Dear Journal I was straight up giddy to be handed the latest issue in the Absolute Batman series, one that proves that the Dark Knight is the best superhero in any universe. Issue 11 left us with the ominous scene of Bain standing over Batman's closest circle of friends, who, in the regular universe, positioned themselves as his greatest foes. I guess it just goes to show that Bain is positioned against Bruce, no matter which timeline they traverse, although this time, he shows that there's more than one way to break a bat beyond bending a back. In one go, Bain becomes the common origin source for The Penguin, Two-Face, Croc, and the Riddler, and what a way to do it. Halt, hear all ye squeamish ninnies, the visuals from #12 will give you nightmares, but the response from Batman and Alfred has me salivating, and while the entrance of a very cool looking Cat Woman was welcome, it's Joker's (hopeful) entry that I'm hoping and holding out for. Now what to read whil...
Wolverine: The Undisputed Icon of the X-Men
When it comes to familiarity and indeed, popularity, Wolverine stands head and shoulders above all of the X-Men - voted most likely to succeed in the yearbook, and mimicked the world over with several children, myself once included, shoving pencils in the spaces between our fingers to imitate the unmistakable adamantium claws of this ferocious warrior. Ultimate Wolverine #1 cuts an imposing figure with the yellow and black tights that Logan so often adorned, replaced with a slightly more menacing black and red outfit, arranged into the foreboding and ominous red star of the so-called Eurasian Republic.
East vs. West: A Mutant Cold War
Indeed, from what can be inferred from some of the pages, the X-men have been divided into the good ol’ fashioned East vs. West rivalry, with the aforementioned republic placing mutants such as Colossus at the forefront of a brainwashing program to weaponise the immortal Wolverine. Logan’s memories are wiped, and he is let loose upon those who fight on the opposing side, leading to a nice reunion with fellow do-gooders, Mystique and NightCrawler.
Ultimate Wolverine situates itself amongst a new wave of Ultimate titles that appear well-positioned to graciously open its doors to both long-time fans and newcomers not knowing where to begin. It’s a story that continues to push past the mere veracity of the protagonist in question by layering the story with a subtle, tragic tone that always points to the complexities of personal identity through the scope of memory.
Logan: The Eternal Guinea Pig
Wolverine has seen and done it all, and he continues to cut an impressive, yet criminally misunderstood character whose rage is wholly justified considering how his entire life has seen him thrust into the role of guinea pig for the ends of greedy authority figures. The pages of this latest entry into the X-Men's larger universe hit hard and fast with Logan slicing through them at a breakneck pace and making an already short comic book feel shorter still.
Yes, blink and you may just miss it, but this doesn’t mean that anyone should internationally miss out on an intriguing, and very well-written first title that invites us to walk with this new Winter Soldier on the path to recapturing memories so forcefully taken away. This first title will easily have readers salivating for more.
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