Laura Kinney shares the heroic moniker of Wolverine with the mutant she was cloned from, James Howlett, AKA Logan. She and Logan share similar powers and equally tragic backstories. But despite those similarities, the two heroes have walked remarkably different paths. Before Laura became Wolverine, she was known simply as X-23.
This March, writer Erica Schultz and artist Edgar Salazar will take readers back to Laura's early days with the launch of the five-issue miniseries X-23: Deadly Regenesis. The series illuminates an untold tale of the titular character's past which finds her leaving Utopia and being targeted by old foes and a notorious Marvel supervillain. CBR spoke with Schultz about the story's setting, her protagonist's emotional journey, and the dangers X-23 must confront.
CBR: When does Deadly Regenesis take place? What made this era the best setting for this story?
Erica Schultz: Our story with Laura takes place during the Utopia era. Laura leaves Utopia for a sort of sabbatical because she doesn't fit in with the younger mutants, and Logan doesn't want her on X-Force, because he knows what it's doing to her emotionally (even if she can't feel it). There [have] been a lot of gaps in Laura's emotional development throughout her stories, and All-New Wolverine and the X-23 series that have been out have filled some of that in. But we took the opportunity to give even more depth to her lore.
Laura, like Logan, has been through so much. But unlike Logan, she doesn't have the luxury of time to come to grips with who she is. Logan has been around since the 1800s. He's had over a century to not only physically change but emotionally deal with who he is, who he was, who he was forced to be, and who he wants to be now. Knowing how difficult this process is, he wants to protect Laura by allowing her to figure it out for herself.
Remember, this is when Logan was going to adopt her as his daughter. So he suggests she go on this walkabout to find herself. And we see some of that in the 2010 series with Marjorie Liu and the incredible line-up of artists like Will Conrad, Sana Takeda, Felipe Andrade, Phil Noto, Kalman Andrasofszky (who is also doing the covers for X-23: Deadly Regenesis), and even Ryan Stegman. I apologize if I've missed any of the artists. It was a long run and a great read.
Long story short (too late, I know), we thought about this story like the old Hulk TV series with Bill Bixby. In that show, he was on a constant search for himself. We saw Laura in a similar predicament.
Where is Laura physically and emotionally at the start of Issue #1?
Emotionally, Laura is grappling with leaving Utopia. She wanted to try and fit in. She wanted her relationship with Hellion to work out. She wanted to please Cyclops by being a great member of X-Force. She wanted to please Logan by accepting his advice to leave. She's very conflicted and a mix of defeatist and hopeful at the same time. It's a state of mind I'm quite familiar with. [Laughs]
The throughline of the series was, "I must do what others cannot." That's Laura's mantra. She knows she has abilities others don't have and knows that those abilities come with responsibilities. Yes, I know I'm borrowing from Spidey. [Laughs] In every issue of the series, Laura has this notion of "I must do what others cannot" running through her head, but as she grows, so does the meaning of the phrase. She starts to really understand her place in the world at large, not just the community on Utopia.
Physically, she's in Minnesota. Why? Because I figured it was a place she had never been before. I'm not from Minnesota. I've never even been to Minnesota, but I blame writer Erik Burnham. He's from Minnesota, and we were hanging out at San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con. He influenced me. [Laughs]
What I've read about Deadly Regenesis suggests Laura's past as an assassin comes back to haunt her in new and familiar ways. It sounds like a classic Wolverine story of super-powered and high-tech conspiracies, but with some twists. Is that the tone you're aiming for? What else can you tell us about the action in this series?
I can tell you Laura gets her butt kicked hard in this. I remember emailing back and forth with Mark Basso and Drew Baumgartner about how much Laura could take. I'd write her getting knocked down, and they'd keep telling me that she can take more, and she does. Her healing factor is pushed to the limit and beyond in this.
As far as old enemies and her past, they're on full display. Laura is forced to look at some terrible things she's done, and atonement isn't an easy road. She'll be confronted with a pivotal figure from her past [and] a new villain.
It is a "classic Wolverine story," but Laura and Logan have very different reactions to similar situations. That was one of the reasons he suggested she take this time for herself. Up until that point, Laura was doing what people told her to do; or what she thought they wanted her to do. In this, she has to find out what she wants to do without the, I hate to use the term "safety net," but without the X-Men or Logan to have her back. She's truly on her own in this one, and that means trial and loads of error.
I'm also really excited about a new character [being] revealed. Their look was designed by Jan Bazaldua. I think people will [relate to] the struggles this character has had to go through and the choices they make.
An iconic Marvel supervillain has their sights set on Laura. Can you hint, tease, or talk about this character and their interest in X-23?
It's not a secret that Laura is very valuable. Not only are her skills valuable, but unlike Logan, she's still considered emotionally malleable. Unlike Logan, she was molded at birth to be an assassin, so before meeting Logan and the X-Men, that's all she knew. She'd be pointed at a target and let loose.
At this point in our story, she hasn't been freed of the effects of the trigger scent, so she's still easily controlled and manipulated if someone is motivated enough to do so, and we all know supervillains never lack the motivation to do evil things. [Laughs] I'm nervous about giving hints because I don't know if my hints are too subtle that they're annoying to people or not subtle enough that they're easily decoded. I'm gonna plead the fifth. Sorry.
Totally cool. Let's talk a little more about the familiar faces that pop up to plague Laura in Deadly Regenesis. What's it like for Laura to confront these characters at this point in her career?
Laura is in a position where she has experienced a lot, but she still has a long way to go. When these old foes pop up, she has some trial and error when it comes to dealing with them. Not every obstacle can be overcome with the slash of an adamantium claw. This is a new lesson Laura will have to learn.
Up until this point, though, Laura has had two extremes: 1. Cut up anything in her way, or 2. Be the scared little girl that can't make any decisions for herself. She's still grappling with a third option that was only just given to her by the X-Men: Make your choices, but accept responsibility if there's fallout.
What else can you tell us about the supporting cast of Deadly Regenesis?
There's a new villain in Laura's story -- a character that will not only give some more diversity to the cast but someone who is also dealing with their own issues. Laura is grieving her fledgling relationship with Hellion. She's grieving all the people she's harmed and killed along the way. She's grieving the little girl she once was. Everyone has to deal with grief in their own way, and we used grief and addiction (Laura's addiction to violence and solving everything with her claws) as a way for Laura to come to terms with who she is now. Who you were will never go away, but who you are shows who you want to be. A little philosophical, I know.
Edgar Salazar recently brought to life some incredible visceral and kinetic action sequences in Warhammer 40,000: Sisters of Battle. His work suggests he'd be a great fit for your story. What's it like working with Edgar?
Edgar is really a terrific partner in all of this. His ability to translate words to pictures with emotional resonance is incredible. We got to meet at San Diego Comic-Con last year, and he was so kind. He recognized that I had an art background and said he appreciated that I wrote in a visual way. Any time I get a compliment from an artist, especially one of his caliber, it's a real treat.
One of the balancing acts in a story like this is not only the intense fight sequences but also the intense emotional acting needed for the characters. Edgar excels at showing the physical and emotional brutality of a scene. Sure, someone gets punched in the face or thrown into a row of parked cars, but how do they feel about that? What does that humiliation do to them? Does it make them give up? Or does it give them the drive to push harder? Edgar understands and finds a way to show us these complex and nuanced moments in his linework. It's great to see. It felt like every other page, I was earmarking the art saying, "Edgar, I'd like to purchase this page. Oh, and that one, too!" I'm going to need more wall space. [Laughs]
Finally, if fans show up for this series, would you be up for telling more stories of Laura Kinney's past, present, and/or future? Do you know where you'd take her next?
I'm going to be super optimistic (a rarity for me) and say that fans will totally show up for this series. I believe it'll resonate with all kinds of comic fans, not just those familiar with the character. Several flashbacks give context to Laura's relationships within the canon, so even those unfamiliar with Laura will be able to understand the emotional and physical journey she's on.
It's a story that deals with loss, grief, regret, and where you go from there. There are a lot of parallels to what so many people have been going through in the past few years -- grappling with the question of, "Where do I fit into this world?" So for that, I know it'll really resonate with anyone who loves this medium as much as we do.
With everything I write, I want to make it not just a good (fill in the character) story but a good story overall. Sure, fans of Laura are going to pick this up (hopefully), but fans of comics, in general, can see this is a superhero story that has many core emotional traits at the heart of it. That's why I think people will read it. And the art is fantastic, so there's that, too. [Laughs]
Despite this coming out a week after Hallows' Eve, this is the first Marvel miniseries I wrote, so I'm nervous to see how it's received. I've loved Laura since I first saw her angry little face on the TV screen, and I hope the love the whole team has for her (Edgar, our editorial team, our letterer, and colorists) will come through and get the fandom pumped.
X-23: Deadly Regenesis #1 is due out on March 8.