Wolverine: Black, White & Blood Lives Up to Its Sanguine Title
- WRITER
- Gerry Duggan, Declan Shalvey, Matthew Rosenberg
- Artist
- Adam Kubert, Declan Shalvey, Joshua Cassara
- Letterer
- VC's Clayton Cowles
- Cover Artist
- Tony Daniel, Howard Chaykin, Andres Mossa, Ron Garney, Marcelo Maiolo, Adam Kubert
- Publisher
- Marvel Comics
- Price
- 4.99
- Release Date
- 2020-11-04
- Colorist
- Declan Shalvey, Frank Martin, Guru-eFX
Without a doubt, one of the most iconic superheroes in the Marvel Universe is Wolverine, the self-proclaimed best there is at what he does. The longtime member of the X-Men is also able to push the boundaries, in regards to more mature, violent content, than many of his immediate contemporaries given his tendency to employ lethal force against his opponents. Logan is given free rein to cut through the competition in the new anthology miniseries Wolverine: Black, White & Blood, with superstar comic book creators weaving standalone short stories starring the fan-favorite mutant while taking full advantage to let Logan really cut loose with blood and fury. And judging by the opening issue, this miniseries is quickly shaping up to be an artistic showcase for the character and clear reminder why he has remained so popular for decades.
The opening issue features a trio of short stories: Opening the issue is a tale by Gerry Duggan, Adam Kubert and Frank Martin that evokes Barry Windsor-Smith's "Weapon X" exploring Logan's traumatic conditioning. Serving as the centerpiece is a story by Matthew Rosenberg, Joshua Cassara and Guru-eFX as Logan's bloody, long-running conflict against Hydra takes a gruesome turn as the villainous organization tracks him down. Closing out the opening issue is a story written and illustrated by Declan Shalvey that has Logan deciding to return to Canada for an overdue homecoming only to find himself drawn back into a world of fire and blood.
If it wasn't apparent from the brief plot descriptions, this opening issue certainly lives up to the anthology series' title: There is a lot of blood spilled across these three tales, and gore not normally seen in most of the character's main Marvel Universe appearances. The writers all delve into classic moments and elements from the superhero's past, presenting them in a new perspective while retaining the timeless appeal of Logan in action. Duggan, Rosenberg and Shalvey are each very different from one another and yet, there's no tale that's jarringly out-of-place in this set while each of their voices clearly shines through the narrative.
Similarly, the three art teams present in this opening issue each have their own distinct visual sensibilities, yet they all work together well. Kubert and Martin both channel Windsor-Smith in their story while putting their own clear stamp on a classic moment from Wolverine's history. Cassara and Guru-eFX's story, as well as Shalvey's story, each are centered on a massive brawl as Logan singlehandedly cuts his way through waves of enemies but whereas Cassara and Guru-eFX deliver more bombastically styled action, Shalvey's artwork is much more visceral and raw in its presentation, especially as it approaches Logan's signature berserker rage. And the visual unifier of having all artwork largely rendered in black and white, with the only color being vibrant, red blood is quite effective throughout all three stories.
Marvel's Wolverine: Black, White & Blood is off to a strong start, with the debut setting a high bar for the remaining three issues planned for the anthology miniseries. It's clear that the three creative teams have a deep love for the character as it shines through in each of their respective stories, with each blood-soaked tale serving as a love letter to Logan and his extensive history.
And with some impressive talent poised to take the reins in the subsequent issues, this title is perfect for any Wolverine fan as a showcase for the character's undying appeal.