Posted on: May 13th, 2009 Pull-List: Wolverine 73 Review
So here’s the deal, because of the whole Dark Reign arc going on, they’re throwing two Wolverine issues at us this month to catch up. Wolverine 72 is going to be a double sized Mark Miller spectacle that will conclude the Old Man Logan story, which once is done I’ll review. Old Man Logan has been one of the freshest stories in the Marvel U and if you haven’t checked it out yet I would recommend you go out there and get caught up.
Enough of 72, let’s get to 73. It is actually divided right down the middle as two separate stories, and you know what it, works. The first follows Wolverine’s day to day and it’s a really cool mash up with all the different Marvel characters whether it’s the X-Men, Spiderman, X-Force, The Avengers, or even Deadpool. It works well and is really cool with no real dialogue to carry the story, just comments. You know Deadpool couldn’t appear and not say anything.
Not till the end where him and Yukio had just cleaned up a bunch of ninjas do we get to understand what this is all about. They wind up in bed together and she goes on to ask him why he’s running himself ragged. We get no real answer but we can all make out own assumptions. Wolverine’s life has been crazy and hectic and we’re left with a to be continued after only about ten pages.
Jason Aaron didn’t have to write too much dialogue wise, but the whole idea of following Wolverine day to day was great. It’s nice to be entertained sometimes in a more visual way then a heavy reading book. Don’t get me wrong, I do love great dialogue and storytelling but sometimes the visuals can tell a great story in itself. That’s where Adam Kubert really shines in this issue. The art is great and works well with the concept.
The second half covers a much deeper story. Here we face the trials of being a father and pains the sons can have on them. We all know of Wolverine’s son and although he is never directly mentioned, it’s as if he’s in every frame after the third page.
Wolverine is speeding as Logan on his motorcycle through a dessert on his way to San Francisco from New York and has just been pulled over. He doesn’t seem to want trouble and is saved by a guy known as Horror Show and his biker gang. Apparently he knows Logan and gets him out of any trouble.
They then find themselves at a local bar kicking back some drinks at a biker bar. Horror Show and Logan talk about back in the day as they haven’t seen each other for over thirty years. Horror Show catches Logan up with his life with him losing his wife and one of his two sons. He’s cleaned up sober, no more drinking or drugs and is trying to keep well, although his other son is still on drugs and he isn’t too happy about it.
A rival gang comes into Horror Show’s bar and tells him that his son is now their leader. A fight breaks out and ends real fast. Horror Show is a beast and takes the guy out pretty easily. Logan and Horror Show are sitting out on the front porch when Logan offers to find Horror Show’s son and find out what’s going on.
In the end we find ourselves with Logan on the chase of Horror Show’s son with another to be continued. Two stories, one book, both to be continued. Damn, can’t catch an ending in this book, which is ok, we know this is just a filler, but a good one at that. Daniel Way does a great job as the writer of this second story and really does a great job at making you feel for Horror Show, who as you find out is a rather sad man. The art by Tommy Lee Edwards is a real dirty noir feel, something you would find in Daredevil and it works really well for Wolverine.
So again I liked this story, and although a filler, any Wolverine fan should go check it out. I know we’re getting plummeted with Wolverine everywhere we all look, but it’s ok. I’ve always been a fan so to me this is great. If you’ve read it let me know what you all thought and if you have any comments post away. Enjoy.