Wolverine #74 Review: Double Shot of Wolvie

Hey, everyone… Here is my last (for real this time) review for the week. As a grand finale I am reviewing the final issue of Wolverine before the name change.  Hope you enjoy it.

Wolverine #74 cover Wolverine #74 (preview | thread)
Writer: Daniel Way, Jason Aaron
Pencilers: Tommy Lee Edwards, Adam Kubert
Inkers: Mark Farmer

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: This issue is broken down into the second halves of two distinct stories. The first is called ‘One-Percenter’. it opens with the Burning Son leaders in a bar discussing the fate of the woman murdered at the end of last issue. Ram is pushing for war but Horrorshow, knowing it would mean fighting his son, is urging restraint.

Logan comes in and explains that Horrorshow’s son, Junior is already dead so there is no need for a war. Horrorshow, feeling betrayed, flips out and begins beating up Wolverine before shooting him repeatedly in the chest.

The scene changes to the past where Wolverine had Junior captured and was interrogating him. The biker explained that he had been dealing drugs to Ram who then sold them to others including the murdered woman. Ram wanted Horrorshow out of the picture so the gang could go back to selling drugs and he killed the woman to force the issue. Logan, realizing Junior did not want to be helped, told him to disappear and then told his father he was dead.

Logan wakes up with his body in plain sight by the road. He figured that Ram, out of options, had left his body to be found so Horrorshow would be charged with murder. Logan makes his way back to town and deals with Ram permanently before quietly riding off.

The second tale is ‘A Mile in my Moccasins’. It opens with a few more days in the life of Logan as watched by Peter Parker. Then we cut to a bar where Wolverine is having a quiet drink as Spider-Man enters. Peter confronts Logan about his lifestyle saying it looks like he is trying to kill himself by overworking.

Logan does not want to hear it and starts dragging Spider-Man out of the bar. Peter breaks free and they face off. Before they can fight some very unlucky robbers break in. After the brief fight, Logan admits that Peter is right. He is afraid to be alone with his thoughts now that he has all the memories of the horrible things he has done. He states he needs to do everything he can to make up for old sins even if it kills him.

Peter wants a nice quiet chat but Logan gets called away by Cyclops. It ends with Logan thanking Spider-Man and walking off alone.

MY TAKE: The first story of this issue started out strong in part one but the finale was lacking something. Not that the story was bad it was just kind of pedestrian. It was meant to be a character study and a statement on family, in particular the relationship between father and son. But it ended up being muddled with no strong message either way.

Plus I felt the characterizations were rather off. Horrorshow is willing to murder his old friend without hearing his story but gives the body disposal to the man that has been working against him the whole time? Logan gives the son a pass, despite his being a drug dealer and probably worse, but hunts down and kills Ram? So basically it is okay to be a criminal if you remind Wolverine of his own son.

I know the review sounds critical, but as I said I did not hate this story. It simply felt like a typical if slightly confused Wolverine story. I am merely disappointed because it should have been a lot more.

The second story, on the other hand, was very good. The entire conversation between Wolverine and Spider-Man was well done and the characterizations were extremely strong. Everything from Peter being scared of Logan’s reaction, to Wolverine trying to drag him from the bar felt right. Wolverine’s speech at the end was particularly poignant.

I do not normally agree with trying to make company decisions, in this case Wolverine’s many teams, into story plots. But I do not mind it if the explanation makes sense and the story is good. And in this case both are true. My only complaint is the way overused robber entering the bar angle. But it is a very quick and amusing few panels so I am willing to cut it some slack.

Overall we are given a mediocre and a very good story. I am not personally looking forward to the focus change next issue but at least this last issue was strong.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next week.

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