Things are looking pretty grim as we near the end of the Krakoa Era, and Wolverine might be going through the worst of it. Slathered in gore, pushing the envelope on character murder (I mean, seriously, was that everyone’s beloved baby boy Artie being torn apart? I need to know!), the Sabretooth War is shaping up to be a spectacular (if very compelling) bummer.
It’s fitting, then, that the story directly preceding that bummer (as collected in Wolverine by Benjamin Percy Vol. 7) has Logan on what very much feels like a farewell tour, touching base with four friends and addressing different parts of himself.
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For a series that has been heavily invested in the Krakoan epic, Wolverine has made an effort to bridge the gap between the X-Books and the rest of the Marvel Universe, and these four issues do a nice job of entangling major characters in that mutant-based drama.
Starting with Logan’s oldest frenemy, the Hulk, the book touches on some important and character-defining relationships as Logan hunts down his wayward clones and turns, finally, to addressing the Orchis problem. Ever the guerrilla strategist, he taps Captain America and Spider-Man for jobs that they’re perfect for (a covert infiltration and a tech-based assault, respectively); in Banner and Black Panther’s issues, circumstance leads to team-ups, spotlighting Logan’s adaptability in the field.
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Each guest star feels uniquely and appropriately illustrated by artists Juan Jose Ryp and Ibrahim Moustafa, who lean into their unique body language and style. Hulk maintains his contemporary horror, Panther slinks through the dark, and Cap stands bold and unmovable. They are issues celebrating their guests as much as the main character.
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They also trace a tight arc for Logan. With the Hulk, he confronts a set of Beast’s mindless Beast clones, who illustrate the facets of his personality. Logan can’t control these rabid pieces of his id any more than Banner can control his.
Marvel Comics
Reconciling these facets of himself centers Logan, freeing him to concentrate on precision attacks on Orchis. It’s the work that he should have been focusing on all along, even if he didn’t subscribe to the Krakoan dream. At least, it’s the work that somebody should have been doing.
The seventh volume of the series feels like an encapsulation of what makes Wolverine team-ups so fun (and what made them a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe throughout the ’80s and ’90s). It’s a bit of fresh air amid the fall of Krakoa, a dark but fun moment to hang on to before the brutality truly begins.
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