Product Description: Collecting the best-selling - and controversial - romantic period piece that defied industry expectations and pulled back the curtain on Wolverine's mysterious past! At long last, all is revealed about the incredible forces that molded the world's most perfect killing machine with a heart as big as the great outdoors. Collects Wolverine: Origin #1-6
It looks really good, but aside from that, it's really just OK I just finished reading Origins, and It really is a spectacular looking series. Andy Kubert's art is amazing, as is befitting a legend such as he. But the story... in complete honesty, I could have come up with a better and more interesting story. It's not that it's awful... far from it, in fact. It has some intriguing bits, some genuinely intriguing bits, some hints at connections to other characters central to Wolverine. Wondering just who exactly Wolverine's father REALLY is, a possible brother... even a possible Sabretooth in there. And the claw marks on his mother, done in Wolverine characteristic wound patten. But really, all-together after reading this, I was left thinking " ...and?"
People definitely should read this miniseries. It's worth that much, at the very least. And it's an interesting read. But as for the "origin" of the Wolverine, one of Marvel's flagship characters and the champion of the X-Men...I just expected more. I understand that this was written in a hurry, after the success of the first X-Men movie and talks of a Wolverine solo spin-off movie,that they wanted to make sure that Logan's story was told in the comics instead of having it written by a committee of hack Hollywood writers. But I would have done so much more. Had him be older than just from the 1880's, for one thing. Had him travel across the world, visiting Japan in the past, or at least meeting a genuine Samurai, to explain his later fascination with and attraction to Samurai ideals. I like how they worked his attraction to redheads (in the form of a pretty solid Jean Grey prototype) into the story, and even how he picked up the phrase "bub" and other tendencies. But it just left me wanting more, and more interesting, events that eventually subconsciously shaped the man that became Wolverine. It was all too pat, too self-contained in such a short number of years. I would have had it last 12 issues and cover a span of decades, not just the 8 or so that it does. Logan has had his mind mucked with so much, that there could have been so many more things subconsciously at play in his later self revealed in this series.
The basic story WAS a good basis. But it could have included so much more. So many more details, so much more background, so much more PLOT.
If ANYONE should have written this, it should have been Chris Claremont and possibly Frank Miller... although, with Miller's current tendencies toward misogyny and just flat-out craziness, maybe just Claremont. Claremont shaped the character, MADE Logan what his is today. If anyone should have written his origin, which I truly think should have never been fully revealed, only hinted at, it really should have been the man who wrote home for 16 years and took him from a simple homicidal, amoral beast to a man struggling with inner demons yet struggling to live a life of honor, full complexity and mystery and inner turmoil.
If only Qesada hadn't yet again been so full of arrogance that he decided to take a character who's almost primary defining characteristic and major source of appeal was his ambiguous past and hidden mysteries, and expose those mysteries for all to see. I can understand the reasoning,but that doesn't mean that I agree with it, or it's outcome.
So,at the end,I will say that I think people should read this series, it isn't horrid... but I think that, in the end, many people have been and will be feeling much as I am right now, wondering what COULD have been, and how much better it should have been done... or even if it should ever have been done at all.
I guess I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars. Or maybe 6 out of 10. Just a bit better than middle of the road. But definitely not nearly as much as Wolverine deserved as his supposed Origin.
a BIG "meh" I pretty much liked the whole book up until about the last 5 very rushed pages. Spoilers: I assume Logan is really victor creed...but doesnt explain how he gets the name, nor does it explain how his scar across his face heals, nor does it explain why he's even angrey. Because James killed the father he hated? or because James ratted him out? OK...whatever...that is certainly not enough to justify the raging war these two carry on for a lifetime. The book really doesnt reveal anything and it kinda gives lame reasons for why certain things are the way they are. I'm gonna have to pretend I didnt read it.
Nature vs Nurture? I know that I tend to read comics a bit differently. The artwork is, of course, great (though we have seen plenty of poorly drawn, brilliant comics). The narrative and story-beats are also crucial. This story does well on both fronts.
But what I have always enjoyed about comics is how they explore complex human situations within their heightened reality, and expose a newness to these philosophies. This is why I have always enjoyed, say, Superman as much as Batman, because each explores a different part of the human psyche and soul.
Origin explores that terribly complex question of how much is a part of what makes up who we are as beings. Are we born with our intrinsic functionality, or are those aspects of our being developed through our education and experience?
The story does unfold in an rare and interesting way, not akin to other comic storylines. Yes, other reviews are correct, there are some flaws, and the end was, if anything rushed, but this is also an incredibly interesting approach to a very mysterious question. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
beauty & violence I found this book to be nothing like i expected, and i thought it was fantastic.For people who didn't like it they must have been thinking it would be different but for me it was great.I havent followed comics or x-men at all really but recently started reading them and books like this let you forget that they are comics and feel like great stories.the setting is nothing like the average marvel comic its a step back to a different life and i believe a great peice of work by people who wanted to try something challenging.if you dont know what i mean the last 50 something pages will clear up any questions about the authors or their intentions with the wolverine origins saga. this is my only problem with this book,it is not a 200 page story, sometimes extras really bug me, and i didn't read more than a few lines of what i consider crap.
Great Beginning Great Original tale with awesome dialog and a truly outstanding narrative. The answer of many questions, this is a must read for any true Wolverine Fan. I hate spoilers so I will not go into detail if you have not read it. I enjoyed it greatly and the build up to the end makes you wish they would rewrite the stories from the end of this one. The only thing that I wish Marvel would do is go and give a direct history of which trades to read in order to better understand the storylines of their characters.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
