Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 15

THE WOLVERINE!

Art by John Byrne


Chronological Wolverine facts as revealed to the reader part XV

Continuing our journey to understand the Wolverine character as was revealed issue to issue, month to month through his publication history. So from a reader's point of view here is Logan's history, who he was, and how and when we learned it!

Before we can finish out the Phoenix saga we see Logan in a short story with Hercules at the Lion's Rock Tavern. This is our first complete story continuity insert even though it comes next in publication history it places Logan in a time before he considered the X-Men friends and he is still pining over Jean Grey and fuming at her being with an unworthy man, Cyclops (in Logan's opinion). There is no mention of Mariko whom we know Logan is falling in love with. Based on context this story belongs right around X-Men issue 110.

July 1980
Marvel Treasury Edition 26
Writer: Mary Jo Duffy
Penciller: Ken Landgraf



There really is no new information about Logan, and even though this has been reprinted at least five times it is still quite rare and possibly will be a new story to most people. There is really no character development either as Logan has changed considerably during his time with the X-Men. This is like a window to the past; or how he was, not how he is.



Logan is his usual sweet self and a shining example of a modern day knight of chivarly, well... no, er...actually he is not, he is a complete and total chauvinistic pig and a calloused jerk. Plus he is a fashion nightmare with a faux zebra hat band and denim suit. Keep it classy Logan.



Still Logan is ever the gentleman, at least he has some good quips, eh, Tinkerbell?



In Greek mythology the first of the Twelve Labors set for Hercules as penance for killing his wife and children was to slay the Nemean Lion. The Nemean Lion could not be killed by normal weapons and was invulnerable with an impenetrable golden hide, it also had claws sharp enough to cut through armor. The Nemean Lion took women to its lair to devour. Hercules kills the lion and skins it with one of its own claws after failing to do so with his knife. Hercules wore the pelt of the lion as protection from the elements and mortal weapons.



Wolverine temporarily gets his claws stuck in a marble table top. Although why he could not just retract them is questionable.



Interestingly even though this depiction of Logan is during his more irascible period, he does not go into a berserker rage. In fact the battle ends as quickly as it begins.



Wolverine's blow impresses the strongest Olympian god as being of the same force as an Olympian giant.

July 1980
THE UNCANNY X-MEN 135
Writers: Chris Claremont and John Byrne
Penciller: John Byrne



This issue deals mainly with the developing danger and planet destruction by the Dark Phoenix. Wolverine is only shown in a few panels getting rescued from the exploding quinjet by Storm and in turn grabbing Cyclops away from Dark Phoenix. He tries to save Colossus after Dark Phoenix changes him from his armored form to his human one while holding a large oak tree. Dark Phoenix transmutes the tree to solid gold pinning both Colossus and Wolverine. Colossus likely would have been crushed if not for Wolverine's skeleton creating an uncrushable space beneath the tree. After the battle Beast lifts the tree off of them.



Storm knowing that Wolverine rarely backs down to a fight even with overwhelming odds question him when he tells Peter not to get his hopes up. We learn that he considers himself a realist.

Aug 1980
THE UNCANNY X-MEN 136
Writers: Chris Claremont and John Byrne
Penciller: John Byrne





Some of the X-Men train in the danger room while they wait for the Beast to create a mental scrambler device in their plan to fight Dark Phoenix. Wolverine is worried about his former friend and romantic interest.



Being a realist Wolverine knows there is only one way to end the threat, permanently. He is willing to kill someone he loves under certain circumstances. Look at the anguish written on his face. But at the last he hesitates because of his feelings and it is his undoing.

Sept 1980
THE UNCANNY X-MEN 137
Writers: Chris Claremont and John Byrne
Penciller: John Byrne



The X-Men are transported across the galaxy with the Phoenix who is on trial for her life for her destruction of a planet with 5 billion inhabitants. Wolverine prepares to do battle for her.



Logan isn't afraid to die and sides with Jean. He adopts a meditative pose as he waits. We saw him seek out a Japanese garden in Uncanny X-Men 118* seeking solace and solitude when he thought Jean was dead. The Japanese use them for contemplation and meditation. Perhaps Japan is where he learned meditation, possibly as a method of calming himself and controlling his berserker nature.

*See Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 9 -NLogan



Again Wolverine is not afraid of the inevitable as death comes to us all sooner or later. His personal mantra of never give up never surrender is tied to his sense of honor.



Wolverine accidentally stumbles into the home of the Watcher. Once again experiencing an environment that his senses say cannot exist he is shaken like he was with Proteus' attacks. However he recovers much more quickly this time.



Trusting his senses he throws the Skrull with a variation on the drop Morote Seoi Nage or the two hand over the shoulder kneeling Judo throw skipping the grip and twist and using the head for leverage.

Oct 1980
THE UNCANNY X-MEN 138
Writers: Chris Claremont and John Byrne
Penciller: John Byrne



Since this issue is mostly an elegy and retelling of Jean Grey's life and time with the X-Men through flashbacks during her funeral, there is no character development for Wolverine.



Don't miss the next episode, bub!