Nearly every superhero has a hometown that they defend. Even though the X-Men have traditionally been based out of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester, New York, the team has moved all over the world and currently residing on the mutant nation of Krakoa. Even so, Wolverine has made a sort of home for himself on Madripoor, which just debuted in Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Since Logan first approached the island of Madripoor, in 1988's Marvel Comics Presents #1, by Chris Claremont and John Buscema, he's spoken frequently about how it's his kind of place. And in the same way that Gotham City reflects Batman and Metropolis reflects Superman, the contradictions of Madripoor reflect the complexities of Logan's long, varied life.
Wolverine has called Madripoor "a human jungle," an idea which suited him perfectly. As soon as Logan entered the Princess Bar for the first time in that issue, he adapted to his surroundings very well, immediately beating on the disruptive criminals in Madripoor's Lowtown.
This show of violence demonstrated just how simple Madripoor could be, reflecting the sheer simplicity of Wolverine's skillset. The island is full of constant drinking, fighting and criminal activity. Wolverine, who typically jumps at a fight, was practically made for the chaos of Madripoor. Just like Logan, however, Madripoor may seem simple, but it's also full of contradictions and secrets.
The island is divided between Hightown and Lowtown, illustrating a massive sense of inequality. Moreover, this makes Madripoor seem bright and colorful on the outside, while, in truth, the island is full of crime and violence. Similarly, Logan is fairly calm and stoic, but much of this is an effort to control the animalistic urges that he keeps inside. This duality is reflected in Wolverine's guise as Patch, an identity that he uses in Madripoor.
Patch is well-known as a troublemaker, but he also quietly gathers information and makes friends. This whole identity cements Madripoor as a sort of getaway for Logan, where he can live as a completely new person. On Madripoor, Logan can hang out at the Princess Bar as Patch, or he could go out and hunt criminals as Wolverine.
When Logan does become Wolverine, he can really let loose, because he's going up against some of the worst criminals on the planet. Wolverine has even had a different costume for his time on Madripoor, demonstrating the distinction between his time on Madripoor and his time with the X-Men.
In "Do We Die Today," part of Wolverine: Black, White & Blood #2, by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca, Logan and Kate Pryde took down a group of assassins for his friend, Tyger Tiger. Afterward, they all shared a drink, with Logan commenting on how he didn't have to think about being a hero on Madripoor. All at once, this tale highlighted how Logan could be a fighter and a friend on Madripoor, showing how much he valued the island.
While Logan doesn't fight to save the city and doesn't live there on a regular basis, Madripoor is an escape for Wolverine, where he can be himself a little more. Logan can spend time with his friends, get in a fight, or hunt down criminals. All of these activities demonstrate how multi-faceted Wolverine is as a character.
Madripoor brought out Logan's more heroic side in 1990's Uncanny X-Men #268, by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee. This issue revealed how Wolverine first met Captain America during World War II, fighting to save a young Black Widow from the Hand in one of Marvel's most beloved team-ups. All of this took place on Madripoor, with Logan proving himself as a hero, long before he joined the X-Men. Even though Wolverine doesn't feel the same pressure to be a hero on Madripoor as he does with the X-Men, but he performs heroic acts anyways.
By taking down slave rings and drug cartels, Wolverine still fights for what's right in Madripoor. While his methods can be brutal and he doesn't hang out with the most savory characters, those aren't necessarily disqualifications for the hero of Madripoor.
Logan showed much of his character by making the relatively noble Tyger Tiger the leader of Madripoor's criminal underworld in Marvel Comics Presents #10, by Chris Claremont and John Buscema. By putting Tyger Tiger in charge of such a wild environment, Wolverine made sure Madripoor's chaos was controlled. Similarly, Wolverine often uses his dark side for good. Logan's animalistic instincts have been used to fight off the worst criminals, echoing Tyger Tiger's control of the criminal underworld.
While he might not stay there all of the time, the contradictory complexities of Madripoor make it the best place for Wolverine in the Marvel Universe.