This is a stand alone that does nicely to wrap up some aspects of the last few story lines and open up some others I have a feeling are in the works. It’s issue 304, of Volume 4 or the revisit of Volume 2 or where ever we are in that.
First off with the credits. From the cover scan you see this time it took a larger than usual village, many artists contributing to the issue. Here’s the village: Jason Aaron, Writer; Steve Dillon, Ron Garney, Paul Pelletier with Dave Meikis, Mike Perkins, Jefte Palo, Daniel Acuña, Steven Sanders and Renato Guedes, Art; Matthew Wilson, Matt Milla, Rain Beredo, Andy Troy & Chris Sotomayor, Color Art; VC’S Cory Petit, Letterer; Dale Keown & Jason Keith, Cover; Jake Thomas, Assistant Editor; Jeanine Schaefer, Editor; Nick Lowe, Group Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Dan Buckley, Publisher; and Alan Fine, Executive Producer.
All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.
The cover of this looks so familiar. I think this art has been on a cover before. It’s just one of the covers that strikes me as a cool Wolverine picture so put it on a transition issue. At least he’s bearing his teeth without doing an underbite.
The interior art goes from great to why does Sabes look like Hulk Hogan?
The story is one of Sabertooth throwing a party for all of Wolverine’s enemies. Since he now rules both crime families of the East (Hand and Yakuza) they actually show up. It’s fun to name the villain even those just in the background. It’s his birthday party and since he’s alive James turns the tables and crashes the party. He kicks Victor’s ass along with the guests to announce this is going to be his new annual tradition. Inter cut through this we get caught up the status of a few things. We see what is going on with Maverick, Melita, Hell, and much more.
It was a light issue that I’m sure will be a launching point for some stories. It made me smile that James turned a tradition on its head. For years we had Victor coming to beat up James on what they thought was his birthday. Now it is reversed. I enjoyed the issue. It was fun and got me thinking where would I take these stories next.
Next up is a four book arc, called Rot. That’ll be issues 305 through 308. It brings back a character I like very much that was previewed in this issue. Dr Rot was the villain from Insane In The Brain arc from Wolverine Weapon X volume 2.
After the jump the usual spoiler panel bits.
I didn’t like this art. Apparently Victor attended a Hulk Hogan look-a-like contest or was planning to have one at his birthday party. Really, why?!?
Can you name all the Wolverine enemies there in the background?
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Here we meet Dog in the flesh. From what I can tell and I looked it up in the Marvel Wiki. Yeah they have a wiki. This is the first time we see him since Origin.
Apparently he’s still stewing over his younger half-brother. Too bad the Red Right Hand didn’t find him so he could join to kill himself.
His cabin looks like the mirror image of James’s cabin even on a ledge like that.
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Here we learn Melita dumped James. I assume it’s due to those those pictures sent to her last time. Now she’s completing her application to Seraph’s Investigations. She meets the requirements except he didn’t leave her she left him.
There’s lots more fun pages in this issue we learn what’s going on in the Opium fields in the underworld. How James’s kids are doing in hell with Thomas Logan. What Maverick is up to. (I need to read Wolverine Weapon X Vol 2 Adamantium Men arc to get it.) Be sure to pick up the issue and enjoy
That’s it until next time!
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