Marvel's Wastelanders: Wolverine #1
- WRITER
- Steven S. DeKnight
- Artist
- Ibrahim Moustafa
- Letterer
- VC's Cory Petit
- Cover Artist
- Josemaria Casanovas
- Publisher
- Marvel Comics
- Price
- 3.99
- Release Date
- 2021-12-15
- Colorist
- Neeraj Menon
In 2008, Mark Millar and Steve McNiven introduced comic fans to the post-apocalyptic Wastelands. There, villains triumphed over the heroes of the Marvel Universe and carved the United States of America up into different factions. However, some superheroes have survived the onslaught and live under the radar. Logan was one of them who lived a peaceful life with his wife and kids until Bruce Banner's grandchildren descended upon their little farm and killed his family. Once a pacifist, Logan extended his claws after fifty years for revenge and massacred the entire Hulk gang. Marvel Comics returns to that dystopian alternate future of Earth- 807128 and gives Old Man Logan a new hope.
Wastelanders: Wolverine #1, written by Steven DeKnight, drawn by Ibrahim Moustafa, and colored by Neeraj Menon, is a direct sequel to Millar's Old Man Logan run. The story picks up with Logan embarking on a journey across the arid plains of the west with baby Bruce Banner Jr. in tow. However, with food and water running scarce and untold dangers around every corner, the journey proves difficult for the uncanny duo. Logan stops at the nearest town, hoping to barter for food and water. Instead, he gets more than he had bargained.
Writer Steven S. DeKnight is a Hollywood screenwriter known for the critically acclaimed Spartacus and Season 1 of Daredevil. In Wastelanders: Wolverine #1, DeKnight travels back to the wild Wastelands to tell a tale about a blood-spilling, and bone-breaking family reunion. The issue is brief and straightforward. The story places its narrative focus on Old Man Logan and his tiny companion as they get acclimatized to their new life. The tale's linear nature and the absence of complex plot points make Wastelanders: Wolverine #1 a solid debut issue for the miniseries.
The gritty, deserted atmosphere of the Wasteland may not be hard to reproduce in a script, but translating that barren feeling on the paper through artwork can be complicated. However, artist Ibrahim Moustafa seems to have grasped the formula. Known for DC Comic's Savage Things and Dynamite Entertainment's James Bond Origin, Moustafa is a relative newcomer who has already made his mark on the industry. His sharp, jagged lines along with a myriad of hatchings not only keep the gritty feel of the book but give depth to the art. Colorist Neeraj Menon provides the artwork with the extra boost it needs, giving bodacious lighting and a dusty feel to the issue's wide panels. Even though Menon largely uses sepia and beige tones, the issue's colors create a wild look for the one-shot.
Wastelanders: Wolverine #1 expands on the already rich literature of the Old Man Logan universe. The story revitalizes the spirit of the world-weary Wolverine and gives him a new reason to live. One cannot dispute the issue's artistic resemblance to the acclaimed Lone Wolf and Cub manga series -- although this is most seen in its imagery. However, the book strengthens the pair's relationship while making callbacks to past Marvel events. The issue achieves all of this with a tight narrative in a succinct story. Wastelanders: Wolverine #1 delivers the right amount of drama and action, making it a great read.