Product Description: Ever wonder what Wolverine gets up to when he's not out saving the world with the X-Men? More mayhem than you can shake a "SNIKT" at! Here, Logan makes his first foray into Madripoor - an island nation where anything goes, and everything is for sale - in this prelude to Wolverine Classic Vol. 1! Collects Marvel Comics Presents #1-10.
Okay, so maybe he isn't THAT annoying At one time, I was a big Wolverine fan - specifically, from the mid-'70s to the mid-'80s, but I came to despise him due to his overexposure and unwarranted elevation in the Marvel Universe. I have every one of Marvel's Essential editions except the Wolverine volumes, and I had no intention of ever reading any more Wolverine solo stories, but since Marvel has collected his introductory adventures from Marvel Comics Presents, I decided to give him a fair shake. Plus, a cover by Walter Simonson will always draw me in. Sneaky, guys, sneaky...
These stories play an important role in Wolverine's history, as they establish both the island nation of Madripoor, the location of many of Logan's solo adventures, and his "Patch" identity. This identity was very important to Logan's covert activities, for at that time, the X-Men were secretly operating out of Australia and believed to be dead. I find it funny how just an eye patch can render him "incognito", when Logan is one of the most bizarre-looking characters in comics. Maybe he's got that Clark Kent glasses thing going? What's more, he doesn't use the patch all that much in this story, so it's hard for me to understand how it becomes an alias for him in the first place. Anyway, those are minor quibbles. Chris Claremont's story is fairly good. It takes the tone of a grim and gritty adventure in a foreign land, and it's much more palatable than the sloppy sci-fi/fantasy garbage he was passing off as X-Men at the time. While John Buscema's artwork is perhaps not as smooth as with his classic style, the rough lines complement this story well. A bit more care by the inker would have helped, but overall, it's some nice work.
This book has convinced me to move forward and purchase Essential Wolverine volume 1 to read more on his continuing adventures. While he still isn't my favorite, I can at least say that he doesn't make me sick anymore.
The Begining of Patch This story took place when some rather odd things were happening with the X-Men. They were thought dead, and scattered across the globe. Wolverine found himself in Madripoor, an island where anything goes and anything can be bought or sold for a price. Immediately, he finds himself neck deep in intrigue and a power struggle between two crime lords. Of course, he can't tell anyone the truth of who he is, so he adopts the personality named `Patch', one he uses off and on for some time to come. This volume also introduces the character Tyger Tiger, a headstrong woman who was to become Wolverine's lover for many adventures.
First published in 1988, written by Chris Claremont and drawn by John Buscema, this volume seems a little dated, but still fun. There are only a few flaws that make it a 4 star book and not a 5 star book. One is that the main `super villain' for Logan to fight is nothing more than some profession wrestler looking guy with knives at the end of his hands. Just because Wolverine has knives at the end of his hands doesn't mean his villains must as well. Also the `Patch' personality always seemed a little silly to me. It's just Wolverine with an eye patch on! Who was really fooled?
Still, this volume introduces Madripoor, Patch, and Tyger, all of whom are important to the Wolverine mythos, and this book is worth a read for the history alone.
Recommended for both veteran fans and comic newcomers as you can read this without knowing anything about Wolverine or the X-Men.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
