Book Review: Death of Wolverine by C. Soule et al.

Death of Wolverine written by Charles Soule and illustrated by Steve McNiven

Wolverine has lost his healing factor and has become the target of every enemy who ever wanted to get even with him. He spends his time fighting off bad guys and visiting the smartest people to see if they can help. Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four can't immediately help but he is sure that he can. Wolverine is not patient enough to wait. Also, he discovers that a contract has been put out on him, not to kill him but to bring him in alive. Logan realizes that the only way to end the constant fighting is to figure out who is putting up the money and put a stop to them. 

The story wanders through a lot of Wolverine's "greatest hits" including visits to Japan and Madripoor. The finale is a bit disappointing as he seems to be able to avoid dying, though death has been his wish for a while. The plot moves so quickly that the four issues fly by. The art is quite good. If only the narrative had lived up to it. 

I read this because the Daredevil series I am currently reading crosses over with the next narrative, Hunt for Wolverine. Because who really believes that Wolverine is dead and gone? That's the problem with popular characters. They might get killed only to be brought back from death (which has happened with Batman three or four times since 2000). 

Barely recommended--it looks great but it doesn't read great.

Book Review: Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters by C. Soule et al.

Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters written by Charles Soule and art by Steve McNiven, Luke Ross, and David Messina

This story is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Boba Fett has flown off with Han Solo encased in carbonite. He has to make a pit stop because the carbonite is not holding together. Jabba the Hutt is annoyed by the delay and puts a bounty out on Fett, so every other bounty hunter in the galaxy is after him. If that wasn't bad enough, someone snatches the frozen Solo, so Fett has to regain his prize and fight off other greedy lowlifes.

The story suffers from a lot of problems. The biggest is continuity--how can this tale fit in with the larger stories around it?* There's hardly a break between Episodes V and VI. Any dramatic possibilities for change are not suspenseful. Readers know Fett isn't going to die and he will have Solo back in his clutches by the end. Luke has a non-confrontation with Vader. Leia, Chewbacca, and Lando try to rescue Han at a few points though failure is inevitable within this series. Another problem is that the title promises something the book doesn't deliver. Sure, Fett has run-ins with Dengar, Zuckuss, Bossk, and all those other action figures I had as a kid. But the fights are short and pre-determined (see problem #1). The situation is hardly a war between bounty hunters. The third problem is that much of the story sets up the Crimson Dawn as a new, dangerous force in the galaxy that's ready to challenge groups like the Hutts, the Rebels, and the Empire. Their introduction sets up further comic book series, making those parts read more like marketing filler than genuine storytelling. I was very unsatisfied.

Not recommended.

*Actually, this is not impossible to do. The obvious exception is Rogue One, which tells a Star Wars story where you know how it will end but the filmmakers do such a great job that it is exciting and engaging. This book needs some of that magic (or is it The Force?).

Book Review: Fantastic Four by Aguirre-Saca and McNiven

Fantastic Four by Aguirre-Saca and McNiven written by Roberto Aguirre-Saca and illustrated by Steve McNiven

The Fantastic Four face their greatest challenge ever--bankruptcy. Their accountant has taken their money and run while the city has decided to charge them for damage they caused during fights with bad guys. With no income, they are forced to abandon the Baxter Building and find regular jobs. The Thing works in construction while the Invisible Woman takes a job as substitute teacher. Reed Richards is trying to figure out a way to make quick money on the market, but he too is eventually forced into a menial job. Apartment hunting is a challenge too since they have bad credit and are a high risk for damage. The plot makes for a fun and different story, though it isn't resolved by the end of the issue.

At the end of the issue they decided to go camping in New Jersey to a forest called Pine Barrens with Franklin Richards (son of Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman). The Thing tells Franklin and his friends the legend of the Jersey Devil, a creature that comes and snatches people in the night from the forest. Sure enough, a creature does show up so they have a puzzle to solve, monsters to fight, and people to resuce.

I found these stories fun if not entirely plausible (doesn't Reed Richards have about a million patents that are bringing in money?). The sense of humor is great and the family dynamic of the group (the best part of the Fantastic Four) is perfectly presented. The camping story is a more traditional superhero story and well executed. The other premise is more interesting and I wish it had been finished. This book is a reprint from 2005. Hopefully they will reprint the subsequent trade paperbacks from this writer's run on the Fantastic Four.

Book Review: Wolverine: Old Man Logan by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

Wolverine: Old Man Logan by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

Mark Millar is famous in comic books for ultra-violent, blood-soaked, high-concept stories. He's the author of Wanted (a bunch of assassins with amazing powers duking it out), Kick-Ass (a kid decides to be a superhero without any superpowers and is constantly beaten to a pulp), and Nemesis (a wealthy socialite goes on a crime spree as if he's the moral opposite of Bruce Wayne). Old Man Logan follows in these footsteps.

Wolverine tries to lead a quiet life as a farmer in a dusty future California. The story begins fifty years after almost all the superheroes were killed. The supervillains have taken over and divided up America among themselves. The Hulk clan runs the west coast and they've been harassing Logan's family. Logan can't make the rent payment on his farm so Bruce Banner's redneck grandchildren threaten to eat his family if he can't pay double next month. Enter the blind, aged Hawkeye who recruits Logan for a cross-country trip to deliver a mysterious package. The money will set Logan's family up for months. Logan accepts on the condition that he will not fight, just drive across the country. Hawkeye doesn't believe him but does accept.

The story is a journey of discovery. We readers discover what America would be like if supervillains were running the show. We discover how they came to power and what they did so Wolverine turned into a pacifist. Logan discovers how bad things are and if his inner berserker is really gone.

I enjoyed this book as an imaginative reworking of Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven. In addition to ripping off the plot, Logan is depicted almost exactly like William Munny both as a character and in his physical appearance. The ending is different.

Millar provides some interesting twists on various characters (mostly villains) which is fun if you are already familiar with Marvel's universe. The violence and blood are over the top so it certainly isn't for everyone.