Wolverine just crossed its milestone 400th issue with a cliffhanger that promises real change going forward. Enter Wolverine #9, the 401st issue that kicks off the hunt for Wolverine’s mother. Someone Logan thought long dead, she’s apparently back and waiting at home. Of course, with Logan’s luck, you know he’ll have to fight and cut through many baddies to get to her.
Like many Wolverine tales, Wolverine #9 opens in a small, humble bar. Two locals are chatting amongst themselves about mutants, and one is a bigot. Wolverine’s within earshot, but minding his own business. Saladin Ahmed writes good captions here, drawing you into Wolverine’s state of mind and reminding us of his barely held-together temper. It’s some standard Wolverine fare, but it’s well written nonetheless.
A conflict in the bar leads to a conflict outside, which means a well-drawn fight scene by Javier Pina. The fight is particularly enjoyable to read because Wolverine doesn’t use his claws, instead showcasing his strength. His blunt force attacks send Department H folks flying. Though in the daylight, Pina keeps things interesting with good angles. Later, the scenes turn to night, and there’s an ominous vibe at Logan’s house that Pina also nails. Another fight occurs, and once again, Pina keeps you invested even when the villains are C-listers.
Bryan Valenza does a great job with coloring throughout, particularly Wolverine’s enemies. The red in the Department H suits and details in the armor has a subtle hue. The C-list villains later in the issue have some great energy effects, and the moodiness of Logan’s home is largely due to the color as well.
I like how he flung that guy with a single punch.
Credit: Marvel
Outside of well-written captions that keep you in Logan’s head, Ahmed establishes a new semi-friendly character who will be appearing again. Frankly, this character takes up too much valuable page time to reintroduce, but her angle is at least unique. The angle? Fully admit you’re following Logan since he’ll know you’re following anyway. Heck, even the fight with her men seems a bit pointless, especially since she’s cool with him beating her men to a pulp.
The standard Wolverine fare continues with the cliffhanger, which isn’t surprising, but it seems too soon. I won’t spoil it, but at least it should be quite a tale to explain how they’re back from the dead.
Wolverine #9 delivers solid, familiar territory for fans of the character — gritty bars, brutal fights, and just enough mystery to propel the story forward. While it doesn’t break new ground, Saladin Ahmed’s captions and Javier Pina’s engaging visuals keep the issue grounded in Logan’s psyche and physicality. It’s a serviceable start to a new arc with the promise of deeper revelations ahead, even if some of the setup feels padded.
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