Release Date: January 3rd 2007
Published By: Marvel Comics
Pages: 144
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: The master of mutants joins the master of ninjas in Wolverine’s first solo series - replete with romance, intrigue, and mayhem! Our beleaguered berserker’s in Japan on a mission of the heart, if he can survive the Hand first! Plus: the introduction of everyone’s favorite riotous ronin, Yukio! Collects Wolverine #1-4, plus Uncanny X-Men #172-173.

Review: This is the first X-Men comic I have ever read! So if you’ve not read X-Men either, this is just as good a time as any to jump on board!

The thing I really loved about Wolverine was that this had a really strong story line and so even if you didn’t really know much about Wolverine as a character, the story is told in such a way that it makes sense.

Wolverine is a mutant, a man with superhuman abilities. He has adamantium flowing through his bones which makes him almost indestructible. He has blades which can retract from his hands which he uses as weapons to take down his enemies. And he is also in love.

This story has both strength as well as a vulnerability about it which I thought was really powerful as a reader. Logan (Wolverine) is a strong character and he stands up for what he believes in. In this story, he flies to Japan to seek out the woman he loves, Mariko Yashida. She loves him as well, but the issue, is that Mariko’s father has married her off to another man. A man that doesn’t treat her very well. Refusing to accept that she doesn’t love him anymore, Logan wants answers.

Not happy that Logan has turned up, Mariko’s father is after blood. There is some epic sword fights and samurai henchmen sent after Logan to try and kill him for once and for all, which means we see heaps of action throughout to balance the romance!

There’s a really compelling love story presented in Wolverine as well as a love triangle of sorts, between martial artist Yukio and Logan, and of course Logan and Mariko. We see some really sweet and tender moments, but don’t get too comfortable because there’s some double crossing that takes place as well. It made for a really exciting read!

The art presented throughout is a little “old school”, remembering that this comic is older and art styles change all the time. I normally am not such a huge fan of this style of art, but I think a real redeeming factor about it is the big bold colours used throughout, the dark bold lines and the style of the panels themselves. They’re not just boxes, but really creatively placed.

Even things like the shadowing in this book was really detailed. These are things that normally I wouldn’t care too much for, but it really jumped at me, and I appreciated that.

I definitely recommend this read - even if you’ve not read a comic before, there’s some fantastic story telling throughout this book and you don’t need prior knowledge of Wolverine to know what’s happening.

I’ve included some more images below of what you can expect with this book if you should pick it up!

Quotes:

“I can still see her face — The sorrow in her eyes, her voice, as she condemns me. I didn’t know it was possible to feel such shame. To feel so sick at heart. I’m lost inside, my soul — all that I thought I was, and am, and ever will be — shattered, cast to the winds. Compared to this, death is a mercy.”

“The key isn’t winning — or losing, it’s making the attempt. I may never be what I ought to be, want to be — but how will I know unless I try?

Sure, it’s scary, but what’s the alternative? Stagnation - A safer, more terrible form of death. Not of the body, but of the spirit.

An animal knows what it is, and accepts it. A man may know what he is — but he questions. He dreams. He strives. Changes. Grows.”