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Wolverine: Origins #2
Book Released: 17 May 2006
Review posted: 19 May 2006
Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: Steve Dillon
Publisher: Marvel Comics
5.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Adam White
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For years now, Wolverine has appeared in virtually every Marvel comic on a monthly basis at one point or another just so
they can slap him on the cover to try and sell issues; the result has been a serious overuse and misuse of Logan and the
dilution of his richness as a character. Wolverine became less a man-made savage trying to regain his humanity and more of a
symbol for the almighty dollar, and along the way creators lost sight of why Wolverine was popular in the first place.
Finally, after more than a decade of neglect, a creative team has come along that truly understands how Logan works and what
makes him the best he is at what he does.
Daniel Way cut his teeth on the regular Wolverine series recently (#36-40), proving his affinity for the character
even if certain story points were a bit opaque. However, in Wolverine: Origins, Way has found his way and made Logan
a man of mystery and hard truths again, revealing enough secrets to satisfy your curiosity but maintaining enough mystery
to keep you coming back.
In Wolverine: Origins, Way has found his way, revealing enough secrets to satisfy your
curiosity but maintaining enough mystery to keep you coming back.
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Way’s Logan is simulataneously ruthless and contemplative, a warrior and an armchair philosopher, and a man that is
clearly on a mission. Way gives us the Logan of old: the Logan that serves up intimidation and breeds fear in his enemies;
the Logan who wants the bad guys to know he’s coming and sweat it out the hard way. Way makes what Logan doesn’t
do as important as what he does, and he keeps the other characters and the readers on their toes, never knowing exactly what
he may do next. Logan also now possesses the Muramasa Blade, a sword with immense power and an accessory that has garnered
criticism amongst fans — “What does he need a sword for? He’s got claws!” — yet those fans are
missing the point (Shock!); the Muramasa Blade symbolizes Logan, his quest, and the inherent balance he must maintain between
being a man and being a weapon. Read a book, people. Anyway, no more handkerchief masks, bone claws, or pseudo-manga
nonsense — this is back-to-basics Logan, a man on a mission who does whatever it takes to get the job done.
As a hardcore Preacher fan, I’m always game for any work Steve Dillon does and was ecstatic he signed on for
Origins. I know this is another point of contention for some “fans,” because they claim Dillon draws
“real people and not superheroes.” Well, “real people” is exactly what Wolverine: Origins
needs because it grounds Logan in reality and adds immediacy and danger to the stories.
Steve Dillon is exactly what Wolverine: Origins needs because his work grounds Logan in
reality and adds immediacy and danger to the stories.
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Dillon hits all the right moments and makes Logan’s smile more sinister than his scowl, and always maintains a
perfect pace that casually guides the reader through the story with nothing out of place. Dillon makes sequential art look
easy and turns in top notch work from start to finish in every issue. Dillon flawlessly complements Way in Wolverine:
Origins, producing the first “must-read” Logan stories of this century.
If you have ever been a Wolverine fan at heart then you need to read this series. Way and Dillon are taking us on a
journey through what made Logan the man he is today, and what he will make of himself now that he knows the history he has
been missing for so long. If you want pointless action and countless tie-ins then I’m sure that the regular
Wolverine title will satisfy you. But if you want the real story behind the ol’ Canucklehead, then you should
be reading Wolverine: Origins.
—CCdC—
Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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