“I can’t save them all, but I’ll sure as hell try.” That single sentence, uttered in the opening pages of Laura Kinney: Wolverine #1 by Erica Schultz and Giada Belviso, is both a mission statement for Laura Kinney herself and the book as a whole. It’s also a fitting one: Laura was meant to be nothing more than a weapon until the X-Men took her in. Now, in the wake of Krakoa’s fall, she finds herself being drawn to protect other lost mutants when one comes to her and her fellow young mutants for help.
The idea of Laura helping other mutants who were stuck in similar situations to her is a truly brilliant idea, and Schultz pulls it off. She writes Laura as a force of nature: unyielding and destructive, but with a singular purpose. But she also touches on Laura’s bond to the cast of NYX, particularly Sophie Cuckoo and Kamala Khan. This ability to touch upon previous comics while forging a new story served Schultz well on Rat City, and it works here.
The element of Laura’s personality that Schultz has nailed down is her directness. When she’s approached by a mutant girl who can sense her gift, she immediately goes on the defensive. When she returns from a mission in Dubai, she immediately goes on the hunt for another mission (and encounters another character Schultz has experience with writing.) This helps keep the plot moving but also shows how Laura’s experiences have shaped her. Whether you’re a newcomer to the world of X-Men or a longtime fan, it’s great to see a writer who can nail everything great about a character in their debut issue.
Marvel
Laura Kinney: Wolverine #1 is gorgeously violent thanks to Belviso’s artwork. A fight with a bouncer goes south when said bouncer displays his shape-changing powers. But even though she’s being crushed, Laura merely ejects her foot claws and slices through his wrists, then goes for the tendons. Think that’s brutal? When she comes face to face with the mutant running a trafficking ring, she gets an eyeful of acid – and Belviso showcases how painful it is, down to Laura’s burnt nerves and lack of eyelids.
The best image in Laura Kinney: Wolverine #1 comes from a two-page spread depicting Laura fighting her way to the top of the Burj Khalifa. For those not in the know, that’s the tallest building in the world – and in lieu of the usual panels, Belviso draws a series of circular inserts that showcase Laura making her way to the top. Those inserts also feature her punching and kicking a number of goons, with Rachelle Rosenberg making sure that her yellow and black outfit stands out against the icy blue tint of the Burj Khalifa. It’s the kind of adrenaline rush you’d expect from a Wolverine book, and Belviso delivers in spades.
Laura Kinney: Wolverine #1 gives its heroine a new mission, while also providing all of the action, blood and adrenaline you’d expect from a Wolverine book. Judging from the final page, the creative team only intends to keep up this level of energy which means it’ll probably be one of the X-Books to watch out for.
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