Wolverine is on a hunt. When isn’t he these days? But this time, it’s personal. He’s after his mother who sent him a letter, and in Wolverine #10, she was right there in the flesh. The problem is, Sabretooth is somehow back, and he’s standing in his way. It’s a Sabretooth vs. Wolverine issue. Who ya got?
Wolverine #11 opens where we left off last issue. Sabretooth, Wolverine, and his mother are in a tight room in the house where Logan grew up. Writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Marin Coccolo immediately drop readers into a bloody brawl with an epic full-page splash on the second page. It’s a battle to keep Wolverine’s long-dead mother, who is now somehow alive, out of Sabretooth’s hands.
The battle is epic, with more than enough eye-catching panels with Wolverine popping claws, pushing Sabretooth out a window, and delivering ultra-violence. Coccolo is very good at drawing body damage, with Sabretooth getting multiple beatings. He even draws a full-page spread of Wolverine tearing Sabretooth’s cheek off. It’s epic and will please fight comic fans.
Time to brawl.
Credit: Marvel
Generally, the characters look fantastic, though Coccolo does employ speed lines in backgrounds instead of rendering them in detail. Sabretooth looks great in his classic costume, however, complete with darkness around his eyes. Coccolo is very good at drawing out Logan’s humanity via his eyes in multiple moments as well.
As far as the story goes, there’s not much here beyond the action. There are hints as to some kind of bewilderment Logan is aware of, but not much more. Ahmed draws you in with captions, though they don’t kick in till halfway through the issue. They put us inside Logan’s head as he thinks things through, but it’s in-the-moment stuff, nothing to add to the story or larger plot.
There is a major reveal by the end, which reveals what is really going on. It’s certainly a surprise, though there were some clues in the last issue. It’s hard to gauge how to feel about this as of yet, and I sure hope the teasers Marvel put out weren’t in vain. It’s too early to pass full judgment on the reveal, but let’s just say many may feel duped.
Wolverine #11 delivers a savage showdown that fans of superhero brawls will love, complete with visceral artwork and classic character vibes. While the plot takes a back seat to the action, the surprise ending hints at deeper developments ahead, though it remains to be seen whether that payoff will satisfy long-time readers.
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