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!

Wolverine: Flies to a Spider
Writer: Gregg Hurwitz
Penciler: Jerome Opena
Inker: Jerome Opena & John Lucas

Larry Hama meets Frank Tieri.

And I don’t mean that in a good way.

This dreadful one-shot is a throwback to the old days of mindless Wolverine stories.

Wolverine walks into a sadistic biker bar, starts a fight, and eviscerates the entire gang over the death of an innocent. An innocent whose name the evil bikers can’t even remember because they are so evil.

Man, I thought we were finished with these stories when Frank Tieri left.

That said, great Doc Savage style cover by Tim Bradstreet.

Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

From Marvel (preview): “It’s New Year’s Eve, and tonight, like every night, they’ve gathered at the road stop saloon called the ‘Rat Trap.’ The Road Dawgs. The meanest, nastiest, most jacked-up biker gang you ever could meet. But tonight there’s a stranger sitting on the stool at the end of the bar. Someone who’s come here to pick a fight. Someone who’s hunting far bigger game than these roughnecks, and knows exactly how to get its attention. Before the stroke of midnight, he’ll get his wish. It’s Wolverine at his fiercest, courtesy of Gregg Hurwitz (PUNISHER) and future star Jerome Opena (Fear Agent).” On sale December 11, 2008.

I have been updating Classic Wolverine Covers for the past few weeks, adding some incredible new bonus features to many of the early installments — such as this unbelievable recreation on the left by Arthur Adams from the collection of J. Michael Jackson. I’m not done updating all the covers yet, but I did want to give everyone a heads up to peruse some of the older covers (you can start here at the beginning).

I also realized that I missed a genuinely classic cover, Classic X-Men #30 (see the post directly below this one). As a result, I’ve had to insert that writeup between two earlier posts to maintain my anal-retentive continuity. So while it might look a little wonky right now, it should sort itself out in the long run.

Please let me know what you think of these updates and a special thanks to all the generous (and lucky!) original art owners who have kindly allowed me to display their beautiful pieces in the Classic Wolverine Covers series.

With Secret Invasion now wrapped up, Marvel has released details of previously embargoed titles, with Wolverine seemingly to appear in New Avengers, Dark Avengers (plus the lowdown on Wolverine: Origins #33: Weapon XI)…
– Fred Van Lente on Wolverine: First Class #10 from Marvel.com…
– Mike Carey on Original Sin from IGN…
– Ed McGuinness draws Wolverine for Free Comic Book Day from CBR…
– Wolverine: Switchback Sneak Peek from CBR…

And let’s not forget, Comics Previews of probable Wolverine appearances this week…
– Dark Reign #1 (preview): The beginning of the next big Marvel event…
– Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Boxes #2 (preview): More weirdness from Warren Ellis…
– Wolverine: Flies to a Spider (preview): How Wolverine spends his New Year’s Eve…
– X-Men/Spider-Man #2 (preview): It’s like the eighties never left…

With X-Men Origins: Wolverine opening May 1 next year, I figured it was time to start a weekly roundup of the latest Wolverine Movie News…

So to start things off, Marvel.com boasts eight new X-Men Origins: Wolverine photos including Taylor Kitsch as Gambit. This is followed by four more online reports…
– ScreenRant.com: More details on Gambit…
– ComicBookMovie.com: Empire Magazine Wolverine Cover…
– Moviehole: Hugh Jackman May Walk Away from Wolverine…
– MTV’s Splash Page: Or May Do a Sequel in Japan…

Aside from Secret Invasion (see review and open thread), Wolverine made appearances in six other issues this week (December 4, 2008) as well as two pseudo appearances…

Weapon X: First Class #2 (preview)
“Bad to the Bone”
Writer: Marc Sumerak
Penciler: Mark Robinson; Inker: Robert Campanella

“Deadpool”
Writer: Marc Sumerak
Artist: Tim Seeley

If you liked the original ‘Weapon X’ story by Barry Windsor-Smith, you will get a real kick out Marc Sumerak’s handling of this miniseries. And the additional details about Carol Hines is a nice touch, adding even more humanity to a sympathetic but vastly underdeveloped character.

As for the Deadpool backup story, it is screamingly funny.

Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #2 (preview)
“Black Dragon Death Squad to the Edge of Panic”
Writer: Jason Aaron
Penciler: Steve Segovia
Inker: Noah Salonga & Steve Segovia

Jason Aaron is clearly enjoying himself as he drops Wolverine into a classic kung fu story complete with over the top henchmen, a hero forced to confront his arrogance, and a wise old mentor who will help the hero see the light.

And Wolverine really gets his ass handed to him.

Not to be missed…

Cable #9 (preview)
“Little Triggers”
Writer: Duane Swiercznski
Artist: Ariel Olivetti

Wolverine and X-Force guest star in this intriguing continuation of the Messiah Complex…

Secret Invasion #5 (no preview)
Writer: Brian Reed
Penciler: Marco Castiello

Wolverine barely cameos inside in a story that surprisingly has more heart than Secret Invasion #8. And frankly, the entire Giant-Wasp sequence is much easier to follow under Marco Castiello’s deft touch…

What If? House of M (preview)
“What If… Scarlet Witch Ended the ‘House of M’ by Saying, ‘No More Powers?'”
Writers: Brian Reed & Jim McCann
Penciler: Paolo Pantalena; Inkers: Crime Lab Studios (Allen Martinez, Victor Olazaba & Danny Miki) with Scott Hanna & Andrew Pepoy

Dreadful. Simply dreadful…

Wolverine/Power Pack #2 (no preview)
“Kickin’ It Old School”
Writer: Marc Sumerak
Artist: Gurihiru

As much as I enjoyed the first issue, I can’t really say the same for this weak outing. And even though this isn’t the primary Marvel Universe, I can’t tell you how creepy it is to see Kitty Pryde alive and well…

New Exiles #15 (no preview)
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Tim Seeley

In a vision, we get a brief glimpse of a female version of Wolverine. A genuinely dreadful series since Chris Claremont took over…

And while Wolverine doesn’t appear in X-Men Noir #1 (see preview), it seems his handiwork does in this terrific offbeat issue by Fred Van Lente and Dennis Calero…

Secret Invasion #6
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Leinil Yu; Inker: Mark Morales

The headline says it all.

That’s it?!?

I don’t want to spoil it for those of you who haven’t read the issue yet, but suffice it to say, that’s it?!?

The big event that has dominated the Marvel Universe for nine months. That has been in the hopper for over four years since before even New Avengers launched, and this is all we get?

After the jump, I’ll comment in more detail (SPOILER ALERT, WILL ROBINSON, SPOILER ALERT!!!) and give everyone an opportunity to praise, vent and/or wax poetic on Secret Invasion #8 in our all-new OPEN THREAD.

Okay, it’s nothing new, it’s just the regular old comments, but I encourage everyone to join in.

But again, SPOILER ALERT!!! after the jump and in the open thread comments…

Read more…

No much yet on Secret Invasion #8 (in stores this Wednesday) except for the above cover, but we do have a few Wolverine-related interviews…
– Marc Sumerak on Weapon X: First Class from CBR…
– Catching Up on X-Force with Chris Yost from Newsarama…

Comics Previews for the coming week of probable Wolverine appearances…
– Secret Invasion #8: After all this waiting, this finale better be awesome. No preview available…
– Weapon X: First Class #2 (preview): Intriguing series continues…
– Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #2 (preview): Jason Aaron’s impressive miniseries kicks it up a notch…
– Wolverine and Power Pack #2: More all ages funs. No preview available…
– What If? House of M (preview): What if Scarlet Witch had said, “No More Powers!”
– X-Infernus #1 (preview): The return of Illyana or Darkchylde or whoever the hell she is now…

Aside from Wolverine: Origins #30 (see review), Wolverine appeared in three other issues as well as one cover-only appearance this week (November 26, 2008)…

Wolverine: First Class #9 (preview)
“Koan”
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Francis Portela

I really liked this issue. The artwork is outstanding, the story well-written, funny and surprising substantial. If only more comics were like this…

X-Force #9 (preview)
Writers: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Art: Mike Choi

Domino joins the fun in this blood-filled issue that includes an army of Sabretooth clones. How the hell do you kill an army of Sabretooth clones?

Best line of the issue, “If you die, take one of them with you.”

Ultimate X-Men #98 (preview)
Writer: Aron E. Coleite
Penciler: Mark Brooks; Inker: Karl Story

An Ultimatum crossover. And not a very good one.

Wolverine barely cameos in only two panels and not a single word of dialogue…

Secret Invasion: X-Men #4 (preview)
Cover: Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson and Justin Ponsor

Wolverine is front and center on the cover, but nowhere to be found in this four-issue series.

I hate when Marvel does that…

Wolverine: Origins #30
‘Original Sin, Part 5’
Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: Mike Deodato

I gotta be honest. If Original Sin hadn’t been billed as a major crossover, as a stunning revelation, I might have actually enjoyed the Wolverine: Origins‘ half of this storyline.

It wasn’t bad. It actually showed a little heart.

But as for revelations and important crossovers, it really was a dud. In fact, there wasn’t a single new fact revealed about Wolverine and Xavier’s first encounter in this entire issue.

That said, the ending does provide the groundwork for the finale of Daniel Way’s saga.

One hopes, however, that Marvel doesn’t drag it out like they have the rest of the series.

Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

From Marvel (preview): “Continued from X-MEN: LEGACY #218! Searching for his kidnapped son, Wolverine will let nothing stand in his way—not even The Hellfire Club! Meanwhile, what dark secrets will Professor X unearth inside the scorched battlefield that is Wolverine’s mind? And what will it tell him about his own past deeds? Find out here in the mind-shattering—literally mind-shattering—conclusion to ORIGINAL SIN!” On sale November 26, 2008.