Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Rampaging Wolverine #1
Marvel Comics
Fialkov, Luque, Yost, Santolouco, Furth, Nelson, McKeever
Yet another Wolverine one shot has something a little different to offer than the others. This one is entirely in black and white. One could argue that the stories took that route to rush this out to market or you can make a case that there is an artistic motif here. Either way you look at it, this issue pulls it off nicely. The issue has four stories that aren’t entirely standalone. It’s a good comic, one that’s almost worth the four dollar price tag but it really isn’t essential reading unless you just cant get enough Wolverine in your life.
The first story (by Fialkov and Luque) is a full twenty-two pager that focuses on Wolverine losing a fight and ending up left for dead in the ocean only to wash up on the shores of some Korean village. Wolverine ends up liking the family and the atmosphere. Life is good for the old Canadian until a greedy land baron shows up and ruins it all. Wolverine eventually becomes unhappy and things get ugly.
The story is good for a couple of reasons. First of all, it feels like it could take place in any number of decades, which keeps the continuity freaks guessing. Secondly, the story relies on Wolverine the man instead of the Avenger, Mutant or beast. The artwork is also excellent as it keeps Wolverine grounded as just a regular man. Finally, the story has a couple of nice twists in it.
The story doesn’t quite connect 100% percent because of the infusion of the pirates. The pirates were the ones that left Wolverine dead in the ocean but then they come back looking for him, which doesn’t quite make a ton of sense. Also, the ending here is lifted directly from one of the Creepshow stories from the movies. I wasn’t crazy about that at all.
The second story (by Yost and Santolouco) is eleven pages of Wolverine charging an assassin sitting in a gun nest. It’s a good study of what goes through the mind of someone hunting Wolverine but falls down because Wolverine keeps getting shot and doesn’t stop charging. It’s like his healing is on overdrive. Now the consistency (or lack of) with regard to his healing ability is easily debatable, but when he gets one in the eye he usually stops for a second or two. The artwork in this story is excellent as well. The whole story is at night and it really captures the whole Sgt Rock hunts Wolverine type story very well.
The third story (Furth and Nelson) picks up pieces of the second story and runs with the idea that Wolverine is out of commission as he heals from his battle. He has visions of Jean as he lays immobile. The story is really a short story with three illustrations. It really explores just how Wolverine felt about Jean. The most disappointing aspect of this story wasn’t the art, but the choice not to have one of the illustrations be of Jean kissing Wolverine as it was mentioned a number of times in the story.
Finally, the eleven pager (by McKeever) about Wolverine and a pack of wild animals and how he defeats the environment with them. It’s an odd story but the symbolism isn’t lost in the mix. Wolverine is an animal and the obvious parallel here is that the monkeys think of him as one of their own. The strange part of the story is that monkeys don’t really travel in packs. Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to lead a gang of dogs? Besides wolverines are loners, so why would other animals want to be in with one? It was a little puzzling the whole setup but I did like the story despite its oddities. The artwork is very angular and I actually found this take of Wolverine to be refreshing.
There you have it. You get forty-eight pages of story with no ads. All good stuff. You have to like black and white and you also have to like your Wolverine not fighting super villains because this comic has none of them. It’s all Wolverine fighting the elements and regular men for the most part. The issue was a fun read and it comes close to being worth the jacked up price of four bucks. Still, I think this one is only for the completists out there.
3 out of 5 geek goggles
