Brian Wilkinson
Dec 29, 2002, 11:52 am
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-184.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-184t.jpg" align=left alt="Wolverine #184"></a>Reviewer: Brian E. Wilkinson, bewilkinson@yahoo.ca
Quick Rating: Great!
Story Title: When In Rome…
Will people NEVER learn? You do NOT tick off Wolverine…
Written by: Frank Tieri
Cover by: Essad Ribic
Penciled by: Sean Chen
Inked by: Tom Palmer
Colored by: Edgar Tadeo
Lettered by: Comicraft
Assistant Editor: John Miesegaes
Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Say it ain’t so, Frank.
After reading yet another fantastic issue of Wolverine, I’m more despondent than ever that Tieri and Chen are leaving this series with issue #186 (Chen earlier with next month’s issue #185). Though the duo have been with the title for almost two years now, it all feels like an all too brief passage of time.
Now I’m left to wonder what the new team of Greg Rucka and Darick Robertson are going to produce. With the X-Men 2 movie due out in May, Marvel are all keyed up to take advantage of the heightened interest in their comic books and have decided to relaunch with a new #1 issue.
I hate relaunches. With a passion.
Now, on the one hand I see the logic from a marketing perspective. To have a new book, featuring a popular character, re-emerge with a new first issue is to enhance sales. On the other hand, people like myself who have been loyally following the book for years, through good and bad, sit back and take a moment to wonder if I want to continue buying this series. After all, when the series ends with issue #189 (don’t ask me why they won’t go to issue #200), I could stop then and have a complete collection.
I just don't get why you'd relaunch a book when the bulk of your audience is made up of a loyal fans. To a degree, it feels like a cop out and a cheap way to make a buck. I realize that it's silly to hold on to something like 'numbering' like this, but it shows a clearer passage of time in my mind. I've been buying this book since it came out. I've put in time, money, and a lot of energy into loving this book... and now it's 'over' in a way with a 'new' beginning. I guess I'm just whining, but it's important to me for things to remain at least a LITTLE bit consistent. Oh well...
I’m wary enough of a new team any time they debut on a book. This strikes me as rather ironic as I’ve read and loved comic books for over 20 years. Only in the past few have I really started paying attention to the creative teams much less following or judging a book based on that fact. For me, the stories are tales that were pre-told and the writer and artist are merely filling in the blanks. Now, I’m left to wonder as to the quality, if they’ll change the logo (which would be unbearable as I love the current logo), and what sort of direction editor Axel Alonso will steer the book into.
So I’m left to hold on to faith that the new Marvel won’t let the book go to hell. They’ve done great things with all the titles, but Wolverine was one of the last refuges of what I consider a more classic form of comic book telling. Sure, this was a Wolverine for the new millennium, but he was his older interpretation enough that I don’t feel the character has been butchered the way he sometimes appears to be over in New X-Men.
Time will tell.
Anyway, after a long digression, on to the issue. Simply put, this is great stuff. I’m loving the ‘new’ Wolverine and the direction Tieri, Chen, and company have steered it into. Logan is more dangerous than ever and apparently willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
I must admit that I loved the opening scene featuring the new character ‘The Sweeper’. He was mentioned in the last page of the previous issue and I was left to wonder if this character was actually going to pose a threat or not. When he confronts Logan in a scene that reminded me of the cantina scene in Star Wars between Han Solo and Greedo I felt a grin come over my face as you could read easily what was coming. This was a wonderful alternative to the types of brutal and in your face violence that fans have come to expect from a Tieri-written Wolverine.
The only thing I didn’t like was Logan’s speech about the dangers of smoking. By now, most fans know of Joe Q’s feelings towards smoking and his ban of it in comic books. Personally, I didn’t think it was necessary to make that decision, especially when it was obviously so personally based for Joe. Myself, I don’t encourage smoking but I certainly don’t condone it or preach to others that they shouldn’t smoke. My father works for a major Canadian company that produces cigarettes and if not for this job I would not have had meals to eat every day and clothes on my back. I don’t personally smoke, but without it, my life and my father’s life may have been quite different.
I also found it out of character for Logan. After all, he used to be a smoker for much of his comic book career. Though he does mention that he’s one of the few people in the world that would be okay smoking.
*edit*
After reading a post by Tieri in his forum here on X-Fan I see that I'm in error as to the nature of this scene. Tieri describes himself as being 'no big fan' of Marvel's 'no smoking' policy and wrote the scene with tongue firmly in cheek. The universe makes sense once again. ;)
The action in this issue is what really makes it memorable. Friend and foe both come after Logan as his employer decides he’s a liability and the competition is getting desperate. There are some brutally vicious scenes drawn here by Chen that have Wolverine looking the scariest I can remember. How freaky is a guy who doesn’t drop after being shot a few dozen times? Not only that, he CHARGES at you!
To bad guys: think before you shoot.
Now, there’s not a lot of plot development here, but it does set up a bloody final issue next month. A tentative alliance has been struck with Freddo’s #1 goon, Wolverine made friends with a couple of lions, and the Roman is as dead as his empire.
This arc has been fantastic so far. Great pacing, clear, crisp writing from Tieri, and a fantastic job of directing by editor Axel Alonso. Chen provides some of the best art of his career and pays attention to even the smallest details. Since he began on this book I’ve been impressed, but month after month he tops his own previous efforts. Wolverine’s ‘battle damage’ continues from page to page with each panel showing the gradual effects of his healing factor. The backgrounds are shocking in their level of detail and the emotion displayed by his characters are completely believable.
Tieri’s run has been shocking, controversial, bloody, and best of all, the most entertaining Wolverine has been in years. It’s too bad he and his partner in crime, Sean Chen, are exiting the book, but this arc is sure to be seen as one of the highlights of their run. Go out and pick it up today!
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolnone.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=55&cat=WOLVERINE) and save!
Quick Rating: Great!
Story Title: When In Rome…
Will people NEVER learn? You do NOT tick off Wolverine…
Written by: Frank Tieri
Cover by: Essad Ribic
Penciled by: Sean Chen
Inked by: Tom Palmer
Colored by: Edgar Tadeo
Lettered by: Comicraft
Assistant Editor: John Miesegaes
Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Say it ain’t so, Frank.
After reading yet another fantastic issue of Wolverine, I’m more despondent than ever that Tieri and Chen are leaving this series with issue #186 (Chen earlier with next month’s issue #185). Though the duo have been with the title for almost two years now, it all feels like an all too brief passage of time.
Now I’m left to wonder what the new team of Greg Rucka and Darick Robertson are going to produce. With the X-Men 2 movie due out in May, Marvel are all keyed up to take advantage of the heightened interest in their comic books and have decided to relaunch with a new #1 issue.
I hate relaunches. With a passion.
Now, on the one hand I see the logic from a marketing perspective. To have a new book, featuring a popular character, re-emerge with a new first issue is to enhance sales. On the other hand, people like myself who have been loyally following the book for years, through good and bad, sit back and take a moment to wonder if I want to continue buying this series. After all, when the series ends with issue #189 (don’t ask me why they won’t go to issue #200), I could stop then and have a complete collection.
I just don't get why you'd relaunch a book when the bulk of your audience is made up of a loyal fans. To a degree, it feels like a cop out and a cheap way to make a buck. I realize that it's silly to hold on to something like 'numbering' like this, but it shows a clearer passage of time in my mind. I've been buying this book since it came out. I've put in time, money, and a lot of energy into loving this book... and now it's 'over' in a way with a 'new' beginning. I guess I'm just whining, but it's important to me for things to remain at least a LITTLE bit consistent. Oh well...
I’m wary enough of a new team any time they debut on a book. This strikes me as rather ironic as I’ve read and loved comic books for over 20 years. Only in the past few have I really started paying attention to the creative teams much less following or judging a book based on that fact. For me, the stories are tales that were pre-told and the writer and artist are merely filling in the blanks. Now, I’m left to wonder as to the quality, if they’ll change the logo (which would be unbearable as I love the current logo), and what sort of direction editor Axel Alonso will steer the book into.
So I’m left to hold on to faith that the new Marvel won’t let the book go to hell. They’ve done great things with all the titles, but Wolverine was one of the last refuges of what I consider a more classic form of comic book telling. Sure, this was a Wolverine for the new millennium, but he was his older interpretation enough that I don’t feel the character has been butchered the way he sometimes appears to be over in New X-Men.
Time will tell.
Anyway, after a long digression, on to the issue. Simply put, this is great stuff. I’m loving the ‘new’ Wolverine and the direction Tieri, Chen, and company have steered it into. Logan is more dangerous than ever and apparently willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
I must admit that I loved the opening scene featuring the new character ‘The Sweeper’. He was mentioned in the last page of the previous issue and I was left to wonder if this character was actually going to pose a threat or not. When he confronts Logan in a scene that reminded me of the cantina scene in Star Wars between Han Solo and Greedo I felt a grin come over my face as you could read easily what was coming. This was a wonderful alternative to the types of brutal and in your face violence that fans have come to expect from a Tieri-written Wolverine.
The only thing I didn’t like was Logan’s speech about the dangers of smoking. By now, most fans know of Joe Q’s feelings towards smoking and his ban of it in comic books. Personally, I didn’t think it was necessary to make that decision, especially when it was obviously so personally based for Joe. Myself, I don’t encourage smoking but I certainly don’t condone it or preach to others that they shouldn’t smoke. My father works for a major Canadian company that produces cigarettes and if not for this job I would not have had meals to eat every day and clothes on my back. I don’t personally smoke, but without it, my life and my father’s life may have been quite different.
I also found it out of character for Logan. After all, he used to be a smoker for much of his comic book career. Though he does mention that he’s one of the few people in the world that would be okay smoking.
*edit*
After reading a post by Tieri in his forum here on X-Fan I see that I'm in error as to the nature of this scene. Tieri describes himself as being 'no big fan' of Marvel's 'no smoking' policy and wrote the scene with tongue firmly in cheek. The universe makes sense once again. ;)
The action in this issue is what really makes it memorable. Friend and foe both come after Logan as his employer decides he’s a liability and the competition is getting desperate. There are some brutally vicious scenes drawn here by Chen that have Wolverine looking the scariest I can remember. How freaky is a guy who doesn’t drop after being shot a few dozen times? Not only that, he CHARGES at you!
To bad guys: think before you shoot.
Now, there’s not a lot of plot development here, but it does set up a bloody final issue next month. A tentative alliance has been struck with Freddo’s #1 goon, Wolverine made friends with a couple of lions, and the Roman is as dead as his empire.
This arc has been fantastic so far. Great pacing, clear, crisp writing from Tieri, and a fantastic job of directing by editor Axel Alonso. Chen provides some of the best art of his career and pays attention to even the smallest details. Since he began on this book I’ve been impressed, but month after month he tops his own previous efforts. Wolverine’s ‘battle damage’ continues from page to page with each panel showing the gradual effects of his healing factor. The backgrounds are shocking in their level of detail and the emotion displayed by his characters are completely believable.
Tieri’s run has been shocking, controversial, bloody, and best of all, the most entertaining Wolverine has been in years. It’s too bad he and his partner in crime, Sean Chen, are exiting the book, but this arc is sure to be seen as one of the highlights of their run. Go out and pick it up today!
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolnone.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/wolnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=55&cat=WOLVERINE) and save!