Laura Kinney awakens in her bed, hearing the cries of her little sister, Gabby. She springs out of bed, ready for a fight…only to learn that Gabby is freaking out because there’s no presents under their Christmas tree. Luckily, their father, Logan, has come prepared with presents galore. But Laura can’t help but feel that something isn’t quite right, like she’s forgotten a very important memory. At this point, readers might be going, “What the hell am I reading?” – but that’s the point of Laura Kinney: Wolverine #6.
Apart from the cover showing Laura in her Wolverine costume, Laura Kinney: Wolverine #6 shies away from any mutant mayhem. There are characters from the world of X-Men – including Charles Xavier and Emma Frost – but they’ve been recast in extremely different roles. Logan, rather than the tough warrior fans have come to know and love, is a father trying his best. And Gabby…is Gabby. (Here’s where I interject to say that I am genuinely happy to see Gabby in an X-Men book again, even if it wasn’t what I would expected.)
Erica Schultz is exploring a time-honored trope with Laura Kinney: Wolverine #6, namely a story where the hero awakens in a world where they were never a hero and had the life they’d always dreamed of. We’ve seen it in Batman: The Animated Series and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but Schultz takes an unexpected turn by showcasing a darker history that happened to Laura in this world – and showcasing how she dealt with it through writing. It’s a genuinely touching moment that underlines how people deal with their mental issues, and what’s even better is that it’s not brushed off – it’s addressed through the issue. Even if this isn’t the Logan and Gabby we know, they’re still there for Laura when she needs them.
Marvel
The emotional moments hit even harder thanks to Giada Belviso. Belviso does great with facial expressions, capturing the confusion, the rage, and even the sadness dancing around Laura’s face. And Laura isn’t the only character she does this with: a moment with Logan talking to a pair of doctors has his face locked in the snarling visage that most Wolverine fans would recognize. Marvel fans should also keep their eyes peeled for appearances from other characters, especially some from the recently-cancelled and sorely missed NYX.
To truly make this feel like a dream world, Rachelle Rosenberg shrouds everything in warm colors. It’s not just fitting for the Christmas theme, but for the family scenes featuring Laura, Logan, and Gabby. On the other hand, when it comes time to explore Laura’s mental state, things shift to black and white – a sharp contrast, but one that’s necessary to underline the serious matter that the creative team is tackling. The same goes for Cory Petit’s captions, which are rendered in gunmetal gray to reflect the storm of Laura’s thoughts.
Laura Kinney: Wolverine #6 is a major shakeup in the series, but it also lets this comic tackle some serious themes, including mental health. In fact, it hits even harder after seeing Thunderbolts* – and it’s a reminder that the best superhero stories manage to focus on the “human” in superhuman.
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