This story runs in Wolverine volume 4 Issues 20, 300-303. Okay I’m not sure it’s still volume 4 or did we revert back to volume 2 which would match what issue numbers we would have had volume 3 and 4 not occurred and the issue be numbered straight through. I’m leaving them in volume 4 just to keep chronological order straight for myself. WTF! Marvel this former volunteer librarian is upset in disruption of issue numbering.
The credits for this run are complicated. Issues 300-303 are done in chapters with changing artists. So stand back for a long credit appreciation list. Credits for the whole arc are: Jason Aaron, Writer; Jared K. Fletcher, Designer; Jody Leheup and Sebastian Girner, Assistant Editors, Jeanine Schaefer, Editor; Nick Lowe, Group Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Alan Fine, Executive Producer. The issue specific credits starting with Issue 20: Renato Guedes, Pencils and Cover Art; Jose Wilson Magalhaes, Inks, and Matthew Wilson, Colors. Issue 300 credits: Adam Kubert & Paul Mounts, Art for Chapters 1, 4, & 7; Steve Sanders & Sotocolors, Art for Chapters 3 & 6; VC’s Cory Petit, Letterer; no cover art credit listed in credits due to cover variants the one I have is the Adam Kubert cover. Issue 301 credits: Billy Tan & Jason Keith, Art for Chapters 8, 11, & 12; Steve Sanders & Sotocolor, Art for Chapters 9 & 10; VC’s Cory Petit, Letterer; Adam Kubert, Cover Art. Issue 302 credits: Billy Tan & Jason Keith, Art for Chapters 13, 15, & 16; Steve Sanders & Sotocolors, Art for Chapters 14 & 16; VC’s Cory Petit, Letterer; Arthur Adams, Cover Art. Issue 303 credits are: Billy Tan, Steven Sanders & Paco Diaz, Art; Mat Milla, Sotocolors, Jim Charalampidis and Rachelle Roasenbert, Color; VC’s Chris Eliopoulos, Letters, Brandon Peterson, Cover.
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.
WHEW! It took more than one village to make a comic this time! Apparently many wanted to help celebrate hitting the 300th issue since the start of Volume 2. Oh his whole solo title run it’d be the 304th issue. So let’s not get picky, let’s not go into who counts who’s volumes and issues. Still why go back to Volume 2? I dunno once again it’s left to the Secret Star Chamber of Marvel to know what the heck they were thinking.
Now for the cover art of the arc – to me the best is issue 301. I like the composition of it. I like that he’s in his Samauri mode, appropriate for an arc set in Japan. I think the colors are lovely. Over all it hits all the right notes with me. Thought cover 20 was close I don’t like the orangeish skin tones, could be bad printing and I’d love the original. The worst is issue 303. OMG! Those glowy outlines are back! (pounds head on desk takes comfort they aren’t in piss yellow). Ohhh and shiny shiny outfits that fit like a glove, ICK. The back ground looks off too, like a mix of photo and art – photo shop of horrors again? Finally cover that has the worst dental work – Issue 302 saw the need for some underbite action. Cover 300 which does nothing for me at all can at least bear teeth without an underbite.
The interior art is all over the board with so many contributors. Issue 20 is wonderful and I love the interior there. The rest vary from great to bad but luckily no awful stuff. After the jump I’ll chat about specifics.
The story made me lose heart for my hero. First off Sabertooth is no longer dead with his soul decapitated in hell. How long did that last? eh undid the soul part in just a hand full of issues. I’ve had decades of *singsongs* Sabes and Wolvie sitting in a tree f-i-g-h-t-i-n-g. I’m so over it. I liked it being settled and moving on. Can’t be though because I think Marvel fears letting a story line grow but instead cling to the tried and true plots until even the characters in the book mock them. I was pissed off to take three steps back to this tired overly done story again.
Speaking of that didn’t last long, Mystique’s death was even shorter. But we knew this was coming as the ‘magic’ Hand bought her corpse and dang they bring people back from the dead as often as they go get groceries. Dammit another tired worn out thing done again – just wait there will be a bit that includes a chase where James kills her in the end. This pissed me off too. When can we stop doing the same damn thing?
Seraph is still alive too. Guess it doesn’t matter we saw her bones in her coffin over in Wolverine Origins only part of that story became cannon – Daken. So mark this down as another back from the dead. It never stops!
Why do I feel I’m trapped in Groundhog Day? Where’s Bill Murray? Do I have to fall in love with Andi McDowell to get out of these over done plots? WHAT WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO MARVEL? Don’t know how to do it maybe take a gander at Fables they do it with style, grace, and character growth but keep a stable core of beloved characters. You could learn something there Marvel.
The core of the story I didn’t care about. It’s a crime family war in Japan. Except here some of the crime families have magic that bring back the dead and there are unlimited numbers of them. James teams up with his adopted daughter Amiko’s foster mom Yuriko to try to stop the war. Amiko’s boyfriend is the Silver Samurai’s son and moves in to claim his father’s position but winds up allying himself with the newly returned Sabes and Mystique. This leads to a fight between them and a break-up.
James and Yuriko eliminate the Hand in Japan. (how much you wanna bet this isn’t the end of them either?) We learn she’s alive after Hellverine’s attack but wheelchair bound. Doesn’t keep this ninja woman down or stop her from trying to get James’s pants down. Which leads to something that may destroy James and Mariko’s relationship. Which is yet another thing I find disappointing about the arc. The only thing cheery in it is Amiko, Yuriko, and James become a happy crime fighting family.
Overall I found this a very disappointing arc. Many of the things that enticed me to start buying Wolverine comics regularly again have been undone. I feel this is a disservice to long time fans. We love our characters we want to see them develop, we don’t want to keep doing the same things over and over again but this time only in San Francisco without flashbacks. I know I’m banging my head on the wall hoping for this type of deeply mature change but hope springs eternal.
Next is a stand alone issue entitled One More Round. There’s more spoilery bits and comments after the jump, join me won’t you. If not – Until next time.
Mary Louise Eklund 