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!

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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…

I know it’s been a long time since I’ve made any major updates to the Wolverine chronology. I also know that some folks think I need to stop with the rewrites and move ahead with the new stuff.

And I can’t say that I disagree with the sentiment.

Unfortunately, that’s not how I’m wired. I am anally retentive in a very chronological way (hence this website).

But the good news is that I did finish 009: World War II and I increased the image sizes on all the previous updates.

So give it a once over and let me know what you think.

And don’t be surprised if the next update shows up sooner than you expect.

Wolverine had only one actual appearance this week (December 17, 2008), two pseudo appearances and one cover only appearance. All in all, a pretty weak week in the comic shops…

What If Newer Fantastic Four (preview)
“New Fantastic Four”
Writer: Paul Tobin
Penciler: Patrick Scherberger
Inker: Craig Yeung

In the old days, ‘What If’ took on stories of import. Stories that we as readers genuinely cared about. What if Spider-Man had joined the Fantastic Four? What if Wolverine had killed the Hulk, What if Elektra had lived? More recently, the one shots have delved into alternate versions of Civil War, House of M and Fallen Son.

So forgive me if yet another New Fantastic Four story fails to spark my interest.

The story isn’t bad. Wolverine actually gets some pretty good treatment at the hands of Paul Tobin (even if the blue costumes are atrocious). But this is predictable fare that really didn’t need to be on the shelves this week or any week for that matter…

Uncanny X-Men #505 (preview)
Cover: Terry and Rachel Dodson

Wolverine graces the cover in classic Dodson-style, but fails to appear inside for the second straight issue…

Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #31 (preview)
“Good Things Come to Those Who Bait'”
Writer: Paul Tobin
Penciler: Ig Guara
Inker: Sandro Ribeiro

Another cover only appearance, but at least Wolverine gets referenced (for unpaid parking tickets?!?) inside…

X-Men: Legacy #219 (preview)
“Jagannatha'”
Writers: Mike Carey
Penciler: Phil Briones
Inker: Cam Smith

Wolverine cameos only as part of a Juggernaut memory flash…

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 May 1998, a young artist by the name of John Cassaday exploded onto the comics scene with X-Men/Alpha Flight #1. The artwork was simply amazing and his layouts even more breathtaking, especially for an artist who was only 17 at the time…

First up are two panels by John Cassaday from X-Men/Alpha Flight #2 that perfectly capture Wolverine at his very best…

Next, we have another panel from the same issue that still blows me away to this day. The composition is utter perfection.

And remember, John Cassaday was only 17 at the time…

Bring it on, indeed…

Previous Classic Wolverine Cover: ROM #18 | Next:Marvel Team-Up #117

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

The recent deluge of Wolverine announcements is forcing me to add Wolverine News Updates on a more frequent basis. So to start, MySpace launched the official trailer to X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Check it out below…

Marvel and Lionsgate debuted the latest Hulk vs Wolverine trailer (it’s really starting to look like a movie tie-in now) with the beginnings of a new website…

And finally, Marvel Comics previews for March 2009 were released (with probable/possible Wolverine appearance listed below)…

–March 4: Astonishing Tales #2; Avengers/Invaders #9; Marvel Spotlight: Wolverine; Ultimate Hulk vs. Wolverine #3 (really!); Ultimatum #4; Wolverine and the X-Men Magazine #2; Wolverine Poster Book #1; X-Men Noir #4…
–March 11: Nothing? Really?
–March 18: Uncanny X-Men #507; Wolverine #71; Wolverine: Origins #34; X-Force #13
–March 25: New Avengers #51; Wolverine: First Class #13; X-Force/Cable: Messiah War Prologue #1; X-Infernus #4

The big news of the week is that a new Wolverine series, Wolverine: Weapon X, will debut in March…
– Jason Aaron and Ron Garney reunite on ‘Wolverine: Weapon X’ from Newsarama.com…
– First look at ‘Wolverine: Weapon X’ #1 cover from Newsarama.com…
– Wolverine returns to his roots in ‘Wolverine: Weapon X’ from Marvel.com…
– Exclusive Digicomic: ‘Astonishing Tales: Wolverine/Punisher’ #1 from Marvel.com…
– Astonishing X-Men #28 First Look from Marvel.com…
– Kyle, Yost, Choi talk ‘Messiah War’ from CBR…
– ‘Messiah War’ begins in March from Marvel.com…

And let’s not forget, Comics Previews of probable Wolverine appearances this week…
– What If: Newer Fantastic Four (preview): I really hate Wolverine’s blue costume…
– X-Men #505 (preview): Wolverine makes the cover at the very least…
– Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #31 (preview): Possibly a cover only appearance…

The trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine (opening May 1, 2009) debuted this weekend with The Day the Earth Stood Still. Unfortunately, it keeps getting pulled down from YouTube. So if it’s not working, make sure to check the official site that just launched. The trailer will be available as of Monday morning there…

In other online Wolverine movie news…

– MTV’s Splash Page: A review of the trailer and Hugh Jackman dishes on Deadpool…
– Marvel.com: First Look at the X-Men Origins: Wolverine Video Game…
– CinemaBlend.com: Hugh Jackman in X-Men: First Class?…
– Newsarama.com: Wolverine to host the Academy Awards…

Aside from the dreadful Wolverine: Flies to a Spider one shot (see ‘Hama Meets Tieri” review), Wolverine made appearances in three other issues this week (December 10, 2008). And since we had so much fun last week with the Secret Invasion finale, I thought it might be fun to take a look at Dark Reign #1 despite Wolverine not appearing…

X-Men and Spider-Man #2 (preview)
“Last Hunts”
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Mario Alberti

Mario Alberti’s art is simply breathtaking in this clever tale by Christos Gage that fits effortlessly within the classic eighties stories of Mutant Massacre and Kraven’s Last Hunt.

Not to mention Wolverine gets to cut loose in his battle with Sabretooth and the rest of the Marauders.

A most enjoyable diversion marred only by Spider-Man’s dreadful reference to Wolverine’s “adamantium tuchus.”

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Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Boxes #2 (preview)
“4”
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Kaare Andrews

For me, this is Warren Ellis at his best.

A smart and wry take on established characters in an apocalyptic future.

And you gotta love the art by Kaare Andrews.

What If? Fallen Son (preview)
“What If… Iron Man Had Died'”
Writers: Marc Sumerak
Artist: Trevor Goring

This round of What If tales has been especially weak, and unfortunately for me, Wolverine camoes yet again.

And while Wolverine doesn’t appear in Dark Reign #1 by Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev, we had enough reaction last week in our Secret Invasion #8 Open Thread, that I thought we might want to try it again…

The story itself seems pretty intriguing, with Norman Osborn giving the keys to the kingdom to Dr. Doom, Namor, Emma Frost, a very feminine Loki (when did that happen?!?) and the Hood (which one of these doesn’t belong?). But as mentioned elsewhere, the artwork by Alex Maleev is simply dreadful. Namor looks like a balding, out-of-shape gigolo complete with five o’clock shadow (not to mention his bizarre dialogue). Loki looks like an aging,  flabby and eyebrow-less drag queen. Even Norman Osborn is unrecognizeable if not for the dialogue.

So while the issue itself is pretty strong, the artwork is so jarring that I can’t help but think it was done on purpose.

So like last week, please join in on the fun!