Aside from Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #1 (see review), Wolverine appeared in two other issues this week (October 22, 2008)…

Secret Invasion #7 (no preview)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Leinil Francis Yu; Inker: Mark Morales

The penultimate issue arrives and after seven months of back story, red herrings and build up, we finally get the battle we’ve all been waiting for. And by the time I was finished, all I could think was, is that it?

It’s not a bad battle. It’s pretty good actually. But after all this waiting, I just expected something startling, something jaw dropping.

So I think I speak for everyone when I say, Secret Invasion #8 had better deliver. After eight months, after hijacking half the books in the Marvel Universe, this better be the greatest finale ever written.

Other than that, no pressure.

X-Men: Legacy #217 (preview)
Writer: Mike Carey
Penciler: Scot Eaton; Inker: Andrew Hennessy

Daken takes center stage in Original Sin, Part Two, and frankly, I haven’t warmed up to him at all. Wolverine gets some action, but there isn’t a whole lot there beyond what we got in the preview. Much like Secret Invasion, here is yet another Marvel storyline that is getting overly dragged out.

Part III comes next week in Wolverine: Origins #29. Can’t wait? Check out this sneak preview.

Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Stephen Segovia

Jason Aaron, writer of the the highly entertaining ‘Get Mystique’ storyline, returns with Wolverine: Manifest Destiny and once again, he does not disappoint.

It’s yet another fun romp through Wolverine’s past, this time in San Francisco’s Chinatown concerning a mysterious event from 50 years ago. And as usual with Jason Aaron, it starts off with a rousing first issue.

It has a nice feel to it as well – very much like the kung fu movies from the 1970s it seems to be channeling. And the background flourishes are a nice treat for readers like me who enjoy reading through an issue several times to try and catch all the nuances.

Thoughts? Share them in the comments below!

From Marvel (preview): “The X-Men have arrived in San Francisco—but Wolverine finds he’s left more than his heart there! Something happened in Chinatown more than 50 years ago…something that the people there still have not forgotten. And now Logan finds himself a marked man, pursued by fighters from every dojo in town–not to mention the mystical warriors of the criminal Triad and their merciless leader…who just happens to be Logan’s ex-girlfriend. Guess you shoulda stayed in New York, huh bub?” On sale October 22, 2008.

Wolverine Files features every Wolverine’s TV appearances in order, continuing with #10…

The Unstoppable Juggernaut, the eighth episode of the X-Men animated series, aired on March 6, 1993 (out of order due to production delays), continuing the season-long storyline. Colossus and Juggernaut guest star.

Best Wolverine line comes when Colossus throws him across the construction site, forcing Wolverine to wryly note, “Guy’s got a great arm,” evoking thoughts of future Fastball Specials…

So enjoy the entire episode in two parts this time, again courtesy of YouTube….

<<< X-Men 07: Slave Island | Next: The Cure >>>

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

Steve Lightle provided the cover art for Classic X-Men #30 from February 1989, his take on X-Men #124 chronicling the X-Men’s first battle with Arcade. I always loved the scene where Wolverine gets to cut loose against the robotic Hulk, so this cover came as a real treat for me…
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Inside X-Men #124, Chris Claremont, John Byrne and Terry Austin masterfully depicted Wolverine planning his revenge on Arcade in my favorite panel of the issue. Gotta love that grin!

Now as popular as Wolverine is today, it was quite the opposite back in the 1970s as evidenced by his lack of quality cover appearances. Take X-Men #123 from the first half of the Arcade storyline. It’s a terrific cover by Terry Austin (in fact, one of the few covers Terry Austin would ever pencil), but the only glimpse of Wolverine is from behind. X-Men Annual #3 by Frank Miller and Terry Austin also from 1979 does give Wolverine more prominence. Unfortunately it involves him being unconscious. All that’s missing is the drool coming out of his mouth…

And finally, we have the long-forgotten frontispiece from Classic X-Men #28 by Kieron Dwyer. Poor Wolvie!

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

Above left is the special promotional art for Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary and note how prominent Wolverine’s placement is. He has made the Mount Rushmore of Marvel Comics and at least seven of his covers grace the background. What greater honor could our favorite mutant hope for? How about plans for a comic based on the Marvel Superhero Squad toys. <sigh>

Now down to previews…

-X-Men: Legacy #217 (preview): Original Sin, Part 2…
-Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #1 (preview): Jason Aaron, writer of ‘Get Mystique’, returns…
-Secret Invasion #7 (no preview): Little is known of this penultimate chapter. Expect some big surprises…

Aside from Astonishing X-Men #27 (see my review), Wolverine appeared in five other issues this week (October 15, 2008)…

Uncanny X-Men #503 (preview)
Writer: Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker
Penciler: Greg Land; Inker: Jay Leisten

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Greg Land’s glamorous artwork just does not work for the X-Men. And frankly the dialogue isn’t working for me either. The speech patterns just seem off for most of the cast, girly-girl. And since when does Nightcrawler call Wolverine “Liebchen”?

Ultimate Origins #5 (preview)
“Flaw”
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Butch Guice

Wolverine barely cameos in a montage piece (see Where’s Logan, Waldo-style), but in any event, this issue is a big letdown. Let Ultimatum being already!

Marvel Adventures the Avengers #29 (preview)
Writer: Paul Tobin & Jeff Parker
Penciler: Ig Guara; Inker: Sandro Ribiero

More sitcom hijinks, this time with Thor, Storm and Odin. And Wolverine mistaken for a troll. <sigh>

Secret Invasion: Front Line #4 (preview)
Writer: Brian Reed
Penciler: Marco Castiello

Wolverine cameos on the final page and that’s it.

March on Ultimatum Saga (preview)
Writer: Stuart Vandal
Cover Art: David Finch

Everything you need to know about the Ultimate Universe but were afraid to ask.

Oh and it’s free.

Astonishing X-Men #27
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Simone Bianchi

The revelation of the Ghost Box results in easily the best Astonishing X-Men issue penned by Warren Ellis so far.

Agent Brand absolutely steals the show. Scott Summer is ****ing hysterical. And Wolverine gets perhaps the best line of the Ellis run, “It’s like catching a rerun of ‘Happy Days’ and seeing Ron Howard picking up hookers.”

I must admit though that I’m still on the fence about Bianchi’s art. It’s beautiful — much like Alfonse Mucha’s stunning visuals. But it doesn’t necessarily work in a graphic storytelling sense — again much like Mucha’s disappointing Wonder Woman miniseries.

All in all, a vast improvement over last issue and very encouraging as Warren Ellis starts to hit his stride with the book.

Thoughts? Share them in the comments below!

From Marvel (preview): “Big action. Big Science. And a big mystery to solve! The superstar team of Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi take the X-Men to the ‘Second Stage’! ‘Messiah CompleX’ pulled the X-Men team together, ‘Divided We Stand’ tore them apart. Now the X-Men are back to business—with a new look, a new base of operations, and a mission that will take them into mind-bending and previously uncharted territory—one that will test them—and their leader Cyclops—to their very core. You won’t believe your eyes.” On sale October 15, 2008.

Wolverine Files features every Wolverine’s TV appearances in order, continuing with #9…

Slave Island, the seventh episode of the X-Men animated series, aired on February 13, 1993, continuing the season-long storyline. This episode focuses on Storm, Gambit and Jubilee in Genosha, and includes a series of fun mutant cameos and a special guest star.

No classic Wolverine lines this time around, but he does appear, albeit briefly.

<<< X-Men 06: Cold Vengeance | Next: X-Men 08: The Unstoppable Juggernaut

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

X-Men #115, November 1978. Welcome to the golden age of X-Men comics.

Wolverine squares off against his teammates in a stunning cover by John Byrne and Terry Austin at the absolute top of their games. I can still remember my excitement when I saw this cover for the first time at Fat Jack’s Comicrypt in Philadelphia.

The brilliant two-page spread from the issue itself (also by John Byrne and Terry Austin) is below, with Wolverine cutting lose against Sauron…

While X-Men #115 was reprinted in Classic X-Men #21 (with Ka-Zar dominating the reprint cover), it was the cover to Classic X-Men #20 by Arthur Adams and Terry Austin that provides the better bonus feature for our purposes. And it is from the collection of George Kesidis that we get to see what Arthur Adams’ early preliminary sketch for this cover is like…

Previous Classic Wolverine Cover: X-Men #112 | Next: Classic X-Men #26

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

Above is the special promotional ad for Ultimatum, kicking off November 5. We also have an interview with Mike Carey and Daniel Way on Original Sin and as always, online previews of the probable Wolverine appearances this week…

-Astonishing X-Men #27 (preview): Ghost Box, Part 3…
-Uncanny X-Men #503 (preview): More models and white teeth courtesy of Greg Land…
-Ultimate Origins #5 (preview): Series finale builds towards Ultimatum…
-Marvel Adventures the Avengers #29 (preview): The Avengers must keep Thor’s date with Storm a secret from Odin. Oh, the hilarity…