Wolverine #14 Review

Writer: Benjamin Percy

Art: Adam Kubert, Frank Martin, VC’s Cory Petit, and Tom Muller

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 28th, 2021

During the HELLFIRE GALA, X-FORCE barely avoided a global disaster as Beast unsuccessfully attempted telefloronics with the Terra Verde’s Ambassador. However, while everyone was occupied cleaning up this mess, someone managed to blindside the Marauder leaving a fellow mutant for dead. Let’s slash into WOLVERINE #14 by Benjamin Percy as Logan goes on a quest for this mysterious culprit and brings them to justice.

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THE DISPATCH

Don’t let the cover fool you, Solem won’t appear in this week’s issue of WOLVERINE #14. And frankly, as much as it pains me to says this, nothing really appears in this issue other than tons of setup, heavy dialogue, and small panels cluttered with dark tones or images. Furthermore, readers are introduced to a brand new character that has so much potential. However, Adam Kubert’s layout mixed with Frank Martin’s darker color choices really hindered the intensity of what could have been.

Furthermore, the excerpt pages by Tom Muller didn’t add much value to this week’s WOLVERINE and only put the squeeze on Kubert to cram in more panels than he probably needed if he had those two pages back. I know it may seem like nitpicking, however, two more pages would add so much more space for Kubert to display just how detailed and dynamic his illustrations can be. Look no further than the hospital scene or WOLVERINE on a jet ski in this very issue to see proof of Kubert’s amazingly talented skills.

Moreover, why is WOLVERINE tasked with handling the MARAUDERS incident? What happened to the Vampire angle? Omega Red? Heck, what’s happening with Death? Why did we leave that story? Or, what’s up with Maverick? I understand that Percy may be setting up a new story arc. Or, that WOLVERINE #14 may weave into the others. Nevertheless, this just didn’t feel characteristic of this HOXPOX era WOLVERINE. If anything, why wouldn’t some, if not all, the MARAUDERS chase down these pirates? Or, even X-FORCE together? Again, it seemed misplaced and pressed to get WOLVERINE and Solem together again.

FINAL THOUGHTS

WOLVERINE #14 opens up a brand new arc that’s cluttered with setup and disposition to get the ball rolling. However, the new character introduced by Percy as well as the story itself certainly has the potential for success. Nevertheless, I found myself wondering why WOLVERINE? Plus, Kubert and Martin provided darker colors and smaller, less detailed panels than normal making the comic a bit more daunting than in the past. Furthermore, this reviewer always has qualms with a misleading cover. Past practice dictates that Percy and his creative team will right this ship quickly. Every book has a down issue here or there. Now that the leg work is taken care of, I’m sure readers will be able to sink their claws into the next issue of WOLVERINE with excitement.