UFOS, the Punisher, and the Maestro are all on the menu in this final volume of the ongoing Old Man Logan series that brings the ol' codger's adventures in the Marvel Universe to a close...or does it?
We open with a two issue story about an alien invasion that brings Wolverine together with Alpha Flight for a surprisingly poignant story about Old Man Logan and how detached he feels with his surroundings. The parallel is well done, but the interaction between Alpha Flight and OML feels a little lacklustre - I think there was more potential to be mined from having them together. Brisson's Iron Fist collaborator Damian Couceiro takes these two issues in his stride with some jagged visuals that work well, although the monster's kind of bland.
The next three issues are the conclusion of the series, with Logan battling the Maestro for the fate of a small Canadian town. There's a strong beginning and a strong ending here, especially since issue 50 is extra-sized, but the middle feels a bit like the supporting cast are taking away from Logan once again - it's to be expected since the poor guy is spending more and more time unconscious, but it's still a little sad. The cliffhanger ending that teases the wrap-up mini-series is intriguing as well, and I expect the final fight between OML and Maestro will have internet boards yelling. Ibraim Roberson returns to the series for these three issues, with a little help from Neil Edwards for issue 50 in a surprisingly effective collaboration.
Finally, the OML Annual flashes back to the fate of the Punisher in the Wastelands. This story doesn't add much to the backstory that Logan already had, and the Wastelands version of the Punisher isn't anything we haven't seen before, but it's a surprisingly humanizing story overall for both characters. There's a back-up here that tries to flesh out the Punisher, but it's too little, too late, for a character that's never really had that much depth anyway. Simone Di Meo (currently scribbling up a storm on Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers) takes the main story here, but it's nowhere near as remarkable as Power Rangers.
Old Man Logan's down, but he's not quite out. This collection of stories examines Logan in depth, before throwing him into the rematch of his life in another moment of continuity with the rest Brisson's run, creating a symmetry that most books don't get these days (since they usually run for 12 issues instead of 50). The supplementary annual doesn't really add much, but this is a good way to set the stage for what's about to go down next.