ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Wastelanders: Wolverine’ Issue #1

Wastelanders: Wolverine #1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Steven DeKnight, with art by Ibrahim Moustafa, colors by Neeraj Menon, and letters by VC’s Cory Petit. In a world where the villains banded together and overthrew the heroes of Marvel, very little is left standing. Here we find Wolverine, as he wanders the wastelands doing what he does best, surviving.

The world as we know has been turned upside down. The villains finally won. Most of the heroes we know and love are no more, save a few. If you were to hedge your bets on who’s likely to survive such an apocalyptic-style event and you chose Wolverine, well, give yourself a pat on the back.

As Logan wanders the desolate highway of the wastelands, he reflects back on the mistakes of his past—the moments that led him to where he is now. The visual exposition serves as a useful tool to catch readers up with the current predicament Logan is in and how bleak the outlook is. To make matters worse, Logan has taken an infant under his wing to protect. The child of one of his oldest adversaries.

The wastelands have become an increasingly more dangerous place, and to survive, Logan must become the animal inside once more. But there are bigger, and badder, animals that exist out here, as an old foe lays in wait.

The story from DeKnight was a lot of fun. There was nothing about the issue that was particularly mind-blowing, but I loved the setting of the apocalyptic waste grounds, and the lone samurai feel that the plot takes on. Wolverine has always been a character that suits that solitary lifestyle. He embodies that archetypal stubborn male, with little to say but a lot on his mind.

What this comic tapped into however was this sense that there was an old score to settle, so for one last time let’s get it done. The dialogue was pretty sparse, and what was there said enough, but it never particularly knocks your socks off either. I understand these are one-shots, but it felt like there was more of a story here that was left on the table.

Visually, the art was decent from Moustafa, and the coloring from Menon pairs well. There were plenty of very good panels to take in, but again, nothing that really landed that wow impact that this creative really went for it. The scenic views, the way in which the light lacks, and the way shade was used all play a key role in further reinforcing the sense of empty, abandoned, and forgotten spaces. It’s as if a shadow hangs over this section of the country.

The lettering was as you would expect—professionally employed, but nothing particularly that catches the eye and engages the senses.

Overall, Wasterlanders Wolverine #1 was an interesting story, with decent art and colors that make it stand alone as a one-shot. However, it felt like there was more story to tell here, and that maybe the creative team left too much on the table, as opposed to really pushing the envelope.

Wasterlanders Wolverine #1 is available wherever comics are sold December 15th.