The Uncanny X-Men art by Dave Cockrum 

 Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 21

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!

Micronauts 37

January 1982

Writer: Bill Mantlo

Penciller: Keith Giffen

 Once again we see the team either fixing the mansion or repairing the danger room. It never ends it seems. The most important revelation by far is that Wolverine is a Indiana Jones fan and has repeatedly seen Raiders of the Lost Ark! Which validated for me why he is my favorite comic hero!

Uncanny X-Men 153

January 1982

Writer: Chris Claremont

Penciller: Dave Cockrum

In the expository paragraph it specifically says that Wolverine's retractable, razor-sharp adamantium claws are built (i.e. artificially manufactured) into his hands.

In Kitty's fairytale her characterization of Logan is the Fiend with No Name.

He feels pretty silly just standing there smoking a cigar, shirtless, with a towel on his shoulder on his way to or from a shower possibly.

In addition to Raiders of the Lost Ark, Wolverine the film buff also likes Casablanca.

Uncanny X-Men 154

February 1982

Writer: Chris Claremont

Penciller: Dave Cockrum

Cyclops and Storm are playing a special version of handball using their powers. Wolverine is the one who gave them the idea. Wolverine and Nightcrawler had been doing improvised training sessions while the danger room was down (that we saw in Uncanny X-Men 148). They continued working out together as their friendship grew. Loser buys the beer. In 148 it was only cases that Nightcrawler owed, now it is a truckload!

Nice and nasty that is something Wolverine would be proud of indeed.

Back in Logan's Canadian Secret Service days he partnered with Carol Danvers and Michael Rossi for some pretty hairy capers that he describes as good times.* This sequence also shows how far Logan has come with empathy. Carol has just been through and is still recovering from the most traumatic events of her life (death of her first love, Rossi, rape with impregnation, Marcus, and loss of her powers and memory, Rogue in Uncanny X-Men 96, Avengers 200 and Avengers Annual 10) and Logan is there from her past reaching out and trying to console her.

*See Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 16 where we learned in Uncanny X-Men 139 and 140 that Logan was a secret agent with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. -NLogan

What If 31

February 1982

 Writer: Rich Margopulos

Penciller; Bob Budiansky

Since all of the What If series deal with alternate universes any history of any Wolverine of those universes would not pertain to Wolverine's cannon but it is still fun to see the artwork. However in this case it does provide a view into what the creative team thought was Wolverine's past and gives incite on what Logan's character was by others at Marvel at the time in collaboration with Chris Claremont. Because alternate timelines are not considered cannon any facts will be in green as although they give insight into the character from the perspective of the writer and artist they are not part of his history. This issue gives us an alternate ending to the battle that occurred in Incredible Hulk 180-182.

The Watcher describes Wolverine as a Canadian Special Agent, a mutant with amazing agility and an indestructable Adamantium skeleton. As readers we learned all of the same information from Wolverine's first appearance except that his skeleton was made from Adamantium in Incredible Hulk 181.* We did know that his claws were Adamantium and that his skeleton is unbreakable however!*

*See the debut of Weapon X/the Wolverine in Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 1 -NLogan

Wolverine refuses to accept a draw equating it with a defeat. He also deliberately disobeys orders showing his continual problem with authority figures trying to dictate his actions. In a thought balloon it also reinforces that Wolverine's claws have always been retractable!*

*A fact we learned in Hulk 181 in Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 1 -NLogan

We learned about the secluded military installation, the top secret Royal Canadian Air Force tracking installation known as Alpha base in Incredible Hulk 180, Giant-Size X-Men 1, and Uncanny X-Men 94.*

*See Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Parts 1,2, and 3 -NLogan

True to Wolverine's code of honor, "If a man comes at me with fists, I'll meet him with fists. But if he pulls a gun -- or threatens people I'm protectin' -- Then I got no sympathy for him. He made his choice. He'll have to live--or die-- with it. I never used my claws on someone who hadn't tried to kill me first. I call that self-defense."*

*See Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 16 for Wolverine's code of honor in Uncanny X-Men 140 -NLogan

In error it shows the first time the glove housings are shown on his bare hands. It was already established that while he has bionic housings in both his forearms and his hands that are built-in i.e. not visible, and when wearing gloves there are visible sheaths while bare handed there are not!* This error will be repeated with other creative teams covering guest appearances later on.

*See the first time Wolverine popped his claws bare handed in Uncanny X-Men 98 in Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Part 3 -NLogan

We learned about the brotherhood that Logan and James MacDonald Hudson had in Uncanny X-Men 109 and that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service sent Special Agent Weapon X on several dirty, brutal, necessary assignments that no one else would touch as an assassin to do wet work, and that he never forgave them for what they made him do in Uncanny X-Men 140.*

*See Wolverine a Reader's Perspective Parts 6 and 16 -NLogan

Ironically enough in this reality Wolverine joined the X-Men with the intention of betraying them but still has gained the trust of Angel and is considered family by Iceman. Where in the real cannon from Earth 616 Wolverine joined the X-Men to get away from the killing he had to do as a secret agent and had no false pretenses, yet he was distrusted by Angel and had an enmity with Iceman.

Just as in regular cannon Wolverine is shown to be a jerk initially and trying to horn in on Scott and Jean's relationship as the third wheel competitor.

Even this reality's Wolverine has super strength and knows how to use leverage on Blob's 510lbs with his suplex.

 And that bub is that! Well until next time true-believers!