Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 7

THE WOLVERINE!

Wolverine art by John Byrne


Chronological Wolverine facts as revealed to the reader part 7

Continuing our journey to understand the Wolverine character as was revealed to the reader 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!

APR 1978
THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT X-MEN 110
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Tony DeZuniga and Dave Cockrum





After playing a baseball game the X-Men are relaxing, well most of them anyways. Jean tells Logan that he can't be a loner all his life. He admits to himself that he likes being a loner. We find out that he has never known love before now. It is a unrequited love but it is Logan's first.



Surprisingly enough not long after Logan asks Jean if she wants to go hang out (Logan's idea of a good time is billiards, brews, and a babe). Scott her current love interest quickly swoops in for the block.



The X-Men's training session turns deadly as the Danger Room attacks and the safety features have been disabled. During the danger Wolverine contemplates clearing the field of his romantic rival or rather letting it happen, but that is not his style.



During his fight with Warhawk the man behind all the trouble Logan recognizes the design of the pistol he is carrying showing that he has knowledge of firearms, their functions and types. If you are wondering if Warhawk was right, he wasn't Wolverine cuts the dart in half mid-air.

June 1978
THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT X-MEN 111
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciller: John Byrne



The X-Men are captured and turned into circus freaks by Mesmero who has hypnotized them and replaced their identities, Hank McCoy, the Beast is investigating their disappearance. The Beast isn't sure whether or not these are the X-Men being displayed as circus freaks or if Cerebro sent him on a wild goose chase, he has not met the new team in person.



Wolverine is displayed as the Man-Beast from the Yukon. As far as I know Mesmero only has psionic abilities to control the minds of others and not probe them. It is unknown how he decided Wolverine would be from the Yukon, however there is a Mount Logan in the Yukon that is North America's second tallest peak. It is curious that Mesmero knew Wolverine was Canadian but it is doubtful that he knew his name was Logan or where he may be from.

The beast is cornered by the circus roustabouts after being clobbered by a hypnotized Colossus, he is beaten senseless right in front of Wolverine. Wolverine at some level recognizes Beast even though Cyclops, Colossus, and Phoenix didn't. He had seen him before way back in X-MEN 94 on screen briefly when Beast, who was an Avenger then and in the current story, didn't recognize the new X-Men when calling Professor Xavier for help against Count Nefaria.





Logan breaks free both physically from the steel shackles, and mentally from Mesmero's control. We learn that freedom has been a primal/elemental need at the core of Wolverine's being for all his life. It begs the question of whether or not he has been imprisoned/enslaved before and fought for his freedom. That question is left unanswered to the reader up to this point. Wolverine previously popped his claws through Iron Fists mask but this is the first time we see that he threatens to pop them through someone's skull.



Wolverine understanding the predicament the X-Men are in heads immediately for Jean Grey so she can help free the X-Men with her telepathic abilities, but first he has to wake her up. Wolverine finally gets retribution with a backfist to Cyclops to even the score for the one he received from him back in X-Men 97*.

*See Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 3 for details. -NLogan



Jean quickly frees the other X-Men and they stomp the roustabouts and find Mesmero incapacitated already. The new team learns they are now face to face with their deadliest enemy for round two. Enter Magneto.

Until next time, bub!