Wolverine continues his war against The Flower Cartel with the international reputation of Krakoa at stake. As Benjamin Percy, Adam Kubert, and Frank Martin craft Wolverine #3.
Tony Thornley: Hey Pierce! We absolutely jinxed ourselves last time we talked! I can’t believe we thought the wait between Wolverine #1 & #2 felt like forever.
Pierce Lightning: Tony? Tony, is that you?! It’s been so long! At this rate, there will be a vaccine by the time the next issue comes out. But in the meantime, I’m happy to get back to some good ol’ science snikt-tion.
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
TT: So right away we get the answer to a question that I don’t think any of us were asking. What is Magneto like when he gets drunk? Logan and Mags are spending some time together in the Green Lagoon. And good old Max, it doesn’t look like he can hold his liquor.
PL: I have to imagine that ol’ Buckethead is exactly the kind of drunk that Benjamin Percy gives us here – kind of a pain in the ass but one who waxes nostalgic once he gets a little too deep. I guess he’s kind of like that sober, too. But most importantly, what do you think is Magneto’s drink of choice? I’m going with a Painkiller: 2oz of rum, 4oz of pineapple juice, a splash of orange juice and a splash of cream of coconut. Top it off with a sprinkling of nutmeg.
TT: I’ve never touched a drop in my life, so I couldn’t even begin to guess! Hah! That definitely sounds like it would be a popular drink in the Green Lagoon though!
Like I know this is a flashback, but give me more. I love downtime stories, and I know this technically isn’t one. However, Krakoa stories really take a minute and show us what life on the island is like. This one page gives us a lot more than other DOX books have to date in my opinion. However, as Magneto passes out with a “clang” we see this isn’t just a flashback for the hell of it. Logan’s got a plan.
PL: Totally agree. Can’t wait for Hickman and the rest of the DoX crew to give us their baseball issue, ya know? I hope we at least get to see Magneto’s hangover next issue.
TT: Definitely! I really liked the narration from here. Immediately after Logan “borrows” Magneto’s helmet, we get a glimpse inside his innermost thoughts. I really like that Percy shows us that the growth Logan went through before his first death is still intact, which I don’t think we’ve gotten enough. This is a much more mature and thoughtful Logan, which he shows us by revealing he has a plan…
PL: It reminds me a lot of Jason Aaron’s take on Logan, specifically post-Schism. I like Percy’s work with that double page spread as well because it lampshades the fact that different writers have had very different ideas for Wolverine over the years but it grounds the character with a sort of moral center that you can thread through his entire history.
TT: Definitely, which leads us to seeing other parts of the plan (which is more Jason Aaron inspiration, hi Quentin!) as the Pale Girl directs “Logan” to pilot the ship right into a very interesting new locale.
Anti-Krakoa
PL: Gotta say, Marvel’s Russians clearly don’t place much value on aesthetics. Anti-Krakoa basically looks like a flying saucer. [Ed. note: Pierce doesn’t respect the brutalist aesthetic] But also, positioning the Russians as the villains of the story makes this feels like a weird Cold War era relic. I think this book is really struggling with finding meaningful stakes. Like you mentioned in your notes, this feels like an X-Force plot waiting to happen.
TT: Both Marauders and X-Force have had major plots involving Russia’s anti-Krakoa stance. I really dig that bit of continuity, especially in revealing that the Flower Cartel is VERY much a Russian operation. Not Russian nationals, the actual Russian government. The revelation of this artificial island is very cool too because it reveals that Russia isn’t entirely anti-mutant, but VERY anti-Krakoa. I don’t think it completely lands though.
PL: I think on some level, real life politics have somewhat ruined my suspension of disbelief. It feels odd to make another country out to be villains in American comics when a quick look at the news reveals the American government to be pretty evil on a daily basis. Across the line, we’re seeing “the Russians” being used as stock villains when there’s a real opportunity to dig deeper about how that country treats actual marginalized communities and draw a stronger throughline. I like the synergy with the other books but I think I need to see the concept fleshed out more before it totally wins me over. Especially because nothing about them sticks out as particularly cool in this issue. Those black and red swirly suits are a particular eyesore.
TT: I think you’re exactly right. I think that would have landed better if it were one of the fictional non-treaty nations. It feels disingenuous. The art also reveals a bit of a problem with that. You just said the suits are an eyesore. The logo on the facilities don’t scream Russia, even though the narration says it does.
PL: They’ve got a red star! That can only mean Russians! I guess I am partially just not impressed with Adam Kubert’s design work here. He excels with superhero action but considering how specific the design elements of this era of X-Men are, it would’ve been nice to see something a little bit more imaginative. But I’m likely nitpicking here. Especially because the worst design element of DOX isn’t his fault.
TT: Which design element? I’m curious now.
PL: Pyro’s face tattoo is my least favorite thing about this era of X-books. It looks really dumb and not every artist handles it well. Kubert does his best but it still makes Pyro look like some sort of weird caveman.
TT: Oh my gosh, I’m so glad someone else has thought that! I’ve actually kind of been looking forward to Pyro’s first time through the resurrection protocols so it gets erased!
PL: I’m sure this will finally get us canceled by X-Twitter. [Ed. note: It’s going to get you canceled by me!]
TT: It might! You say that about Pyro though, but the rest of that splash? Where we see what Wolverine’s been plotting as he bursts out of the hold of the ship with the Marauders right behind him? That rules so much.
PL: I was surprised it was so tame, honestly. I believe in the X-Factor school of entering the fray: if you aren’t busting down a wall, you are doing something wrong. Give me the classic Wolvie angry crouch! Something, Adam!
TT: Hah! That’s completely fair, and it’s a good point! I think it’s a choice to go along with the more mature Logan, but it definitely could be more dynamic. I liked it though! From that reveal however? I kinda felt like the rest of the issue was a bit generic action movie. What did you think?
PL: Right there with you. I liked the fight scene and Wolverine’s narration but I felt like I was left holding the bag as a reader. We didn’t find anything more out about the Pale Girl, really. And the Russians/Anti-Krakoa don’t feel built up enough that seeing them defeated felt satisfying. Logan saves Jeff and they have a nice moment that echoes the scene in issue one of Wolverine playing with the mutant kids but it felt like a hollow victory.
TT: I think it feels in the end like a set-up for other stuff. The Pale Girl escapes. The Russian island blasts away. It all feels like the middle of an arc, rather than the end of the first story arc. If we didn’t know the Dracula arc was back next issue, I would assume that we had at least two more issues to go in the story. I’m also afraid it’s going to get resolved elsewhere- more likely X-Force than here in Wolverine, just given what we’ve seen in solicits. Hope I’m wrong.
CIA Versus X-Men?
TT: You mention the scene with Bannister, and I’m glad Logan got that moment with the Dude and his daughter. It was an okay catharsis moment after a stressful arc. It also shows that Krakoa has some allies in the US Government. But that was definitely balanced by that horrifying data page early in the issue- a transcript of a conversation between Bannister and an Agent Ramirez.
PL: I’m glad we got that moment too because I’ve always felt like the X-Men are only as good as their human supporting cast. It helps ground some of the insanity we are used to seeing superhero comics and reminds us that the actions of these merry mutants really do have consequences outside of what we’re seeing. I am extremely interested in what X-Desk is up to and again it’s because given current events, the CIA getting involved piques my interest more than kind of generic Russian forces.
TT: For sure. It’s very clear that this X-Desk is not an ally. Do you get the impression this is a very different person than the person manning the desk in Marauders? I definitely get the feeling in Marauders that this is someone we’re supposed to know, a former ally like Val Cooper, not unnamed CIA Agent #1. Here, Ramirez has a major air of menace.
PL: They definitely could be different people! I wouldn’t be surprised if the X-Desk has different sections that focus on Krakoa’s various teams and subsets. And I wonder if any past government liaisons from the X-Men’s past might be popping up. Similarly, they might not be human. What if X-Desk is a mutant staffed task force within the American government? There are so many ways for this mystery to go.
TT: Definitely! So final thoughts? I liked the arc, but it felt very much like the first arc of X-Force. A little incomplete, with a lot of Benjamin Percy trying to figure out the voice he wants for the series. I think, given what X-Force has grown into, we’ll see it get there though. Kubert overall did a really great job though, and Martin’s colors did a lot to bring the story to life.
PL: I think Percy has settled into a great rhythm with Logan’s voice but I think you’re exactly right. He’s having trouble deciding on what makes a Wolverine story and what makes an X-Force story. And Kubert is always a treat, even if this issue fell off a little bit.
X-Traneous Thoughts
- While it definitely seems like the Russia plot is going to get resolved in X-Force, I hope the Pale Girl plot gets resolved in Wolverine.
- We didn’t touch on it but Benjamin Percy wrote a delightful Quentin Quire and the scene with the Cuckoos was good fun. [Ed. note: See the upcoming Cable #2 for more]
- Empathetic Wolverine is good Wolverine
- Is the best panel in the book Juggernaut basically punching through Logan? I think it is.
- Oh also, a hearty hell yeah to letterer Cory Petit. The sound effects this issue had were great.
- Krakoan Tease: Blood Sucker
Pierce Lightning is a longtime comics journalist and critic, singer for a band called Power Trash, and staving off the crushing heel of capitalism with every fiber of their comic book loving being.
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist, and all around awesome guy. He’s also very humble.
