Wolverine is the best at what he does, and for almost fifty years, he's been wowing readers in Marvel Comics. As a result, he's become one of Marvel's most popular characters (alongside Spider-Man) and helped the X-Men become the best-selling team in comic history. He's starred in multiple stories over the years, but some of them stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Wolverine has legions of fans, but most of them haven't read every story out of the plethora that star Logan over the years. However, there are some every fan needs to experience for themselves at some point in their lives.
10 Wolverine (Vol. 2) #145 Saw Wolverine's Adamantium Returned
Wolverine lost his adamantium in 1993's X-Men #25, and it stayed gone until 1999's Wolverine (Vol.2) #145. Written by Erik Larsen with art by Leinil Yu, the story has two plots. The first is a flashback section where Wolverine is captured and pitted against Sabretooth by Apocalypse – with the winner becoming his Horseman of Death – and a present one where Wolverine as the Horseman of Death goes after the Hulk.
Larsen's run on Wolverine is criminally underrated, and while this issue digs into some late '90s X-Men continuity, it's also just an excellent story. Wolverine getting his adamantium back is a huge moment this comic depicts well.
9 Astonishing Spider-Man And Wolverine Is A Cross-Time Romp For The Ages
Spider-Man and Wolverine are two great tastes that perfectly complement each other. Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine, by writer Jason Aaron and artist Adam Kubert, is a perfect example of why the two characters go so well together. Dropping readers into the story in media res, it follows the bickering duo on a cross-time caper that sees their relationship reach a new level.
This book is fun from the first page to the last and probably Aaron's best Wolverine story. The two characters play off each other wonderfully, with actions and surprises abounding. On top of that, Adam Kubert turns in some next-level art for this, creating a story that works on every level.
8 Wolverine (Vol. 7) #14-16 Pits Wolverine Against New Villain Solem
The Krakoa era is pretty good for Wolverine, with writer Benjamin Percy and regular artist Adam Kubert turning in some killer stories. Percy understands Wolverine like few writers have since Larry Hama, and Kubert is an expert at drawing Logan's adventures. As a result, they've turned out some great stories, but a highlight is Wolverine (Vol. 7) #14-16.
Wolverine is forced to team up with Solem, his Arakkii opponent from X Of Swords, as part of their bargain from that story. Consequently, he finds himself facing the greatest pirate of several dimensions: Sevyr Blackmore. Between Sevyr and Solem, Wolverine has his hands full in this killer three-issue story.
7 Uncanny X-Force: The Final Execution Pits Wolverine's Team Versus Daken's Brotherhood
Wolverine's history is full of sad stories. Uncanny X-Force: The Final Execution, by writer Rick Remender and artists Mike McKone, Phil Noto, Julian Tedesco, and Dave Williams, is the saddest battle in the saga between Wolverine and his estranged son, Daken. The villain abducts the Apocalypse Evan Sabah Nur with a new Brotherhood, and Wolverine's X-Force goes after them.
What follows is an epic battle, and one designed to lure Wolverine into a trap he can't ever escape. It's well written, beautifully paced, and ends in heartbreak when Wolverine is forced to go to lengths that will scar him forever.
6 Old Man Logan: Berserker Brought The Fan Favorite To The 616 Universe
Old Man Logan has been extremely influential since its debut, especially post-Secret Wars. With Logan dead in the 616 Universe, Marvel brought the most dangerous senior citizen to its mainline universe with Old Man Logan: Berserker, by writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino. Awakening in an entirely new world, Logan sets out to find the people who destroyed his life in the Wasteland and make them pay.
Lemire and Sorrentino's Old Man Logan went on to become an amazing book and a best-of-all-time Wolverine comic. This first volume lays out exactly what kind of book it's going to be, with Lemire and Sorrentino's creative sympatico shining through on every page.
5 Wolverine (Vol. 2) #115-119 Pits Wolverine And The X-Men Against Operation: Zero Tolerance
Wolverine has carried the X-Men on his back many times over the years. A great example of that is Wolverine (Vol. 2) #115-119, by writer Larry Hama and artist Leinil Yu. Taking place during the vastly underrated "Operation: Zero Tolerance" storyline, it starts out with Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, and Cannonball captured by the group.
Wolverine has to save the team, and when they escape, they find themselves on the run through the desert from a force that holds all the cards. It's an action-packed story from the word go, yet another example of just how good '90s Wolverine was.
4 Wolverine (Vol. 2) #10 Is Classic Wolverine
Wolverine's history gets pretty complicated, but there are plenty of great stories out there for casual fans. Wolverine (Vol. 2) #10, by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Buscema, is a brilliant one-and-done story. In the present, Wolverine is wary because it's his birthday and Sabretooth always shows up to torment him.
In a flashback, fans learn about the first birthday Sabretooth tormented him on, and their fight is a brawl for the ages. Wolverine and Sabretooth's rivalry is a classic tale, and this Claremont/Buscema thriller is a perfect introduction to its origins.
3 Wolverine (Vol. 2) #90 Is Wolverine And Sabretooth's Most Brutal Battle
Wolverine (Vol. 2) #90 is the best of the best. Written by Larry Hama with art by Adam Kubert, it sees Wolverine coming home to the X-Mansion for the first time since the day he discovered his bone claws. With only him and Sabretooth in the Mansion, the inevitable happens and Sabretooth tries to escape, sparking a brutal battle between the forever foes.
It's the last issue before The Age Of Apocalypse, and there's an awesome sense of finality to it. The battle between the two mutants is hard-hitting and violent, and the run-up to it is perfect. It's a brilliant story every Wolverine fan should devour.
2 "The Crunch Conundrum" Is Unlike Any Wolverine Story Ever
One of the best things about Wolverine is his versatility, and Wolverine (Vol. 2) #51-53, by writer Larry Hama and artists Andy Kubert and Marc Silvestri, is a great example of it. It pits Wolverine and Mystique against Spiral and Mojo – Wolverine android Albert and Elsie-Dee in the wings – with the fate of the universe at stake.
Wolverine and mind-bending sci-fi aren't common bedfellows, but this story proves how well they work together. Hama is an expert Wolverine writer and Kubert and Silvestri do a remarkable job with the art, creating an unforgettable story.
1 Wolverine (Vol. 2) #91-100 Digs Deep Into The Bone Claw Wolverine Era
Wolverine's bone claw era is better than it's given credit for. The best part of that era comes in Wolverine (Vol. 2) #91-100, by writer Larry Hama and artists Duncan Roleau, Adam Kubert, Chris Alexander, Luciano Lima, and Ramon Bernando. A series of one-and-done stories that all build into issue 100, it's a character study full of action and adventure.
There's such a melancholy feel to these issues, it's almost funerary. It's peak Wolverine in general and shows why the bone claw era of the character was so full of great stories. Hama and company drop some brilliant Wolverine tales every fan of the character should check out.