Well, ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ is finally here!

Unfortunately, Rotten Tomatoes has the movie at a 36% fresh, better than ‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’, but nowhere near where we were hoping for.

And don’t forget Free Comic Book Day is SATURDAY! Wolverine appears in Wolverine and The Avengers…

As for the comics that came out this past week (April 29, 2009), Wolverine (and Dark Wolverine) appeared in SEVEN TITLES.

Jrpbsp has written up an in-depth reviews for  Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #5

As usual, I will give my impressions for the rest of the Wolverine docket…

X-Men Origins: Wolverine #1 (details | thread)
Writer: Chris Yost
Artist: Mark Texeira

This is a really strong comic for people who want to know more about Wolverine after seeing the movie.

Or for older readers who are returning for the first time in a while.

But for folks like us who read Wolverine on a fairly regular basis, it covers ground that has been covered a lot recently. And once again, tells a story that doesn’t quite fit with all the other stories that have been told of late.

Nothing egregious, but the path that Wolverine takes from Department H to the X-Men just keeps getting more and more convoluted.

Uncanny X-Men #509 (preview | thread)
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Greg Land

It is really hard for me to get past the white teeth, the supermodel faces and outfits that come with Greg Land as artist. It’s like reading the X-Men brought to you by Victoria’s Secret, Chippendales and and an S&M catalog.

And when I say I read X-Men comics for the story and visual layout, I am starting to feel like the Playboy subscriber who claims to only be reading it for the articles.

That said, Wolverine does appear and it’s much more than a mere gratuitous cameo.

Dark Avengers #4 (preview | thread)
Writer: Brian Michael David Bendis
Artist: Mike Deodato

Not much going on with Daken, but another tremendous issue by Bendis and Deodato.

You gotta love a team that can pull off 20 brilliant panels without a single line of dialogue.

Avengers/Invaders #10 (preview)
“Past. Tense”
Plot: Alex Ross & Jim Krueger
Script: Jim Krueger
Pencils: Steve Sadowski & Patrick Berkenkotter

Wolverine, as usual, is a bit player in a series that feels rather dated. Not because of the time-traveling to World War II, but to the juxtaposition to ‘Civil War’ and the death of Captain America…

Marvel Adventures the Avengers #35 (details)
“Lover’s Leap”
Writer: Paul Tobin
Artist: Casey Jones

I have been very tough on this series over the years.

And guess what.

This is a pretty funny issue. The artwork by Casey Jones is a perfect fit for Paul Tobin’s lighthearted comedy, even if the final panel is a bit of a letdown.

And finally, Assistant-Sized Marvel Spectacular #2 (details) features Wolverine on the cover only, nothing on the inside.

What do you think? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below OR join in on the fun in the Wolverine Files Forums…