Classic Wolverine Covers: Marvel Team-Up #117

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.

Wolverine Covers: Marvel Team-Up #117

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…

Marvel Tales #243 cover

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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Classic Wolverine Covers: X-Men/Alpha Flight #1

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…

Wolverine Covers: X-Men/Alpha Flight #1

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

X-Men/Alpha Flight panel by John Cassaday X-Men/Alpha Flight panel by John Cassaday

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…

X-Men/Alpha Flight panel by John Cassaday

Bring it on, indeed…

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Classic Wolverine Covers: Classic X-Men #26

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 October 1988, Kerry Gammill and Terry Austin created one of the most memorable of the reprint covers for Classic X-Men #26, reprinting X-Men #120 and Wolverine’s first face off with the full Alpha Flight team and in this particular cover moment, Sasquatch…

Wolverine Covers: Classic X-Men #26

First up is a rejected preliminary cover for this issue by Kerry Gammill from the collection of Michael Steenbergen. Next is the color guide to the final cover in gorgeous watercolor from the collection of Doc Conners

Rejected preliminary cover to Classic X-Men #26 Color guide for Classic X-Men #26

The back cover by John Bolton is an intriguing piece juxtaposing a smoking Wolverine with the yarn he is spinning. On the right is the original artwork from the collection of John Bamber…

Classic X-Men #26 back cover Classic X-Men back cover original

Finally, we have the two-part frontispiece from Classic X-Men #27 by Kieron Dwyer and Terry Austin. Gotta love that polaroid!

Classic X-Men #27 frontispiece

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Classic Wolverine Covers: ROM #18

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

I know what you’re thinking.

ROM? ROM Spaceknight?

Yup, ROM it is (for the uninitiated, there is the Wikipedia entry, guaranteed to be at least 75% accurate).

Back in 1981, Wolverine, for the first time, began to appear in a slew of comics other than Uncanny X-Men. In fact, 1981 marked his most crossovers to date. Eight in one year.

Nowadays, Wolverine appears in eight issues in a single week.

But back to 1981 (May to be exact), Wolverine was front and center (or more accurately center right) on ROM #18.

Does the artwork look familiar? It should. It’s Frank Miller

Wolverine Covers: ROM #18

Next up is the terrific original artwork from David Mandel who has amassed a tremendous collection of Wolverine covers.

Not that I’m jealous or anything…

Wolverine Covers ROM #18 original artwork

Finally, two more 1981 Wolverine covers by Frank Miller: The preceding issue, ROM #17, and finally, What If? #27 answering the question, What If Phoenix Had Not Died

ROM #17 cover . What If? #27 cover

Man, I love Frank Miller artwork…

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Classic Wolverine Covers: Uncanny X-Men #142

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

Uncanny X-Men #142 features the second of the classic Days of Future Past covers by John Byrne and Terry Austin, this time from February 1981 (note the official title change from X-Men to Uncanny X-Men). And while last issue’s cover was voted the best Wolverine cover of all time, Wizard Magazine #157 made this cover #2…

Wolverine Covers: X-Men #142

First up is the long forgotten X-Men: Days of Future Past trade paperback from 1989 by Butch Guice followed by Alex Ross and his first portrayal of the Days of Future Past Wolverine from Paradise X: Heralds #1, December 2001…

Days of Future Past cover Paradise X: Heralds #1 cover

In 1998, Marvel resurrected this futuristic storyline, with Ed McGuinness supplying the cover for Wolverine: Days of Future Past #1. On the right is the original cover artwork from the collection of Glenn Gervot

Wolverine: Days of Future Past #1 cover Wolverine: Days of Future Past #1 cover original artwork

Finally, in 2005, Marvel once again revisited the future with Bart Sears and Weapon X: Days of Future Now #1. The original cover artwork on the right is from the collection of JAMO NEZZAR

Weapon X: Days of Future Now #1 cover Weapon X: Days of Future Now #1 cover

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Classic Wolverine Covers: X-Men #141

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 #141 features the classic Days of Future Past cover by John Byrne and Terry Austin from January 1981. This is such an iconic cover, Wizard Magazine #157 voted it the #1 Wolverine Cover of all time. I still remember being blown away by the aging Wolverine when I first saw the cover on the stands…

Wolverine Covers: X-Men #141

As for homages, Arthur Suydam recreates the Byrne classic in Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness #1 and Paco Medina does the same with New X-Men #26 featuring X-23 in the role of Wolverine…

Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness #1 cover New X-Men #26 cover

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Classic Wolverine Covers: X-Men #140

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 #140 is another classic cover by John Byrne and Terry Austin, this time showing off Wolverine’s new brown costume and chronicling his rematch with Wendigo from December 1980…

Wolverine Covers: X-Men #140

This issue marked the first glimpse of Wolverine’s past (courtesy of Chris ClaremontJohn Byrne and Terry Austin). Dig that short hair!

X-Men #140 classic panel

Steve Lightle provided both reprint covers, Classic X-Men #45 on the left and X-Men Classic #46 on the right. Note the title change from Classic X-Men to X-Men Classics to move the series closer to other X-Men comics on the comic book racks!

Classic X-Men #45 cover X-Men Classic #46 cover

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Classic Wolverine Covers: X-Men #133

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

John Byrne and Terry Austin provided the legendary cover art for X-Men #133, depicting Wolverine’s counterattack against the Hellfire Club from May 1980…

Wolverine Covers: X-Men #126

The original artwork for the cover below on the left is from the collection of Bill Woo. On the right, is a cover recreation by Butch Guice and Terry Austin for Wolverine Saga #2 from November 1989…

X-Men #133 cover original Wolverine Saga #2 cover original

Steve Lightle again provides the reprint cover, this time for Classic X-Men #39. The original artwork for the cover is from the collection of Gary Land…

Classic X-Men #39 cover Classic X-Men #39 original cover

And last, but certainly not least, the Greatest Wolverine Panel Ever…

X-Men #132 final panel

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Classic Wolverine Covers: X-Men #126

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

Dave Cockrum and Terry Austin provided the legendary cover art for X-Men #126, chronicling Wolverine’s first disastrous encounter with Proteus from October 1979…
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Wolverine Covers: X-Men #126

Next up is a terrifically clean original of X-Men #126 by Dave Cockrum and Terry Austin from the collection of Bill Woo

X-Men #126 cover original

Steve Lightle took a different approach with the reprint cover from Classic X-Men #32 going with a portrayal of the reality-altering powers of Proteus. John Bolton followed suit on the back cover, focusing entirely on Wolverine’s devastating experience…

Classic X-Men #32 cover Classic X-Men #32 back cover

Steve Lightle also provided cover art for the following issue, Classic X-Men #33, this time referencing Wolverine’s Danger Room-style fight with Cyclops. And from the collection of Eric Delos Santos, comes the original cover complete with a second Wolverine in the UPC box…

Classic X-Men #33 cover Classic X-Men #33 cover

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Classic Wolverine Covers: Classic X-Men #30

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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Wolverine Covers: Classic X-Men #30

Inside X-Men #124, Chris ClaremontJohn Byrne and Terry Austin masterfully depicted Wolverine planning his revenge on Arcade in my favorite panel of the issue. Gotta love that grin!

Wolverine seeks revenge

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…

X-Men #123 cover X-Men Annual #3 cover

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

Wolverine trying to fix hydraulic press

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