Wolverine appears in four titles this past week (March 25, 2009) as well as the free ‘Wolverine Saga‘ chronology, a chronology that I will be covering in quite some detail over the weekend.

But first the reviews…

X-Force/Cable: Messiah War (preview | thread)
Writers: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Art: Mike Choi & Sonia Oback

As most readers know, I have been quite critical of X-Force in the past.

But the opening chapter of ‘Messiah War’ finally provides a view through Scott’s eyes, a view that brings into a focus a perspective that makes sense to me.

In my humble opinion, this is how the series should have started, sharing Scott’s perspective in a personal way to explain why he has acted the way in the way that he has.

That said, if the bad guys are allowed to kill literally thousands of innocents and mutants at a time, can Marvel please allow an assault team of expert killers to actually kill the bad guys?

Not the redshirts. Not the guards. Not the characters who have no names and no faces. But kill the people who are actually responsible for these 9/11- style terrorist attacks.

If this series is about the ends justifying the means, then let the ends justify the means.

Leper Queen is the woman responsible for literally thousands of death, hundreds of them mutants. And it is the writers’ deus ex machina that saves the Leper Queen’s life (‘X-Force’ #13), not the characters.

Back to the issue at hand, we do get a terrific Deadpool guest star.

So, all in all, the best issue of X-Force to date…

Wolverine: First Class #13 ( (preview | thread)
“Hand in Hand”
Writer: Peter David
Art: Ronan Cliquet

What has made this series so appealing, so special over the past year is the entertaining interaction between tough guy and professional curmudgeon Wolverine and snarky and genius teenager Kitty Pryde. They get on each other’s nerves, but genuinely care for each other. It makes for a pleasant diversion in this age of dark and grim superheroes.

So when Peter David, clearly a talented writer, took over the series, I was surprised to find that Wolverine and Kitty Pryde don’t interact with each other.

At all.

Instead, one half reads like a teenage comics (with Kitty’s new BFF Sarah) and the other like a charmless Marvel Team-Up with Wolverine, Daredevil, the Hand and a surprise guest-star for next issue.

Clearly, I will give this series and Peter David some time to develop their own voice, but so far, it’s lacking exactly the charm that made the series so likeable in the first place…

New Avengers #51 (preview | thread)
Writer: Brian Michael David Bendis
Art: Billy Tan, Matt Banning and Justin Ponsour & Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend and Antonio Fabela

There are time when I’m reading an issue that I’m not sure if Wolverine is going to appear. Such was the case with this issue.

But Bendis’ writing is so good, that about halfway through, I was hoping that Wolverine would appear, just so I could tell you just how good this issue is.

Fortunately for me (and for you), Wolverine does appear. And the first official meeting of the New Avengers therein could not have been better.

So if you are not reading Dark Reign across ‘Dark Avengers’ and ‘New Avengers’ yet, start reading today…

X-Infernus #4 ( (preview)
“Soul’s End”
Writer: C.B. Cebulski
Penciler: Giuseppe Camunculi
Inker: Jesse Delperdang

A surprisingly touching and effective finale to a miniseries that nicely and deftly sets the stage for the new ‘New Mutants’ series set to debut in May…

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…