Comic Book Review: Wolverine #66

Wolverine is a title that has not impressed The Revolution in a very long time. It is hard to believe that my interest has cooled so much in Wolverine’s character. Back when I was a kid, Wolverine was easily one of my favorite characters right up there with Iron Man. I have a full run of Wolverine’s title and have been purchasing this title out of nothing but sheer loyalty in the past several years.

However, Millar and McNiven’s arrival on Wolverine has gotten me excited about this title for the first time in forever. “Old Man Logan” is a story arc that definitely intrigues me and has the potential to be a fantastic read. Let’s go ahead and hit this review for Wolverine #66.

Creative Team
Writer: Mark Millar
Pencils: Steve McNiven
Inks: Dexter Vines

Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10.
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10.
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10.

Synopsis: We begin in the future. This story takes place fifty years after the great battle where all the heroes fell and evil took over the Earth. The heroes all disappeared and the bad guys have been running America ever since. We see Wolverine slinking away from the carnage of the battle fifty years ago. Since then, Wolverine has not been seen at all.

We then see old man Logan arriving back at his farm in the middle of the desert in Sacramento, California. Wolverine thinks about the crushing defeat fifty years ago. Logan’s son, Scott, informs him that the tractor is broken and that they don’t have any money to fix it.

Logan then tells his wife that Abe Donovan wouldn’t give him any money for the pigs. Logan told Abe that the pigs were clean, but Abe couldn’t take the risk after the last time. Logan’s wife asks him what they are going to do. Logan says he will think of something.

We cut to dinner time with Logan, his wife, Maureen, his daughter, Jade, and Scott at the dinner table. Maureen mentions that they could sell the children’s X-Box for enough money to help pay the rent that is due in two days. Scott chimes in that they don’t have time to play with it anyway. Logan refuses to sell his children’s toys.

Jade then mentions that the mother of one of her friends said that Logan used to be a super hero. Logan answers that there is no such thing as super heroes.

We cut to later that evening with Logan and Maureen outside watching the sunset. His wife tells Logan not to be angry at Jade. Logan responds that he is not angry with Jade. That he is angry with himself. Logan can’t believe that he let things get so bad for his family. Logan tells Maureen that she knows what they do to people when you can’t make the rent.

Maureen says that they have never missed a payment in over twenty years. Maureen says that maybe they will be reasonable if they offer them double rent next month. Logan answers back that they cannot look weak in from of Doom and the Kingpin and the other landlords. Logan says that Bruce Banner’s grandchildren don’t do reasonable.

We zip forward to two days later. We see Scott sitting on the porch and loading a shotgun. Logan tells his son to put the gun away. That it will just cause more problems. Suddenly, the Hulk Gang arrives at the farm. We see them riding the old Fantasti-Car.

Miss Banner refers to Logan as “Wolverine.” Logan answers that she can call him “Logan.” Miss Banner snipes that she forgot that Wolverine “died” the night the bad guys beat their asses. Miss Banner then introduces Logan to her brothers Otis and Charlie.

The brothers ask Logan if he is ready to take his beating since he failed to make his rent payment. Logan doesn’t answer. The brothers get in Logan’s face and as if he is deaf or just trying to piss them off. One of them pokes Logan in the chest. We see Logan pop his claws and then slice one of the Hulk brothers in half. We see Maureen holding Jade and crying out “LOGAN!”

We then snap back to reality and realize that it was all just Logan imagining what he would like to do. Logan then tells the Hulk brothers that he is ready to take his beating. The Hulk brothers proceed to beat the hell out of Logan. Miss Banner laments how Logan got so messed up that he won’t even defend himself.

Scott then pulls out his shotgun and tells the Hulk brothers to back off his father. The Hulk brothers laugh at Scott’s threat and climb back into the Fantasti-Car. The Hulk brothers say that either they pay double rent next month or everybody dies. The Hulk Gang then flies off.

We cut to that night with a bandaged Logan in bed resting and healing up. By his bedside is Hawkeye who is now blind. Hawkeye comments that Logan’s healing factor has slowed down, but it still knows how to piece Logan back together. Hawkeye says that Logan is in a lot of trouble and the only question is what Logan is going to do about it.

Logan responds if Hawkeye is talking about fighting then he is not interested. Logan says that he will never raise his fists again. Hawkeye says that he knows that. Hawkeye says that the bad guys kicked their butts when there were hundreds of heroes so what chance would the two of them stand now. Hawkeye says that his days of fighting super-villains are behind him, too.

Hawkeye says that he is here about a business proposition. Logan asks if it is a legal one. Hawkeye is shocked, shocked I say, that Logan would infer that a former Avenger would do something illegal. Hawkeye says he needs help delivering a package to the East Coast inside of two weeks. That Hawkeye cannot do the driving himself. Hawkeye says he needs a navigator and will pay Logan $500 for his help. Hawkeye says that that kind of money would pay numerous months rent. Hawkeye asks Wolverine if he is up for it. Logan responds that his name is Logan. Hawkeye replies “Sure it is.”

We cut to the next morning with Logan saying goodbye to his wife and kids. Hawkeye is there with the Spider-Mobile. Hawkeye is in the driver’s seat and tells Logan that all Logan has to do is read the map and nudge Hawkeye’s arm if there is a pothole in the road. Hawkeye and Logan then rocket off.

Logan turns on the Sat-Nav system and we see a map of the new America. The West Coast is now Hulk Land which was formerly the Abomination’s territory. The mountain west area is now The Kingdom of the Kingpin which was formerly the Domain of Magneto. We then have the western Midwest area which appears to be owned by nobody. Then we have the eastern Midwest and southern area which is called Doom’s Lair. Then we see the East Coast which is now called the President’s Quarter.

Hawkeye smiles at Logan and tells him to “Get ready for the ride of your life.” End of issue.

Comments
The Good: Wolverine #66 was an absolute blast to read. Millar did a fantastic job quickly hooking me with this debut issue of his story arc “Old Man Logan.” I have always found it clear that the source material for Wolverine was the Man With No Name. Logan has always come across as Marvel’s mutant Man With No Name. All the cartoon versions of Wolverine even sport that trademark Eastwood sounding voice.

I am not surprised that Millar would turn to the Eastwood movie Unforgiven for inspiration for this Old Man Logan story arc. What better source material to use for an old Wolverine than the movie dealing with an old Man With No Name?

Much like what we get in Wolverine #66, Unforgiven gave us an old gunfighter who had given up his violent past and had become a pacifist. Eastwood settled down with a wife and had a boy and a girl. Eastwood also became a farmer in a desolate area near the West Coast. Eastwood was also plagued by money problems and a failing farm. Eastwood approached an old comrade in arms about a business proposition. Eastwood also has no interest in any killing or fighting while going on his mission with his old buddy.

Millar turns in a perfectly paced issue as he quickly gets this story arc off and running and moves the story with a clear purpose. However, at no point does the reader ever feel rushed. I appreciate that Millar is able to walk that fine line of not wasting time getting the story moving but at the same time not sloppily rushing through the set-up for this story arc.

Millar does an excellent job of giving the reader enough back story about the massive battle fifty years ago and what America is currently like. What is so enjoyable is that Millar is able to fill the reader on this futuristic America without having to resort to boring monologues or dull flashback scenes. Instead, Millar deftly integrates the background information seamlessly into the flow of the story.

Millar’s approach to this story arc also makes it incredibly new reader friendly. It doesn’t matter if you have read Wolverine for twenty years or just one month. This story does not require the reader to have an encyclopedic knowledge of Wolverine’s ridiculously convoluted history in order to enjoy it. As a matter of fact, if someone was thinking of giving Wolverine a try then Wolverine #66 is the perfect jumping on point.

Millar does not throw a ton of action at the reader in this issue. The beating of Logan by the Hulk Gang is really the only action we get. This was a brilliant move by Millar. This reinforced to the reader the fact that Logan is a pacifist. And it also made the beating by the Hulk Gang that much more jarring and violent. Sometimes violence used judiciously can carry much more impact on the reader.

Millar serves up plenty of fantastic dialogue. Millar simply knows how to write Wolverine’s character. Logan is nicely developed and speaks with a proper external voice. All the characters have nice external voices and Millar puts forth the effort to try and make each character as well developed as is possible in one issue.

I absolutely adore the setting for Millar’s story. I dig the concept that fifty years ago all the heroes were defeated in a huge battle. And since then the super villains have ruled the world. I am a sucker for any story where the good guys end up losing.

Millar gives us a nice little map of America that shows us the different kingdoms of this new America. I am totally intrigued by Millar’s America in this story arc. I am definitely looking forward to visiting each of these Kingdoms and learning more about them.

The Hulk Gang was fantastic. Millar gave us some incredibly creepy and repulsive villains. They actually made my skin crawl. These are villains that are easy to hate. I am going to look forward to the moment when Logan finally cuts loose and beats the hell out of the Hulk Gang. I liked the touch of having the Hulk Gang ride around in the old Fantasti-Car. And the graffiti all over the Fantasti-Car added to their image.

I love Millar’s old and broken down Logan. Millar absolutely nails Logan’s character as a weathered and beaten down warrior that has nothing left in the tank. I have to admit that I dig my heroes older, bitter and scarred. Millar does a fine job conveying Logan’s pain and regret to the reader.

It was neat watching the 616 Universe’s notorious brawler now a complete pacifist. I enjoyed the moment where Logan flashes his old fighting spirit as he imagines slicing one of the Hulk brothers in half. This was a cool move by Millar to show that Logan’s fighting spirit has not totally died. It is just a matter of Logan’s commitment to a pacifist lifestyle that is able to override his natural violent instincts. I also dig that Logan’s healing factor is slowing down. This is a nice literary tool to allow Logan’s physical appearance to match that of his heart and soul.

I liked that Millar is using Hawkeye in this story. I’m a big Hawkeye fan and I like this Millar’s take on an old Hawkeye. Obviously, I like the twist that Hawkeye known for his keen aim is now blind. The way that Millar writes Hawkeye is exactly what I would expect an old Hawkeye to act like. Yeah, Clint is a little more bitter and worn down, but he is still basically the same rebellious and sarcastic bastard that he always has been.

Millar ends Wolverine #66 with a solid hook ending. Millar clearly lays out the mission statement for the reader with this ending. We are going to get to see Logan and Hawkeye take us on a tour of this nightmarish version of America. I am sure that this adventure should provide us with plenty of action. And I would imagine that we will also meet plenty of interesting and odd characters along the way.

Steve McNiven and Dexter Vines provide for some fantastic artwork. McNiven and Vines are able to bring to life Millar’s story in such a vivid fashion. McNiven draws a Hulk Gang that is so repulsive and disgusting. McNiven also does a wonderful job giving Logan such a weathered and beaten look.

The Bad: Some readers may not be all that impressed with Wolverine #66. I could also see where Wolverine #66 might be a bit slow and plodding for readers who are not immediately sucked into this terrible version of America. The similarities with Unforgiven may be too much for certain readers.

I would imagine that some readers may find Millar’s story too formulaic and unoriginal. Miller’s story might also seem too predictable for some readers. You just know that Hawkeye is not going to make it out of this story alive. Just like in Unforgiven where Eastwood refuses to kill until his friend played by Morgan Freeman gets killed, I would expect to see the same from Logan when Hawkeye eventually gets killed.

Overall: I totally enjoyed Wolverine #66. I found this to be a very strong first issue to what should be a highly entertaining story arc. Miller and McNiven make a fine team and deliver a comic book that is as fun to read as it is too look at. I would certainly recommend giving Wolverine #66 a try even if you have never been a huge Wolverine fan.