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…

Previous Classic Wolverine Cover: Marvel Team-Up #117 | Next: Uncanny X-Men #167

Want to see the Classic Wolverine Covers from the beginning? Start here…

I’m on fire! Another Wolverine Chronology update is finished.

012: Team X – Logan, Creed and North.

Check it out and let me know what you think…

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across this product description for a book called ‘The Wolverine Files’ on Amazon.com…

Wolverine made his debut in the Marvel Comics world on the last page of Incredible Hulk #180 in 1974. In the stories that followed, the mystery of the mutant’s seemingly contradictory past intrigued and tantalised fans, as glimpses of his back story were revealed over three decades by a rotating cast of writers and artists. One thing was beyond doubt, however: with his animal-keen senses, retractable claws and sarcastic tongue the enigmatic hero rapidly became one of Marvel’s most popular creations. Now, The Wolverine Files presents the complete story of the character as never before, in files assembled by intelligence officers at Marvel’s Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-Enforcement Division. The meticulous research of S.H.I.E.L.D. shines through on every page of this magnificent chronicle, fully illustrated with rare Marvel artwork and bound in an eye-catching slipcase bearing the trademark three-pronged slash of Wolverine’s claws. Also included is a special top-secret string-bound envelope which holds pull-out original sketches and concept art by the Marvel masters who guided the character’s evolution. Authoritative and visually stunning, The Wolverine Files contains the full unexpurgated must-have saga of one of the comic world’s most fascinating creations.

Now take a look at what I wrote in the introduction of my Wolverine Files (reprinted below),  then reread the first few sentences of the product description (above). It’s okay. I’ll wait…

In late 1974, Wolverine made his first appearance in the Marvel Comics universe, debuting in the pages of The Incredible Hulk. In the stories that followed, the mystery of Wolverine’s seemingly contradictory past intrigued and infuriated fans alike, especially when tantalizing nuggets of his previous escapades were revealed over the course of 30 some years.

Don’t get me wrong. I am honored to have promotional text for a Wolverine publication be so similar to mine.

Really.

But as a friend of mine once said, “If I’m good enough to be copied, then I’m good enough to be published.”

Sigh…

Finally, Comics Previews of probable Wolverine appearances this week (coming out on Friday, January 2)…
– Wolverine #70 (preview): The secret of ‘Old Man Logan’ revealed…
– Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #3 (preview): More fun from Jason Aaron…
– Avengers/Invaders #7 (preview): Will Wolverine get to do something in this series?
– Ultimate X-Men #99 (preview): Penultimate issue…
– X-Force #10 (preview): Ghost Rider? Do we really need a Ghost Rider guest star?

Aside from Wolverine: Origins #31 (see review), Wolverine appeared in two other titles this past week (December 24, 2008). I also missed an appearance from last week courtesy of Comusiv’s keen eye…

Wolverine: First Class #10 (preview)
“The Pack, Part 1”
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Francis Portela

Regular readers of this site know that I really like this series and Fred Van Lente’s writing in particular.

But this issue just does not work for me.

It’s not bad.

It’s just not nearly as good or as witty as previous issues have been.

It’s based on a single premise — a very cool premise — but that premise is not enough to carry the issue.

And since this is a two-parter, my guess is that it won’t carry next issue either.

New Avengers #48 (preview)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Billy Tan
Inks Matt Banning

The first half of this issue is Brian Bendis at this best.

Very quiet. Very personal. Very effective.

But he throws in a twist that to my mind is unnecessary and smells of deus ex machina.

As a result the powerful ending feels rather manipulated. Which is a shame, for it would have been even more powerful without the twist.

Mighty Avengers #20 (preview)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Lee Weeks, Jim Cheung & Carlo Pagulayan
Inks: Lee Weeks, Jim Cheung & Jeffrey Huet

Missed from last week, eagle-eye Wolverine Files reader Comusiv caught the barely noticeable background flashback Wolverine cameo. Took me two full reads to find it myself!

And finally, Wolverine did not appear at all, thankfully, in the truly dreadful Ultimatum #2…

Wolverine: Origins #31
“Family Business, Part 1”
Writer: Daniel Way
Penciler: Yanick Paquette
Inks: Serge La Pointe & Michel Lacombe

The first thing I noticed about this issue is how pedestrian the art is.

Where have you gone, Mike Deodato?

The story, unfortunately, isn’t much better.

Wolverine: Origins is becoming more and more about Daken and less and less about Wolverine.

No offense, but I don’t really care for Daken.

And if Daniel Way’s recent interviews are any indication, we should expect more of the same.

As for Mike Deodato, his farewell present seems to be the awesome cover…

Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

From Marvel (preview): “After the stunning revelations of last issue, Daken now knows that he is merely a pawn and that his hatred of his father, Wolverine, is based upon a lie. Now, Daken and Wolverine—father and son—unite to track down the most fearsome being Daken has ever known. But they’re not the only ones looking for him…” On sale December 24, 2008.

What a wonderful treat for Christmas — the Hulk beating the living tar out of Wolverine in the latest clip from Hulk vs. Wolverine…

More Wolverine News…
– From Newsarama.com, Daniel Way talks ‘Wolverine: Origins’.
– From ComicBookResources.com, Daniel Way expounds even more on ‘Origins’…

As a Christmas Eve treat, I figured I would reveal yet another Wolverine Chronology update with 011: Team X Beginnings.

I’ve also renumbered the later chapters (due to the condensing of the two Canadian Intelligence chapters into one) to avoid any further confusion.

My goal is to get the chronology updated through Days of Future Past in time for the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie.

Not sure if I will make it, but that’s the goal.

In the meantime, I will have a Wolverine News update on Christmas Day, a review of Wolverine: Origins #31 up on Friday, and a Week-in-Review live over the weekend.

So to all the Wolverine fans out there, Merry Christmas!

DiG…

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

Back in the day, Marvel Team-Up was THE crossover book at Marvel Comics. You knew your favorite character had made the big time if he got to share the billing with Spider-Man! It was like being on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Or, perhaps to be more modern, chosen by Oprah to be in her eponymous Book Club.

So believe it or not, it wasn’t until May 1982, that Wolverine got his big break with Marvel Team-Up #117. And Wolverine was such a non-star at this point in his career that he didn’t even have a proper logo for his name!

The cover itself is by Bob Layton and Joe Rubenstein. Not the greatest cover in the world, I admit, but when it hit the stands, it meant Wolverine had finally made the big time.

After the jump is the reprint cover and it’s even better than the original…

The late Marshall Rogers improved upon the original with the Marvel Tales #243 reprint cover from 1990…

Of course, I’m not sure what Spider-Man is doing with his right hand. One hopes he’s not trying to give Wolverine a wedgie!

Previous Classic Wolverine Cover: X-Men/Alpha Flight #1 | Next: Uncanny X-Men #162

Want to see the Classic Wolverine Covers from the beginning? Start here…

Don’t faint, but I just finished updating 010: Landau, Luckman and Lake (and Jasmine Falls).

With any luck, I will be able to get to the next few chapters in short order.

As always, let me know what you think!

From the ComicBookResources.com interview with the X-Editors:

“Wolverine: Weapon X” is designed to be new reader-friendly, but it’s also going to be doing a big part of defining what Wolverine is up to in San Francisco, when he’s not specifically doing X-Men things. We’ll probably be seeing some of his friends from the team showing up as the series goes on, but the supporting characters we’ll be bringing into “Weapon X” will be showing up in – and having an impact on – the other X-books.

With regards to “Wolverine: Origins,” we’ve been making a concerted effort to bring more into the X-Universe, which Daniel Way was really excited to do. You’ve seen the beginnings of that with the “Original Sin” story, which I think people really liked. As you stick around, the “Weapon XI” storyline will really prominently feature the X-Men – as in, a knock-down, drag-out fight between Daken and the X-Men. We’ll be seeing a lot more of the X-Men in ‘Origins.’

For a long time, it was important to establish a distinct identity for “Origins;” not that “Origins” didn’t tie-in before, but it really had to establish a distinct feel for itself. Now that we’ve got a solid mythology behind the book, we can play more with the other books without breaking down the core story that “Origins” exists to tell.

In X-Men Origins: Wolverine news, Hugh Jackman and the rest of the cast are returning to Vancouver for two weeks of reshoots (Aceshowbiz.com)…

And, of course, Comics Previews of probable Wolverine appearances this week…
– New Avengers #48 (preview): Bendis picks up the pieces from Secret Invasion…
– Wolverine: First Class #10 (preview): Werewolf by Night…
– Wolverine: Origins #31 (preview): Wolverine and Daken take on Cyber…
– Ultimatum #2 (preview): The end of Ultimate Universe continues…