Wolverine’s dino-riding vacation is cut short by a beleaguered Nick Fury and an urgent mission to save the world. Find out more in this review of Wolverine: Revenge #1
Wolverine: Revenge #1
Written by: Jonathan Hickman
Art and Main Cover by: Greg Capullo
Variant Covers: Leinil Francis Yu
Page Count: 28 pages
Release Date: August 21, 2024
This review contains spoilers
Wolverine goes toe-to-talon with a T-Rex, and that’s not even close to the most jaw-dropping thing in this premiere issue! Wolverine: Revenge is a brand new 5-issue miniseries from beloved comic creators Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo, in an alternate-universe tale of death, destruction, and damn good fun.
Set ten days after Asteroid M has crashed into Earth and devastated the Western Hemisphere, a haggard Nick Fury pulls together what’s left of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for a last-chance mission to restore electricity to North America. Unfortunately for them, Mastermind and The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants have the only cold fusion S.E.E.D. reactor on the planet. Fury sets the stage grimly, “This isn’t a military operation, gentleman. It’s a heist.”
Wolverine: Revenge #1 is refreshingly quick to the point and establishes stakes and players right away. Hickman, credited most recently for his work on Ultimate Invasion and Ultimate Spider-Man, is one of Marvel’s most trusted writers for a reason. Characters have clear motivations (but aren’t binary) and act with purpose. His high-concept premise is especially rewarding for a mini-series that may see new readership dipping a toe into comic book waters. Any pre-requisite knowledge is dropped in a blurb on the opening credits page, letting the action begin without further ado.
Speaking of action, Greg Capullo (New 52! Batman) drives the pace with a lead foot; each panel moves at breakneck speed – combat and dialogue alike. Every character has clear and dynamic facial expressions, which is difficult as a vast majority of them are wearing masks. Capullo’s signature hatch-drawn stubble fits right in on Logan’s scruffy face. Even the characters’ wardrobes are differentiated by tone and texture. Notice the stippling on Cap’s scaled armor.
This attention to detail is carried over into the margins of the page, with the background strategically matching or contrasting the panel artwork—cold Russian tundras or sunlit flying fortresses. This book is also available in a Red Band Edition, which is downright crazy because the base book is pretty gory on its own!
Without spoiling cameos, longtime fans will be excited to see the ensemble of characters in the first issue alone. But here’s a word of advice: don’t get attached. No one is safe! Especially if you’re in Wolverine’s path of destruction. Revenge is an apt name for the series, and the first issue establishes just what exactly he’s seeking vengeance for… and from whom: an exciting who’s-who of baddies and anti-heroes who have royally pissed him off.
Wolverine: Revenge #1 pushes off strong out of the gate and sprints headfirst into issue #2, out next month. Don’t miss out!
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