2016 Presidential election in America, and far too much detail on how torture is carried out all over the world. Straying so far off topic so often throughout the book made it difficult to get through something I was so very much looking forward to reading.
"He wasn't born a rebellious lone wolf; he was made on."
I did enjoy the deconstruction of Wolverine's love life found in Chapter 7:The One That Got Away. I thought the way she broke down some of his more infamous relationships using clinical theories and comparative examples before explaining the hows and whys to reinforce them was brilliant! If the whole book had been more like this chapter this would have been a solid five stars for me.
Read
September 18, 2018For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel’s Wolverine by Suzana E. Flores is a non-fiction analysis and exploration of the titled fictional anti-hero. Dr. Flores, a fan of comic books, is a social media expert and commentator.
I stumbled across Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel’s Wolverine by Suzana E. Flores accidentally and couldn’t let it pass by. I have read several books in the same vein (either “The Science of…”, “The Psychology of…”, or “The Philosophy of…”) and enjoyed many of them, as well as learned a thing or two along the way.
Always a good thing.
Dr. Flores uses her knowledge, schooling and just plain logic to analyze Wolverine. The author obviously has done research beyond just watching the X-Men movies, but she also read the comic books and interviewed the creators themselves for more insights.
Before starting the analysis, the author writes a thorough examination of the anti-hero himself, what makes him who he is, past events which shaped him, major milestones and relationships. Wolverine’s wonderful / disturbing quote of “I’m the best there is at what I do … but what I do isn’t very nice” is featured prominently throughout the book – and I can’t blame her, it’s a brilliantly descriptive quote which captures the essence of the character.
I enjoyed learning how the writers and artists came to create Wolverine, mainly as a Canadian hero to capture a readership segment. I was also surprised that much of the history of Wolverine came from the author’s personal life, which is why it hit so many chords with readers all around the world.
This book is short, but very well organized, so well organized in fact that I noticed how organized it is. The themes, events, and theories all have their own place, as well as dedicated chapters to portions of Wolverine’s life and battles (with others, himself and romantic ones as well).
If you like the comic books, the character, the X-Men team, or just the Marvel Universe this book will certainly be right up your alley. The author makes connections to the story-lines and themes to today’s world, explaining the role comic books, or as I like to refer to them as American Mythology, have on our society and the future.
Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel’s Wolverine by Suzana E. Flores is a non-fiction analysis and exploration of the titled fictional anti-hero. Dr. Flores, a fan of comic books, is a social media expert and commentator.
I stumbled across Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel’s Wolverine by Suzana E. Flores accidentally and couldn’t let it pass by. I have read several books in the same vein (either “The Science of…”, “The Psychology of…”, or “The Philosophy of…”) and enjoyed many of them, as well as learned a thing or two along the way.
Always a good thing.
Dr. Flores uses her knowledge, schooling and just plain logic to analyze Wolverine. The author obviously has done research beyond just watching the X-Men movies, but she also read the comic books and interviewed the creators themselves for more insights.
Before starting the analysis, the author writes a thorough examination of the anti-hero himself, what makes him who he is, past events which shaped him, major milestones and relationships. Wolverine’s wonderful / disturbing quote of “I’m the best there is at what I do … but what I do isn’t very nice” is featured prominently throughout the book – and I can’t blame her, it’s a brilliantly descriptive quote which captures the essence of the character.
I enjoyed learning how the writers and artists came to create Wolverine, mainly as a Canadian hero to capture a readership segment. I was also surprised that much of the history of Wolverine came from the author’s personal life, which is why it hit so many chords with readers all around the world.
This book is short, but very well organized, so well organized in fact that I noticed how organized it is. The themes, events, and theories all have their own place, as well as dedicated chapters to portions of Wolverine’s life and battles (with others, himself and romantic ones as well).
If you like the comic books, the character, the X-Men team, or just the Marvel Universe this book will certainly be right up your alley. The author makes connections to the story-lines and themes to today’s world, explaining the role comic books, or as I like to refer to them as American Mythology, have on our society and the future.
August 13, 2018
I received a copy of Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel’s Wolverine through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I can honestly tell you that I never expected to see a novel that literally analysis the psychology of a comic book character…but man am I happy to be surprised by this one! While it may never have occurred to me to seek out a book like this, I am happy that it was written and that I stumbled across it.
Suzana E. Flores absolutely had the writing and psychology chops to nail this analysis. While some of her explanations may have been long winded, it doesn’t change the fact that she knew what she was talking about. I don’t know if I agree with every conclusion she came to about Wolverine, but likewise I really can’t argue with her logic for getting there.
Along with an in-depth analysis of Wolverine’s mental state, Untamed includes an in-depth view on the character himself (which makes sense – you have to know the character before you can study him) and major events in his past. Since these events made him the character he is today, that all makes complete sense.
Still, it was interesting to learn so much more about Wolverine. For example, I never knew the origin behind Wolverine’s creation, nor did I know about the author’s real life histories that gave Wolverine such a lifelike backbone.
Flores breaks up major events, themes, and theories into nicely organized chapters. She has an entire chapter dedicated to Wolverine’s childhood (which again, makes sense), the subject of torture (which again, unfortunately for Logan, makes sense), and Wolverine’s romantic interests and failures. There’s more, of course, but those were the parts that stood out in my mind the most.
Together all of these chapters, perspectives, and theories give us a fuller idea of Wolverine and the true suffering he’s experienced over time. It gives us a better idea of the character he’s become, and why he behaves the way he does.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
I can honestly tell you that I never expected to see a novel that literally analysis the psychology of a comic book character…but man am I happy to be surprised by this one! While it may never have occurred to me to seek out a book like this, I am happy that it was written and that I stumbled across it.
Suzana E. Flores absolutely had the writing and psychology chops to nail this analysis. While some of her explanations may have been long winded, it doesn’t change the fact that she knew what she was talking about. I don’t know if I agree with every conclusion she came to about Wolverine, but likewise I really can’t argue with her logic for getting there.
Along with an in-depth analysis of Wolverine’s mental state, Untamed includes an in-depth view on the character himself (which makes sense – you have to know the character before you can study him) and major events in his past. Since these events made him the character he is today, that all makes complete sense.
Still, it was interesting to learn so much more about Wolverine. For example, I never knew the origin behind Wolverine’s creation, nor did I know about the author’s real life histories that gave Wolverine such a lifelike backbone.
Flores breaks up major events, themes, and theories into nicely organized chapters. She has an entire chapter dedicated to Wolverine’s childhood (which again, makes sense), the subject of torture (which again, unfortunately for Logan, makes sense), and Wolverine’s romantic interests and failures. There’s more, of course, but those were the parts that stood out in my mind the most.
Together all of these chapters, perspectives, and theories give us a fuller idea of Wolverine and the true suffering he’s experienced over time. It gives us a better idea of the character he’s become, and why he behaves the way he does.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
February 10, 2021
“Untamed” Dr. Suzana E. Flores’s book psychoanalyzing the myth of Marvel Comic’s ‘Wolverine’ is an excellent analysis for those interested in the cross section of pop-culture and identity, and an essential to the collection of any ‘Wolverine’ or ‘X-Men’ die hard.
Academically (with the occasional personal flair), Flores systematically takes into account the varying mental health conditions ‘Wolverine’ exhibits and applies those examples (from comics and film) to modern day relevancy. She touches upon the traumatized experiences of childhood neglect, torture, and emotional hardships the character has faced and brings home an emotionally compelling, and intellectually stimulating, breakdown of a character that enthralls its audience for a collectively shared reason: ‘Wolverine’ is the non-stop process of healing and dealing with various forms of trauma, and in him we pour our own issues (personally, culturally, societally, etc.) and find the catharsis of the self-sufficient, and actualized, outsider who isn’t afraid to get violent or kind to do what they see is best. This self-confidence is a thing rarely gained in most people, but in reading Flores’s work, the reasons for such synthesis are made plain (easily understandable while intelligent and complex in argument). Whether an emotionally abusive partner or family member, a lost deep-romance, or the beneficiaries of belonging to a people or close friends, Flores puts into words what we know and feel when we spend time with Wolvie, but may not bring to our direct attention (usually because we are all caught up in watching him go stabby).
It is refreshing too to read a book that draws parallels between the metaphor for the mutant and the other, their struggle, without sounding like the bland, paint-by-numbers, history book on comics that most fans have read a thousand times by this point. Rather, in our modern late-stage-capitalism world she argues the relevancy for the Magneto and Charles Xavier characters (it is always refreshing to hear someone acknowledge the “Magneto was Right” argument – which as of the Jonathon Hickman “House of X/Powers of X” story is the cannon argument), their draws and detractors, and how Wolverine is the perfect hero for our time being the working-class survivor of the invasive (bordering on sexual) metal-machine synthesis down to his adamantium bones.
If there is anywhere further, I would have liked to have seen and expansion on that the main cast of X-Men, aside from Storm and Thunderbird, are white. Especially their MLK Jr. and Malcolm X stand-ins – with acknowledgement of the Jewish experience being incorporated with Magneto. It is, in this reviewer’s opinion, a function of white supremacy culture that the anxieties about racial tensions be played out in metaphors by white artists. ‘Blade Runner’, for example. The other is that the argument is made that regarding group-identity mentality that “To be clear, not everyone who voted for this president is a racist or a homophobe. Indeed, some voted for him despite glaring character flaws. Many who voted for Trump identified themselves as part of an afflicted majority – economically disenfranchised, intellectually denigrated, disparaged by an elitist liberal opposition and besieged by bureaucratic regulations viewed as having been artificially gerrymandered to benefit the multiple minorities around them.” Whether or not one was tricked or was acting in ignorance into Trump’s minority hating rhetoric, if it is true that they saw any legislation that may help the downtrodden as an offense on them, they are indeed racist. The other argument I’d counter to this one is that nobody is ‘a racist’ because racism is any action that causes the enforcement of racial discrimination. One is either racist or anti-racist, not ‘a racist’ or ‘not a racist’. Racism isn’t a title one can wear like ‘laborer’ or ‘govenor’. One can participate in anti-racist action while also, knowingly or not, participate in racist action as a misogynist can educate themselves on women’s suffrage and manage to mansplain the history at the same time. This view is paraphrased from Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be an Anti-Racist”. In my eyes it is more complicated than someone holding empathy and/or sympathy for the oppressed, until they have taken action that is anti-racist, if they benefit from a racist system (anyone who is white), they are never not racist. In this way, the key leaders of X-Men, Professor X and Magneto, have a higher chance of communicating with a white audience – which when done with nuance can be a powerful tool in educating a white audience through metaphor, but only if the irony is somehow made clear to them along their readership.
That said, Flores’ work in this book as a psychologist focusing on ‘Wolverine’ as a character should not be turned away. The well-cited and researched book will send any super-fan down rabbit holes of research and widen the way you already think and love your favorite whiskey sluggin’ loner. Whether it is from a psychological theory, or one of the many iterations of the character (seriously, the amount of deep-cuts Wolverine citations can stand toe-to-toe with the most die-hard fan).She pulls from personal interviews with the various writers and artists who have brought Wolverine to page, as well as a slew of previously published material, down to the pulps of the 1930s that set off the rube Goldberg machine of fate leading to the ‘Wolverine’ debut in ‘Incredible Hulk #180’. What impressed me most about this text was how it made me reconsider certain issues, story arcs, and films (yes, even ‘X-Men Origins Wolverine’ – the fan laughing stock).
In dominant pop-culture media it is impossible to avoid ‘Wolverine’, he is Marvel’s golden boy next to ‘Spider-Man’ and played by the much beloved Hugh Jackman. Something that takes up that much space in one’s mind, even if only a casual fan, is worth exploring. As such, this is a work to be celebrated.
Academically (with the occasional personal flair), Flores systematically takes into account the varying mental health conditions ‘Wolverine’ exhibits and applies those examples (from comics and film) to modern day relevancy. She touches upon the traumatized experiences of childhood neglect, torture, and emotional hardships the character has faced and brings home an emotionally compelling, and intellectually stimulating, breakdown of a character that enthralls its audience for a collectively shared reason: ‘Wolverine’ is the non-stop process of healing and dealing with various forms of trauma, and in him we pour our own issues (personally, culturally, societally, etc.) and find the catharsis of the self-sufficient, and actualized, outsider who isn’t afraid to get violent or kind to do what they see is best. This self-confidence is a thing rarely gained in most people, but in reading Flores’s work, the reasons for such synthesis are made plain (easily understandable while intelligent and complex in argument). Whether an emotionally abusive partner or family member, a lost deep-romance, or the beneficiaries of belonging to a people or close friends, Flores puts into words what we know and feel when we spend time with Wolvie, but may not bring to our direct attention (usually because we are all caught up in watching him go stabby).
It is refreshing too to read a book that draws parallels between the metaphor for the mutant and the other, their struggle, without sounding like the bland, paint-by-numbers, history book on comics that most fans have read a thousand times by this point. Rather, in our modern late-stage-capitalism world she argues the relevancy for the Magneto and Charles Xavier characters (it is always refreshing to hear someone acknowledge the “Magneto was Right” argument – which as of the Jonathon Hickman “House of X/Powers of X” story is the cannon argument), their draws and detractors, and how Wolverine is the perfect hero for our time being the working-class survivor of the invasive (bordering on sexual) metal-machine synthesis down to his adamantium bones.
If there is anywhere further, I would have liked to have seen and expansion on that the main cast of X-Men, aside from Storm and Thunderbird, are white. Especially their MLK Jr. and Malcolm X stand-ins – with acknowledgement of the Jewish experience being incorporated with Magneto. It is, in this reviewer’s opinion, a function of white supremacy culture that the anxieties about racial tensions be played out in metaphors by white artists. ‘Blade Runner’, for example. The other is that the argument is made that regarding group-identity mentality that “To be clear, not everyone who voted for this president is a racist or a homophobe. Indeed, some voted for him despite glaring character flaws. Many who voted for Trump identified themselves as part of an afflicted majority – economically disenfranchised, intellectually denigrated, disparaged by an elitist liberal opposition and besieged by bureaucratic regulations viewed as having been artificially gerrymandered to benefit the multiple minorities around them.” Whether or not one was tricked or was acting in ignorance into Trump’s minority hating rhetoric, if it is true that they saw any legislation that may help the downtrodden as an offense on them, they are indeed racist. The other argument I’d counter to this one is that nobody is ‘a racist’ because racism is any action that causes the enforcement of racial discrimination. One is either racist or anti-racist, not ‘a racist’ or ‘not a racist’. Racism isn’t a title one can wear like ‘laborer’ or ‘govenor’. One can participate in anti-racist action while also, knowingly or not, participate in racist action as a misogynist can educate themselves on women’s suffrage and manage to mansplain the history at the same time. This view is paraphrased from Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be an Anti-Racist”. In my eyes it is more complicated than someone holding empathy and/or sympathy for the oppressed, until they have taken action that is anti-racist, if they benefit from a racist system (anyone who is white), they are never not racist. In this way, the key leaders of X-Men, Professor X and Magneto, have a higher chance of communicating with a white audience – which when done with nuance can be a powerful tool in educating a white audience through metaphor, but only if the irony is somehow made clear to them along their readership.
That said, Flores’ work in this book as a psychologist focusing on ‘Wolverine’ as a character should not be turned away. The well-cited and researched book will send any super-fan down rabbit holes of research and widen the way you already think and love your favorite whiskey sluggin’ loner. Whether it is from a psychological theory, or one of the many iterations of the character (seriously, the amount of deep-cuts Wolverine citations can stand toe-to-toe with the most die-hard fan).She pulls from personal interviews with the various writers and artists who have brought Wolverine to page, as well as a slew of previously published material, down to the pulps of the 1930s that set off the rube Goldberg machine of fate leading to the ‘Wolverine’ debut in ‘Incredible Hulk #180’. What impressed me most about this text was how it made me reconsider certain issues, story arcs, and films (yes, even ‘X-Men Origins Wolverine’ – the fan laughing stock).
In dominant pop-culture media it is impossible to avoid ‘Wolverine’, he is Marvel’s golden boy next to ‘Spider-Man’ and played by the much beloved Hugh Jackman. Something that takes up that much space in one’s mind, even if only a casual fan, is worth exploring. As such, this is a work to be celebrated.
July 7, 2018
This is a nonfiction book that takes different elements of psychology and applies them to the Marvel Comics character, Wolverine. Wolverine is very iconic in society today, and many people know him from the X-men movies, and some know him from the comics. For those that aren't familiar with his story beyond the cinematic universe, this book summarizes various aspects of Wolverine's origins and history as he is written in the comics, applying major psychological foundations to his behavior and analyzing why this anti hero does what he does.
Wolverine aside, this book definitely has a textbook feel to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some of the topics discussed in relation to Wolverine as the subject in question are the Absent Mother (which we see in numerous pieces of fiction), The Five Stages of Grief, The Psychology of Torture (in which various types of torture and what they do to the body are written therein), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociation Identity Disorder, and a whole slew of other psychological topics that can be analyzed as they relate to Wolverine's development as a person. I found this book interesting in that, while I knew quite a few of these things from college, I learned quite a bit more about psychology that I did not know, and applying these concepts to a character that I am familiar with and have empathy for helps focus these complex ideas. If you are a psychology major or a Wolverine fan, this book may just interest you. If I were a psychology professor, I might select this as the course textbook because it not only hits major areas of psychological study, but the subject of interest (Wolverine) may connect better with the younger generations and would make learning psychology more interesting than not having a contemporary and well-known example to draw the reader in. Overall, a bit of a heavy read, but vastly interesting!
Wolverine aside, this book definitely has a textbook feel to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some of the topics discussed in relation to Wolverine as the subject in question are the Absent Mother (which we see in numerous pieces of fiction), The Five Stages of Grief, The Psychology of Torture (in which various types of torture and what they do to the body are written therein), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociation Identity Disorder, and a whole slew of other psychological topics that can be analyzed as they relate to Wolverine's development as a person. I found this book interesting in that, while I knew quite a few of these things from college, I learned quite a bit more about psychology that I did not know, and applying these concepts to a character that I am familiar with and have empathy for helps focus these complex ideas. If you are a psychology major or a Wolverine fan, this book may just interest you. If I were a psychology professor, I might select this as the course textbook because it not only hits major areas of psychological study, but the subject of interest (Wolverine) may connect better with the younger generations and would make learning psychology more interesting than not having a contemporary and well-known example to draw the reader in. Overall, a bit of a heavy read, but vastly interesting!
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September 18, 2025He’s the best there is at what he does and what he does isn’t nice.
What is it about Marvel Comics’ fiesty, five-foot three-inches tall, Canadian berserker with adamantium claws and a fast healing ability: Wolverine, that resonates with comic book fans?
Is it his total disregard for authority? His brutal honesty and transparency? How about his unswerving pursuit of justice, vengeance and loyalty regardless of the cost?
Whatever the reasons Wolverine started out as a one-shot character in The Incredible Hulk issues 180, 181 and 182. He was a throwaway character.
It wasn’t until he reappeared as a member of the ‘New’ X-Men that the feisty fighter gained popularity. Artist Dave Cockrum and writer Christ Claremont got the ball running but it wasn’t until Canadian artist John Byrne explored the past and savage nature of Wolverine that his popularity skyrocketed resulting in his own mini-series, series and a plethora of guest appearances in Marvel’s other titles.
In Untamed The Psychology Of Marvel’s Wolverine, written by Suzana E. Flores and released by McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, the popular anti-hero is explored from his early appearances to his dominance in Marvel Comics today.
With over four decades of adventures tucked under his belt Wolverine’s popularity has only grown proving that a flawed superhero strikes a cord with the comic book and pop culture loving public.
1 Corinthians 16:13 - Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
What is it about Marvel Comics’ fiesty, five-foot three-inches tall, Canadian berserker with adamantium claws and a fast healing ability: Wolverine, that resonates with comic book fans?
Is it his total disregard for authority? His brutal honesty and transparency? How about his unswerving pursuit of justice, vengeance and loyalty regardless of the cost?
Whatever the reasons Wolverine started out as a one-shot character in The Incredible Hulk issues 180, 181 and 182. He was a throwaway character.
It wasn’t until he reappeared as a member of the ‘New’ X-Men that the feisty fighter gained popularity. Artist Dave Cockrum and writer Christ Claremont got the ball running but it wasn’t until Canadian artist John Byrne explored the past and savage nature of Wolverine that his popularity skyrocketed resulting in his own mini-series, series and a plethora of guest appearances in Marvel’s other titles.
In Untamed The Psychology Of Marvel’s Wolverine, written by Suzana E. Flores and released by McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, the popular anti-hero is explored from his early appearances to his dominance in Marvel Comics today.
With over four decades of adventures tucked under his belt Wolverine’s popularity has only grown proving that a flawed superhero strikes a cord with the comic book and pop culture loving public.
1 Corinthians 16:13 - Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
July 7, 2018
A very in-depth look at the psychology behind Wolverine, but one that could have benefited from a slightly narrower focus.
Wolverine's backstory is woven with an analysis of psychological theories used to explain why he does what he does and why he is who he is. Touching on everything from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to attachment theory, the author unravels the traumatic story of James Howlett and the external and internal pressures that led him to become Wolverine. The sections that focused most narrowly on that tale are the most engaging.
Unfortunately, a good portion of the book wanders away from that focus. There are long sections that explore the role of personality disorders in various villains Wolverine has faced, a seemingly misplaced diatribe about equality in Trump's America, and numerous other sections where the author seems to lose the thread of what this book was meant to be about. While the information presented is accurate and I mostly agree with her opinions, the entire book suffered because of these lapses in focus.
Perhaps it would have been better for the author to take those topics (which she is obviously passionate about and which are, in fact, interesting) and expand them into other books (I.e., The Psychology of Mutants in America, or The Psychology of Marvel Villains) rather than shoehorning them into this book.
Wolverine's backstory is woven with an analysis of psychological theories used to explain why he does what he does and why he is who he is. Touching on everything from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to attachment theory, the author unravels the traumatic story of James Howlett and the external and internal pressures that led him to become Wolverine. The sections that focused most narrowly on that tale are the most engaging.
Unfortunately, a good portion of the book wanders away from that focus. There are long sections that explore the role of personality disorders in various villains Wolverine has faced, a seemingly misplaced diatribe about equality in Trump's America, and numerous other sections where the author seems to lose the thread of what this book was meant to be about. While the information presented is accurate and I mostly agree with her opinions, the entire book suffered because of these lapses in focus.
Perhaps it would have been better for the author to take those topics (which she is obviously passionate about and which are, in fact, interesting) and expand them into other books (I.e., The Psychology of Mutants in America, or The Psychology of Marvel Villains) rather than shoehorning them into this book.
January 6, 2025
Como alguns devem saber, este ano estou organizando um livro sobre o Wolverine, e trabalho bem feito não fez faz através de notas do Instituto MR, se faz com pesquisa. Por isso, fui atrás de livros e artigos que falassem sobre James "Logan" Howlett. Encontrei este livro de Suzana E. Flores que aborda as histórias ao redor de Wolverine através de um viés da psicologia. Naquilo que tange as histórias em quadrinhos do personagem, o livro deixa um pouco a desejar, com nomes importantes grafados de forma errada (Jean Gray) e muito da mitologia recente de Wolverine desconsiderada (o fato que X-23 surgiu nos desenhos e depois foi para os quadrinhos, por exemplo. Ela é vista como um produto dos filmes). Na seara da psicologia parece que a autora pegou todas as teorias psicológicas e tentou aplicar em Wolverine e seus personagens correlatos, então a psicologia de Wolverine é explicada de todas as maneiras possíveis. Contudo, gostei bastante da parte em que a autora fala de stress pós-traumático e da objetificação de Wolverine, bem como ele ser pensado mais como uma animal e menos como um homem.
March 2, 2024
Highly recommend
If you're a fan of Wolverine, this is a great book to read. It gives you so much insight into the character.
If you're a fan of Wolverine, this is a great book to read. It gives you so much insight into the character.
July 18, 2018
I've long been fascinated by the secret lives of superheroes, not just the burden of alter-egos or whatever, but the deeper stuff, the what-makes-them-tick stuff. Heavy is the head that wears the adamantium. And Dr. Suzana Flores nails it, dissecting the make-up (pun intended) of one of Marvel's most endearing superheroes. She explores the psychological, cultural, and impact Wolverine has had on more than merely the comic book community. There really is a part of Logan in all of us. A VERY compelling work, for comic book--and non-comic book--readers alike.
July 10, 2018
I was drawn to Untamed, not only due to my love for Wolverine, but to the concept that Logan (or James Howlett) is in fact just as human as the rest of us. Dr. Flores digs deep into Logan's past traumas and his origin story to turn Logan into a character with deep emotions and mental disorders. He is depicted as our most raw and human emotions as well as the conflicting argument of good verses evil.
I felt that this book had a great start and at times the writing was somewhat repetitive, as it would seem to lose track of the point it was attempting to make. However, I would highly recommend it to any Wolverine or X-Man fan.
I felt that this book had a great start and at times the writing was somewhat repetitive, as it would seem to lose track of the point it was attempting to make. However, I would highly recommend it to any Wolverine or X-Man fan.
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