Broken Frontier

Nuke is a living weapon controlled by the people responsible for Wolverine’s sordid past. Wolverine is getting close to the truth. Nuke is released, "‘nuff said."

In issue #2, we learn about a particularly horrifying event during the Vietnam War that sets up a disturbing relationship between Logan and Nuke. The intrigue about the proverbial man behind the curtain largely responsible for Wolverine’s woes grows and what is sure to be a monumental fight for two vicious combatants begins.

One of the great things about the character of Wolverine is the mystery surrounding him. It has been said that Jenkins gave away too much with his miniseries a few years ago; Way, on the other hand, is doing a good balancing act with the history. He writes Wolverine simply. Due to the events in House of M, Wolverine has regained his past. He knows his full name, he knows the things he has done, he knows whom he did them to, and he wants vengeance on those responsible for erasing his memory and making him into a killing machine.

But there is still quite a lot he doesn’t know. Who is in charge? Why was he chosen? Will he ever find out? With Way at the wheel, sending Logan down a bloody road of self-discovery strewn with violence, large scale drama, and painful revelations, fans of the Canadian Berserker can expect anything. As a reader when you pick up this book, you have to judge for yourself, are you ready for anything?

If you’re not, maybe you should just look at the pretty pictures. Steve Dillon’s art is perfect for a story like this, not so much because it is dark and gritty, because it isn’t. It is simple, clear, defined, refined, and precise to a point where all the characters look somewhat alike, having slight overbites and crow’s feet no matter their age or sex. But that doesn’t matter, it still looks good. Dillon gained notoriety on books like Preacher and Punisher. These books tell dark, gruesome tales he has captured with an almost casual, "This sort of thing happens every day!" feel. So, if Dillon’s work indicates anything, it is that this will be a disturbing ride. And it is. From the vicious scene of torture in Vietnam to the beginning of an inevitably bloody battle, Dillon’s pencils tell it all with an easy, horrifying line that can turn brutal, bloody battles into works of art.

Wolverine: Origins is a book adrift in some controversy. Many fans complain that too much has already been given away, while others think nothing definitive has or will happen. Who can say what group is right? When you read this comic with any affection for Wolverine, it is so good, you won’t care.