Jude Jones: For two issues we’ve been reviewing Wolverine: Black, White & Blood. And for two issues we’ve been on the same page: the work has been pretty mediocre – at best. Yet here we are, on issue three and, well…
Jason Large: I don’t know if something has changed now that we’re on part 3, maybe just my expectations, but I found myself enjoying this issue more. I think I could even see myself recommending this as a final packaged volume. A comic equivalent of a book of short stories. Or like an album where many artists come together for a cause. The cause in this case is money in Marvel’s pockets…
JJ: I don’t know if I’d recommend, still. But after this issue, maybe I wouldn’t dissuade them from buying. In any case, on with the show.
32 Warriors and A Broken Heart
(John Ridley, Jorge Fornés)
JL: There are three Logan-specific story tropes I am a sucker for: The character who is tired of fighting; the character who keeps picking themself up after getting knocked down; and the character who is trying to be a good mentor/parent in less than ideal conditions. This arguably has two.
JJ: Fair. And that’s kind of the double edged sword of this story and the stories we’ve read thus far: they’ve all been extensions on the same Wolverine tropes we know and (kinda!) love, albeit tropes that haven’t been executed very well. But because these stories rely on these tropes so – completely? – I find myself sometimes a little bored. If I wanted to read a Wolverine story from 30 years ago, I would just read a Wolverine story from 30 years ago.
But here the story, trope-y as it is, is executed well. I enjoyed it, even if it wasn’t brand new. A well done work is always appreciated. There’s always room in my stomach for comfort food.
JL: From an art perspective, the color palette gimmick works for me here, as silver samurai is close enough to help invoke the classic Kurosawa samurai story. I feel like for as much as Logan is linked with Japan from the classic Claremont/Miller miniseries, there’s so many Wolverine stories that not many others really stick out for me. I like the idea that with everything that happened with Mariko and Logan, this is still something they did together.
JJ: Honestly, I couldn’t see this kind of story using anything else but three colors. It fits the tone and theme to a tee. What works with this story, in addition to the Kurosawa/Claremont throwbacks, are the allusions to parenthood, maybe fatherhood in particular: you make hard choices that you think are the best for a child you would literally kill for, only to be (literally) hurt by the child you worked so hard to protect. Maybe you made the wrong choice; maybe there was no choice. You’re hurt just the same. I saw my dad in Logan, beard and all. I’ll probably call him later today. That’s an achievement in itself.
JL: I really liked Fornés’ art here. Heavy but clean inking and great use of red. Overall style was very reminiscent of David Aja’s Hawkeye work, and that’s never a bad thing.
JJ: Never a bad thing at all. I will say I’ve yet to be completely blown away by any art in this series, but (for the most part) it’s been consistently good. There’s one panel where Silver Samurai is running, completely shadowed, looking fully Kabuki-esque. It was small, yes, but I loved it. The little details matter most.
Burn
(Donny Cates, Chris Bachalo)
JJ: So on one hand, you read CXF for insightful, informed options presented artfully and carefully. On the other, I strongly believe in being direct. So I’ll try to be both here: This story sucked. It was banal, almost explicitly pointless, and maybe a bit masterbatory: centering a Wolverine story around another character you’re more familiar with (in this case, Cosmic Ghost Rider). Yes, the predestination paradox was cute, but ultimately unnecessary and predictable. Whereas the story immediately preceding had a brooding, thoughtful Wolverine, here we have “drink, fight, joke” Logan. It’s a disappointment and a waste. Ok I’m done.
JL: I don’t exactly get the draw of Donny Cates. I find him to do a lot of: “Remember those cool things? Let’s smash em’ together to make another cool thing!” I completely agree with you that this seems more about Cosmic Ghost Rider than Logan.
That being said it works fairly well in an anthology style book like this, if only because it’s short enough to not overstay it’s welcome. The story did remind me of Uncanny X-Men #183 where Logan and Kurt take Colossus to a bar and don’t help him fight Juggernaut.
JJ: This story reminded me of my freshman year in college, when maybe a friend (who shall not be named) thought they could take on a juggernaut. It didn’t end well. No further comment.
JL: I didn’t love Bachalo’s art here. He has definitely changed from what most remember of his early stuff (Generation X). I last saw his work consistently in the Uncanny X-Men run he did with Bendis a few years back. I like his more stylized work when it’s against more minimal backgrounds. Having this story set in a bar looked cluttered and the lack of color actually seemed to hurt more than help. The shade lines and gritty splatter effects make sense in general, especially for a bar scene, but it often made it seem more difficult to follow what was happening. I also needed to look up what Cosmic Ghost Rider is supposed to look like because I wasn’t really sure I knew what I was looking at with this rendition of Frank Castle.
[Ed note: Cosmic Ghost Rider (CGR) is a version of Frank Castle from Cates and Geoff Shaw’s “Thanos Wins” future where Frank, sold his soul to Mephisto, became a Ghost Rider, became a herald of Galactus, and then became the right hand man to and old version of Thanos. Our Odin brought him back to life for “reasons”, he did a Lone Wolf & Cub riff with baby Thanos, joins the Guardians of the Galaxy, and is currently hanging out in Hell with Johnny Blaze. The character is 3 years old.]
JJ: So I’m conflicted. I actually liked the art here: I liked the detail in the faces, the sideways looks, the flow of the action. But there’s a caveat: none of these people looked like anyone I was familiar with. To your point, that guy didn’t look anything like any version of Frank I’ve ever seen. And yeah, this would have benefited from color more – I don’t know. But this was definitely not bad. Artists need freedom to create, and there was a lot of creation here. I’d argue it was good. Just maybe not good for the format.
Red Planet Blues
(Jed MacKay, Jesús Saiz)
JL: The X-Men are going to Mars! Just as Xavier Files predicted years ago. Unfortunately it’s only Logan and everyone’s favorite magik school bus.
JJ: I’ve slowly become a member of the Magik fan club. I’m ready to pay dues. But yes, we finally get some red planet action. Although any ties to cannon are incidental and dubious at best, it was still nice to see the blood-red planet get put to good use. Was the story basic? Yes. Did everyone talk way too much? Also yes – I get the villains’ need to monologue, I get the intent was comedic (and ultimately beneficial to Wolvie) but it all felt superfluous. In any case we got action, maybe the best art of the series, and Magik. I’ll take it.
JL: OK yes, but hear me out. Predator. Sentinel.
JJ: I welcome this new creation into the official cannon. Brilliant.
JL: Saiz’s art is very easy to follow and understand the action occurring. The most prominent use of gray of any of the 3 artists, and it really works with the mute color palette of Logan’s Weapon X uniform and Magik’s black leather. Great piece of gore after Logan’s face gets blasted off.
JJ: It is the coolest nightmare fuel you’ll see today. And that’s really what makes the art here so good: unlike the dialogue, that bit of gore didn’t feel superfluous. Logan was getting his tail beat. This is what it would look like. That he can (physically) survive this kind of beating while coming up with a strategy is what separates him the best he is at what he does. But only when you see the details do you understand. I complained earlier that I haven’t really understood Logan better over these issues. That critique stands. But I appreciate him more here, because of the art, than I have in other stores. That’s an achievement.
JL: I definitely agree with the appreciation aspect. Logan done poorly is a guy that seems doesn’t matter what is done to him, he’s fine. When done properly, the story will make the reader get a better sense of the constant pain and violence Logan subject’s himself to in order to be the best there is at what he does. This story also felt the most connected to current X-titles with the nod at the end with a desire to have what is now possible with Krakoa.
JJ: I can’t exactly figure out when this was happening, so I didn’t know if I should read that as foreshadowing or as forgetfulness on the part of the writer. I do appreciate the expanse of the story, but my issue here is kind of a microcosm of my issue with the series as a whole: it’s the same Wolverine story, just in different locations. And maybe that’s ok: it’s certainly what a lot of people want, and we’ve seen it done well in this issue.
I just wish the creativity wasn’t limited to simply finding new locales for Logan to linger.
X-Traneous Thoughts
- Illyana trying to put on the AIM helmet was precious.
- My favorite Kurosawa movie – Kagemusha. I’d tell you why, but that’s a whole other post.
- No one can take this Mars bit from us.
He/Him
Jason is born, raised, and currently resides in New Jersey with his wife, two cats, and one dog. He enjoys comics, games, art, and helped put together the logo and website for ComicsXF. He'd rather be in the woods.
A proud New Orleanian living in the District of Columbia, Jude Jones is a professional thinker, amateur photographer, burgeoning runner and lover of Black culture, love and life. Magneto and Cyclops (and Killmonger) were right. Learn more about Jude at SaintJudeJones.com.
