The X-Axis, 21 November 2004
Part 4 of 7: WOLVERINE vol 3 #22

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Over in Wolverine, Mark Millar and John Romita Jr continue "Enemy of the State", which appeals on a rather different level. 

Last issue seemed to be taking things a little bit too seriously.  Fortunately, we're back to the stupid violence this month.  That's what makes this story work.  I wouldn't want to see every Wolverine storyline like this, but after a couple of years of (let's face it) rather po-faced stories, the change of pace is welcome. 

Wolverine runs around.  Wolverine fights things.  Wolverine wins because he's fantastic.  And.  That's.  It.  What more do you want from a Wolverine comic?  I think it was Grant Morrison who did a recent column arguing that the recent trend in superhero comics was the Definitive Take, where you just get the character to do all the old routines and go over the top with it.  And then, he points out, you can't do it twice, so you have to come up with something new again.  Which is true.  You couldn't do two of these stories in a row.  But you can do one, and if it isn't exactly Watchmen, who really cares?  It's basically this sort of story that made Wolverine popular in the first place.

Okay, technically there's a plot here as well.  Wolverine fights his brainwashing.  But not very hard, because that would detract from the fighting.  Good move.  Character-wise, the big idea is that the brainwashing works rather well with Wolverine, because there's a whole side of his personality which rather likes going around killing everyone.  Not all that big an idea, then, but it's enough to give the story a very slight degree of depth, without detracting from the main event: the fighting.

And it's good action, well paced, with Romita going happily over the top throughout.  It's breakneck stuff with enough variation to stop it from being monotonous.  If you're going to do this kind of story - and why not, with a Wolverine solo book? - this is a good example.

Rating: A

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Copyright 2004 Paul O'Brien.  This web site is a work of critical comment and review. All characters and publications referred to, and artwork reproduced, are ™ and © their respective owners.
 

WOLVERINE
(third series) #22
Marvel Comics
January 2005
$2.25 US / $3.25 CAN

ENEMY OF THE STATE,
part 3 of 6
Writer: Mark Millar
Penciller: John Romita, Jr
Inker: Klaus Janson
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Colourist: Paul Mounts
Editor: Jennifer Lee

LINKS
Marvel Comics
Mark Millar

Chris Eliopoulos