Wolverine dies today and we get to find out how!
Is it worth reading? Hell, does it even matter considering he will come back to life eventually? (And coincidentally around the time Marvel needs a quick sales boost?)
Death of Wolverine #4 (Marvel Comics)
At face value, yes, yes it is good. The art by Steve McNiven is top notch as always, which is important because there isn’t a ton of dialogue to be read in this issue. The issue isn’t that complicated and could probably be skimmed through, but then again you’d miss the interesting dialogue from Dr. Cornelius AKA the dude who put the adamantium into Wolverine. What we do get is the final period on their relationship, but of course it costs Wolverine his life.
He has a point. Bring back the brown costume!
Writer Charles Soule delivers what is basically an unsurprising and tepid farewell to our hairy friend. Wolverine is once again told that he is an animal, and that his killing nature is a mistake. Why is it a mistake? It’s not very clear, as he starts to ramble about AK-47s and the desire for a scientist to make something perfect become immortal. Cheeky, considering Wolverine used to be immortal, but how does it tie into a “glutton for death” being the mistake? It doesn’t make much sense, especially considering once again trying to make killing machines like Wolverine anyway. That isn’t to say the sentiment is interesting, but it gets lost as far as why it matters to Wolverine.
The new Wolverine.
Unfortunately the issue reaches its climax in the most cliched way imaginable. Cornelius flees when Wolverine is a threat and hits a button to destroy all of his work. I mean… he couldn’t have attacked him or something? This makes his exit from the comic all the more melodramatic. And what about Wolverine’s death? Interesting in some sense, implausible in another, but heck it’s a comic so who can judge. Implausible because there’s no way he could have lived long enough to follow Cornelius. The meaning of his death falls on deaf ears for me. Is he some kind of symbolic proof Ozymandias was right? I suppose it’s fitting considering all of his memory issues and strife over the last two decades has been due to adamantium, but the emotional impact is lost.
As I said above, McNiven does a great job and a lesser artist would have ruined this comic. The man does great detailed work. He doesn’t have a lot to play with in this issue largely because it’s all taking place in tight quarters, but it flows nicely to say the least. The final shot of Wolverine, while not as emotionally impactful as I would have liked, still looks great.
Interesting comments even it it’s from a madman!
Is It Good?
There’s going to be plenty of talk after this issue hits about what it all means, symbolically and for the character, but for this critic I couldn’t find enough meaning on the page. That said, it’s still a good comic, but it misses the mark.
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