From 2008 to 2009, Wolverine Files highlighted, in chronological order, iconic Wolverine covers and their homages. Want to start at the beginning? Click here…

There was one other great cover in 1985

But it wasn’t your average comic book.

Think ‘We Are the World’ for the comic book industry, or more accurately, Heroes for Hope starring the X-Men.

And the cover by Arthur Adams was about as tremendous a start for such an ambitious project as could have been hoped for…

The project included such luminaries as Stan Lee, Stephen King, Berni Wrightson and Alan Moore, plus a special Wolverine section of the story.

What do you get when you team up Harlan Ellison, Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz on a three-page Wolverine vignette?

Absolute ecstasy as evidenced below…

Other notable teams of contributors included…

–Stan Lee, John Romita, Jr. and Al Gordon
–Stan Lee, John Buscema and Klaus Janson
–Ed Bryant, Brent Anderson and Joe Sinnott
–Louise Simonson, John Byrne and Terry Austin
–Ed Bryant, Brent Anderson and Dan Green
–Stephen King, Berni Wrightson and Jeff Jones
–Bill Mantlo, Charlie Vess and Jay Muth
–Ed Bryant, Brent Anderson and Tom Palmer
–Alan Moore and Richard Corben
–Ann Nocenti, Mike Kaluta and Al Milgrom
–Chris Claremont, Brian Bolland and Craig Russell
–Jo Duffy and John Bolton
–Mike Baron, Steve Rude and Carl Potts
–Denny O’Neil, Bret Blevins and Al Williamson
–George Martin, Herb Trimpe and Sal Buscema
–Bruce Jones and Gray Morrow
–Steve Englehart, Paul Gulacy and Bob Layton
–Jim Shooter, Alan Weiss and Joe Rubinstein
–Mike Grell, Jackson Guice and Steve Leialoha
–Archie Goodwin, Howard Chaykin and Walt Simonson

Phew!

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From 2008 to 2009, Wolverine Files highlighted, in chronological order, iconic Wolverine covers and their homages. Want to start at the beginning? Click here…

1985.

Another year, another solitary classic Wolverine cover.

And this one is more about Wolverine’s shadow than it is about him.

Regardless, Uncanny X-Men #196 by John Romita, Jr. and Terry Austin is one of the most suspenseful covers of this era…

Next up is a selection of Wolverine covers from this time period, from awesome Wolverine cameos to covers that didn’t quite make the cut…

Exhibits A and B are the first issues of Secret Wars by Mike Zeck and Secret Wars II by John Byrne and Terry Austin, examples of tremendous covers, but Wolverine just didn’t dominate the cover enough for me to justify them as iconic Wolverine covers…

Uncanny X-Men #193 by John Romita, Jr. and Dan Green is often cited as a classic Wolverine cover, but it’s way too cluttered and their rendition of Kitty Pryde in the foreground just weakens the cover too much  for my tastes. And Uncanny X-Men #195 by Bill Sienkiewicz, a brilliant Moon Knight artist, and Dan Green simply falls flat.

The good news is another run of classic Wolverine covers is just around the corner…

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From 2008 to 2009, Wolverine Files highlighted, in chronological order, iconic Wolverine covers and their homages. Want to start at the beginning? Click here…

After a tremendous run of covers in 1982 and 1983, Wolverine hit a dry spell in 1984 and 1985. So I humbly present the only good Wolverine cover of 1984: Alpha Flight #13 by John Byrne (with inks possibly by Bill Sienkiewicz and/or Al Milgrom).

What’s even sadder is Wolverine’s appearance is only a dream. That said, I do enjoy how John Byrne uses elements within his artwork for editorial purposes, such as the gravestones for all the artists involved in this particular cover…

Next up are two examples of the sort of love that Wolverine was receiving around this time. Note the wonderful depiction of the back of Wolverine’s head…

We continue with examples of the sort of crappy covers Wolverine had to endure when artists did deign to use the front of his mask…

And when the covers weren’t crappy, Wolverine was having his lunch handed to him by Spider-Man and Firestar.

I mean, come on. Firestar?!?

Finally, even when Wolverine did get a little love, such as in the ‘Kitty Pryde and Wolverine’ miniseries, he was saddled with a series of horrendous covers by Allen Milgrom, such as the two below.

Curse you, Allen Milgrom!

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Uncanny X-Men #173 by Paul Smith continued a remarkable run of tremendous Wolverine covers in 1982 and 1983. Unfortunately, as will be seen next week, this cover also marked the end of that remarkable run…

Next up is an unused cover sketch by Paul Smith for Uncanny X-Men #173 that, for the life of me, I can’t remember where it is from. If anyone knows the owner of this particular piece, please let me know so I can get official approval for its use…

In the issue itself, we finally return to Logan’s impending marriage to Mariko. Unfortunately, Jason Wyngarde as Mastermind brainwashes Mariko into calling off the wedding during the ceremony. When Logan asks for an explanation, Mariko responds with the classic line that cuts Logan deeper than any blade could, “Because gaijin, you are not worthy.”

The final panel poignantly shows Logan’s response…

And finally, the little known 1992 cover to X-Men Classic #77 with a neat role reversal of Rogue and Wolverine by Adam Hughes, who may be best known, as Wikipedia puts it, for “his voluptuous, pinup-style female characters.”

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In 1982, we read the ‘Wolverine’ limited series.

By 1983, we endured THREE agonizing months without Wolverine to make sure the continuity fit just right within ‘Uncanny X-Men’.

And all summer long of that same year, we discussed the prospect of Wolverine actually getting married.

So when Uncanny X-Men #172 finally hit the stands (and remember we didn’t have advanced previews of the covers back then), every Wolverine fan gave a cheer…

A truly mesmerizing cover by Paul Smith capturing the last panel of Wolverine (Limited Series) #4 and showing the wonderfully lined face of Logan…

Next up is a bit of an X-Men history lesson.

While Logan was in Japan as chronicled in his limited series, Ms. Marvel villain Rogue was accepted as a member of the X-Men. And remember, it was Rogue who was responsible for stealing away the memories from Carol Danvers, Logan’s close friend. So believe me when I say that the teaming up of Wolverine and Rogue in final panels of Uncanny X-Men #172 by Chris Claremont, Paul Smith, and Bob Wiacek came as a bit of a shock…

And finally, the little known 1992 cover to X-Men Classic #76 by Adam Hughes, who may be best known, as Wikipedia puts it, for “his voluptuous, pinup-style female characters.” In fact, you can see his style sneaking through on Viper, upper right on the cover. As for the additional faux-title for the issue, Altar-cations, my fellow punsters will rejoice!

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Where is the cover to Wolverine #3 (Limited Series), you ask?

Well, the short answer is it’s you’re going to have to scroll down for that. The longer answer is that the cover just didn’t work for me in the same way the first two did.

And for that matter, it didn’t match up to the tremendous cover for Wolverine #4 (Limited Series) by Frank Miller and Josef Rubinstein…

And while we are wrapping up the Wolverine Limited Series, let me remind folks out that continuity was so important in comics back in 1982 and 1983, that Wolverine didn’t appear in Uncanny X-Men for three months to make the chronology work just right. And for two of those months, Wolverine didn’t appear in a single comic.

Can you imagine?

Two whole months without a single Wolverine appearance.

Next up is the promised cover to issue #3 by Frank Miller and Josef Rubinstein. Not a bad cover. Just not iconic enough to make my list of truly classic Wolverine covers…

However, the final panel of Wolverine #4 (Limited Series), also by Frank Miller, Josef Rubinstein and someone by the name of Chris Claremont, is as shocking a moment as I have ever had reading comics…

Wolverine getting married?

That may have been the single most unexpected panel I’ve ever read.

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From 2008 to 2009, Wolverine Files highlighted, in chronological order, iconic Wolverine covers and their homages. Want to start at the beginning? Click here…

You don’t get much more iconic than the cover from Wolverine #2 (Limited Series) by Frank Miller and Josef Rubinstein…

And for those of us who read this series as it came out in 1982, the following by Chris Claremont from the trade paperback collection sums up our feelings about Wolverine pretty well…

I told him (Frank Miller) the idea that had been swirling around in my skull for some time — that the essence of Wolvie’s character was a ‘failed samurai.’ To samurai, duty is all, selfless service the path to their ultimate ambition, death with grace. Every facet, every moment of their lives, is absolutely under control. Wolverine, however, is almost a primal life force totally beyond control, as graceless as can be. The one might be considered the ultimate expression of humanity — wherein the will, the intellect, totally overmaster all other aspects of existence — while the other is total animal.

First up is my favorite Frank Miller rendering of Wolverine and one of my top five favorite Wolverine panel of all time, at least until someone by the name of John Cassaday started working on Astonishing X-Men. If I could only find it without the horrible color blotches!

As for the trade paperback, such collections were quite rare in the 1980s due to the strength and profitability of the back issue market. So when this limited series was finally collected as a trade paperback some five years later in 1987, Frank Miller provided the following cover to match his new Dark Knight Returns art style…

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Wolverine, the limited series.

Back in 1982, the revelation of a Wolverine limited series was the biggest thing I could imagine.

Now it happens nearly every week.

But in September 1982 when Wolverine’s first miniseries hit the stands, I was absolutely blown away. And frankly, so was every other Wolverine fan on the planet.

We all knew about Chris Claremont and his contribution to the Wolverine mythos, but this time he was paired with Frank Miller who was wowing the industry with his unbelievable Daredevil run (including the unforgettable Daredevil #181).

But according to the Chris Claremont interview in ‘Comics Creators on X-Men’ (2006), the limited series almost didn’t happen…

Frank Miller thought Wolverine was an incredibly dull character and didn’t want to have anything to do with him. He had absolutely no interest in drawing a story about a berserk psycho killer. The two of us got stuck in traffic on the way to Los Angeles after a San Diego Comicon… Since we had nothing else to do, we started talking about Wolverine, about who he is and why he is. The conversation ranged over samurai pictures and manga and all of the things that we were enjoying at the time. During the course of the conversation, we basically started building the story. This is one of those rare occasions where a story evolved out of the character, rather than the plot.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

The stunning cover to the first issue is by Frank Miller and Josef Rubinstein and one of the best Wolverine covers from the 1980s, if not of all time.

Below is the cover sans logo…

First up is the original cover artwork with logos, from the collection of Joe Rubinstein.

Yes, the Joe Rubinstein.

And let me mention that Joe does do cover recreations and commissions. If you are interested, please check out his work at Comic Art Gallery and make sure not to miss his amazing commissions page.

Next comes the absolutely breathtaking original color artwork by Frank Miller and Josef Rubinstein, also from the collection of Joe Rubinstein.

Update: It seems I missed two very stunning homage covers when I first posted this. Let me rectify that by adding the Wizard #157 cover from Nov 2004 by Steve McNiven and Mark Morales…

And the Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness #5 homage cover from August 2007 by Arthur Suydam…

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From 2008 to 2009, Wolverine Files highlighted, in chronological order, iconic Wolverine covers and their homages. Want to start at the beginning? Click here…

Ever since they first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1, the New X-Men (as they were known in the seventies and eighties) were drawn by either Dave Cockrum or John Byrne. Sure there were a few fill-in artists for annuals and such, but these two artists and writer Chris Claremont were the caretakers of the New X-Men for a good seven years.

Think about that.

Three creators solely in charge of the entire mutant universe for SEVEN years.

Wow.

So back in 1982, when a new artist was announced for Uncanny X-Men #165, the fans stood up and took note.

Luckily for us, it was Paul Smith.

Paul Smith’s first cover to give prominence to Wolverine was the final issue of the year-long Brood saga and featured the entire New X-Men team mourning (not for the last time), the death of Professor Charles Xavier….

Next up is the equally impressive but little noticed reprint cover by Adam Hughes who may be best known, as Wikipedia puts it, for “his voluptuous, pinup-style female characters.”

Duh, right?

But in 1992, he was less well known and relegated to doing a series of covers for ‘X-Men Classic’. His cover for X-Men Classic #71, the reprint of Uncanny X-Men #165, may have been his best…

Finally, on the left is Paul Smith‘s first Wolverine cover, Uncanny X-Men #166, with a mask-less Wolverine in the corner. And on the right is the X-Men Classic #66 reprint of the same issue, this time featuring the final ‘X-Men Classic’ cover by Mike Mignola…

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From 2008 to 2009, Wolverine Files highlighted, in chronological order, iconic Wolverine covers and their homages. Want to start at the beginning? Click here…

In 1982, Chris Claremont embarked on a then unheard of year-long ‘Uncanny X-Men’ saga involving the insidious Brood, parasitic aliens that laid eggs inside of their hosts. Not surprisingly, Wolverine was infected and his mutant healing ability pushed to the limit in Uncanny X-Men #162, the midpoint of the saga.

The cover to that issue was by long-time X-Men artist Dave Cockrum (with inks by Bob Wiacek) near the end of his second legendary run (Paul Smith would pick up art duties in a few issues, wrapping up the Brood storyline)…

Mike Mignola of Hellboy fame supplied the reprint covers for X-Men Classic and seemed to enjoy focusing on Wolverine more so than Dave Cockrum had on the original covers. First up are X-Men Classic #59 and #60…

Followed by X-Men Classic #66 and #67…

And finally, we have the original cover art to X-Men Classic #67 from the collection of Francesco Bazzana…

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