The ’90s nostalgia wave is in full force at Marvel these days, with dozens of variant covers celebrating the era dropping each month and some top talent from the decade revisiting some of their famous arcs. Wolverine: Patch (2022) fits this description to a T, with writer Larry Hama returning to his adored Madripoor story arc established during his Wolverine run. The original arc, featuring a time in Logan’s life when he was a player in the fictional nation’s underworld (while wearing an eye patch, of course), is one that ’90s X-Men readers such as myself hold in high regard. This trade, containing the entire subsequent five-issue miniseries, captures many of the vibes that made the ’90s arc a success, while still feeling unnecessary as anything other than nostalgia bait.
Plot wise, Larry Hama delves into familiar territory with some of Patch’s old accomplices playing bit parts. A group of mutants are being hunted by different factions, Nick Furry and S.H.I.E.L.D. get involved, with Logan stuck in the middle with his compatriot Archie Corrigan. The criminal world of Madripoor provides the dodgy, stimulating backdrop, giving this story a concentrated space with which the characters traverse and clash towards their objectives.
It’s a fine enough read, with a mix of action and intrigue effectively illustrated by Andrea DeVita, who does a capable job standing in for stylistic luminaries like Herb Trimpe and Frank Miller. His line-work complements the noir tone of the narrative, and commendably guides the reader through the layers of scheming. Sebastian Cheng does an excellent job adding pertinent colors to the book, elevating each page, even when the line work may falter.
I enjoy these one-off adventures that dig into a specific corner of an established character. It’s tempting to want every comic arc to have earth-shattering ramifications, but serving an audience hungry for a specific tone and era of a titular character can be worth the time as well. While this book will likely not be placed on a pedestal a decade from now like some of the earlier Patch stories, it’s a fun diversion into a curious junction in Wolverine’s life.
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