The life of an old man is (un) happy – a review of the comic book “Wolverine. Old Man Logan “

Give up all hope …

Red Skull, Kingpin, Mysterio, Magneto and all the rest of the super-villains decided to join forces, hit in one moment and crush the superheroes. And they succeeded in this art. There are no more Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man or Cyclops in the world. Almost fifty years have passed since that clash. The old criminals, if they are still alive, sit in their apartments and consolidate their power. New people are appearing in the world. As people live on the verge of poverty, a struggle for survival is essential. Everyone here has no qualms. Only the strongest will survive. One of the last members of the X-Men and Avengers, Wolverine, lives on this post-apocalyptic Earth. He hasn’t had his talons extended in years. Instead, he lives on a farm with his wife and two children, farming the land. When provoked, he doesn’t even try to defend himself. His dark past does not allow him to do so. One day, an old acquaintance, one of the last surviving heroes, Hawkeye shows up at his place. He proposes to Logan that they set off together on a mysterious mission. The vision of earning cash, which Wolverine is currently lacking, makes him agree to the offer, and soon the two old men travel through the United States to deliver a package to a certain man.

More and less expected

Wolverine. Old Man Logan is a comic book full of paradoxes. On the one hand, we know exactly how it will end. We can predict what both Wolverine and his opponents will go to. And yet it keeps us in suspense and can surprise us nonetheless. The most interesting plot twist, and at the same time the mystery we are waiting to discover, is why Logan decided to never extend his talons again. Once we find out how the enemies broke Wolverine, we simultaneously distrust and sympathize with him. But we also hope that he will finally change his mind and kick whoever needs ass.

Maintaining the appropriate climate deserves much praise here. It is dense, heavy and dark. A world devastated by villains, barren, full of emaciated and dirty people makes us feel depressed. This post-apocalyptic vision of the world is not the greatest. The whole thing is complemented by continuous bloodshed. The comic is aimed at adults. The creators did not hesitate to show death through decapitation, tearing to shreds or shooting. Body parts and insides fly before our eyes, although it must be admitted that this notebook is not based on the massacre itself. Thus, it was possible to balance the proportions between the depressing view of poverty and slaughter.

It is also worth mentioning about Logan’s opponents. They may seem funny and terrifying to us at the same time. The aging Red Skull collecting superhero trophies arouses pity in us, but at the same time a certain anger. Because how did it happen that he killed Iron Man or Captain America? In turn, Venom, who decided to choose Tyrannosaurus as his host, causes a smile on his face, but also recognition for the writer’s ingenuity.

A fresh classic

Wolverine. Old Man Logan had its world premiere in June 2008. Polish readers, in their native language, could read it for the first time in 2014, thanks to the Marvel Great Collection . Now Egmont has released it to the market again.

Mark Millar is responsible for the script for the comic – a man who probably needs no introduction. It was he who was responsible for such series as Judge Dredd , Swamp Thing , Kick-Ass , Kingsman and Superman , and for Marvel he created scripts for, for example, Ultimate X-Men or Fantastic Four . Steve McNiven, who drew Captain America , Guardians of the Galaxy and the New Avengers, was responsible for the graphics .

Although only eleven years have passed since the premiere of Old Man Logan , it has already been recognized as a classic by fans. Thanks to the positive reception, it was decided to continue the series. In January 2016, Old Man Logan was released . Berserk, and then four more notebooks from this series. They told the story of the elderly Logan during and after the events of the Secret Wars . Brian Michael Bendis and Jeff Lemire were responsible for their script. The graphic design was taken care of by Andrea Sorrentino. The comic also served as inspiration for the filming of Logan starring Hugh Jackman.

The decision is yours

As I mentioned, Wolverine. Old Man Logan received very good reviews, and fans welcomed him. However, it was not without words of criticism. The predictable and standard scenario was the most pointed out here. A lot of people have also suggested that it is a copy of Mad Max and Unforgiven. Some also missed an introduction to the whole story, claiming that it was told vaguely and inconsistently. The ending itself also raised a lot of controversy. Despite these allegations, most fans love the new version of Rosomak. What he experienced and how fate treated him actually makes us feel sorry for him. It’s also hard not to cheer him on. We are waiting with hope when the famous “snikt” will finally appear and our hero will go into battle. And when it finally comes down to it, you can see that he is the best at what he does. And what it does is not very nice. So you have to find out for yourself whether Wolverine. Old Man Logan did indeed deserve to be called a classic. Personally, I was delighted with it and I recommend it to you with a clear conscience.