Creative Team
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Steve McNiven
Inker: Dexter Vines
Colorist: Morry Hollowell and Christina Strain
Issue Rating
Story: 8.5/10
Art: 10/10
Overall: 9.25/10
Issue Developments
Picking up were the last issue left of we see Logan and the blind Hawkeye making their way through Northern California to get to New Babylon. As they reach the edge of a cliff Hawkeye does not slow down the Spider-Buggy and drives of the cliff much to Logan’s chargin. They and the Spider-Buggy “miraculously” survive the jump and countinue their journey to New Babylon.
That night Hawkeye decide to make camp in a deserted San Francisco. In San Francisco Logan and Hawkeye find some creatures called “Moloids.” These Moloids exist to balance the worlds population and were suppossebly released by the world once our population reach 8billion people. As they go searching the city for any living humans they are attacked by a trio calling themselves The Ghost Riders. The Ghost Riders knock Hawkeye to the ground and start placing a beating on the pacifist Logan. As The Ghost Riders place a beating on Logan Hawkeye has enough and use the voices of The Ghost Riders to shot them through the head with his arrows.
When asked by Hawkeye what the villains did to Logan to make him a pacifist we see a short flashback of Sabertooth, Mr. Sinister, Omega Red, and villain i don’t know of attacking him, Logan responds “The broke me, bub.”
The next day Logan and Hawkeye drive through Hamer Falls, Nevada a city were all the people worship superheroes and still have hope the heores will return to save. We find out that when the villains took over the country Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor were taken out first by the villains. We als find out that Hulkland only extands all of California and that they are currently in The Kingdom of the Kingpin. As they drive through the city they see a whole bunch of people gathered together praying to Thor’s Hammer.
As they are going to leave the city they run accross Ultron (It seems that in the future Ultron and HERBIE get it on). Ultron give Hawkeye a message from from Tonya, Peter Parkers youngest daughter and Hawkeye’s third ex-wife. When they reach Tonya’s garage Tonya tells Hawkeye and Logan Ashley and some of her friends went to Kingpin’s place to take him down. When Logan ask Hawkeye who Ashley is Hawkeye responds ” It’s our (Hawkeye and Tonya) daughter.” We then see Ashley, a Spider-Girl costume, locked in a cell. End of issue.
Review
Just when I thought I could not be more interested in this story Millar continues to show that there is more to this world than first thought. I know that post-apocalyptic worlds have been done to death, even I am a bit tired of them. But something about the world Millar and McNiven have created in “Old Man Wolverine” feels new. That really shows the strength of a creative team, because most stories, if not all, have been written already and the stories are re-telling of old stories. While Millar and McNiven could have just cashed it in with the concept of “Old Man Logan” but have put effort to to put some “new” things in an old concept.
What is most impressive/suprising about this story arc is how Millar is portraying Logan. Since he was first created Logan has always one of the most violent and toughest of the Marvel superheroes. While most heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-man have always had a limit at how far they would take their fights, in terms of killing their opponent, Logan has no such limit. Outside of Punisher Logan is probably the most violent hero in the MU. To Logan he is an animal and for the most part he likes being called Wolverine instead of Logan.
But in “Old Man Logan” we have the complete opposite, Logan did not only leave the name Wolverine behind him but also his previous way of life and has truly become a pacifist. Logan won’t even pop out his claws in self defense when he was being attacked by the Ghost Rider gang this issue and the Hulk grandchildren last issue. Even the fear in Logan’s eyes when Hawkeye jump of the cliff just is something he would not been afraid of in his “younger” days. If Logan was still Wolverine he probably would have jump of the cliff himself not caring what would of happend.
I think the reader shares Hawkeye’s suprise that Logan wasn’t lying about being a pacifist. One has to wonder if it was that the villains really did break Logan in there takeover or if it was some other event that took place at the same time. The panel were Logan is being attacked by Sabertooth, Omega Red, Mr. Sinister, and a villain I can’t name raise the mystery of what happend in the past with the villains takeover. Hopefully Millar will show us more of what happend in the past next issue.
And I just got to say that I love who badass Millar has made Hawkeye in this story. I have always seen him as one of the lamest and boring Avenger there is. Hawkeye has never been above a B-list hero and even now that Bendis has brought him back Hawkeye has really done nothing more than be a background character.
But here Millar has shown than even though Hawkeye may be going blind and has become nothing more than a drug dealer that everything he has gone through in the past has made him develop an edge in his personality. Hawkeye has a right to be angry because think if all your superhero friends are being taken out by villains and all the villains don’t even bother to give you the time of day to at least try and take you out aswell that wouldn’t make you angry? Hawkeye would have probably much rather be killed in battle than die of old age.
So seeing Hawkeye take out the Ghost Riders with just a couple shots throught the head with his arrows was just awsome. It actually makes me wonder why Hawkeye in the 616-MU is always being written as some lame character when there is such a badass waiting to be released. I can’t wait to see how Hawkeye will drag a reluctant Logan to help him save his daughter next issue since that is the most likely scenerio for the next issue.
The Mole creatures in this issue is actually an interesting concept. With our current population continuuing to grow it makes sense Millar in his Earth created creatures that are released by the Earth to balance out the population. Hopefully we get to see more of this little ugly creatures in future issues.
I also found it interesting to read how when Hawkeye was explaining that Iron Man, Cap, and Thor were taken down that the villains that took down the all mighty Thor were Magneto and The Absorbing Man. I would have never pictured it being those two villains to the ones to take down the Norse God.
I actually kind of laughed that the city were I currently live, Las Vegas, would become the place were people would gather to pray for the heroes to return and save them. And seeing Thor’s hammer located in Las Vegas makes me wonder wee Millar will take this story. Millar would not show us Thor’s hammer for no reason and we may see the return of Thor as the story progresses to the finally to help Logan and Hawkeye beat the big bad guy.
Again Steve McNiven and Dexter Vines combine for some excellent artwork. McNiven’s artwork really brings Millar’s story to life and adds more depth to this story. If the cover is not convincing enough of how good McNiven art is the interior is. I love how beaten up McNiven draws this old Logan to show that this is a much different Logan most readers are acustom to.