Wolverine NEW READER!

[theCount]

What would be your advice on where to start with reading comics (Wolverine is the matter of interest) for a new reader.

I wan't to know what happend to the character throughout the history, read all the good stories,...

 

[Ice]

First and fore most: "ORIGIN" by Paul Jenkins and Andy Kubert. It's Wolverine's true origin tale. Six issue miniseries from 2001-2002.

Some years ago there was a series called "WOLVERINE: ORIGINS" by Daniel Way and Dougie Braithwaite that explored Wolverine learning his origins after getting his memories back following the event series "HOUSE OF M". This ran for 50 issues.

One of the best stories for Wolverine is by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, which is just "WOLVERINE," a four issue limited series that ran from September 1992 to December of that year. It's what THE WOLVERINE movie is loosely based on.

From the many volumes the Wolverine series has had, the third one is arguably the best. It starts off amazing with Greg Rucka writing the first 19 issues, 3 story arcs. "THE BROTHERHOOD," "COYOTE CROSSING" and "RETURN OF THE NATIVE."

Following that, Mark Millar has had two great, if not the greatest, runs on Wolverine. His first one, collected as "ENEMY OF THE STATE" in two volumes as well as an Ultimate Edition, which was Wolverine (Vol. 3), issues #20-32, which was back in 2005. That had art by John Romita Jr. His second one, my favorite Wolverine story of all time, "OLD MAN LOGAN". That was also in the third volume, and ran from issues #66-72 with art by Steve McNiven.

Now getting to the Jason Aaron works, which ran for the last 5 years or so, there are quite a bit. One of his best Wolverine stories was "GET MYSTIQUE", also part of volume 3 in issues #62-65 (just before the OLD MAN LOGAN arc), drawn by Ron Garney. Aaron also wrote a great "WOLVERINE: WEAPON X" series that ran 16 issues. Aaron started Wolverine's volume 4 run and wrote it until the renumbering. Volume 4 starts with 1-20, with the story arcs:

• WOLVERINE GOES TO HELL
  [*]WOLVERINE VS THE X-MEN
  [*]WOLVERINE'S REVENGE
  [*]WOLVERINE: GOODBYE, CHINATOWN

After that vol. 4 gets renumbered as Wolverine gets its 300th issue published, which was Aaron's last arc on the series with "WOLVERINE: BACK IN JAPAN" (#300-304).

Other great stories with Wolverine to read:

• X-MEN: SCHISM (also by Jason Aaron) #1-5 mini, telling the story about Cyclops and Wolverine splitting up and setting up their own X-Men teams. The collected edition also has the one shot where it shows Wolverine and Cyclops choosing who goes with them, which takes place right before the last couple pages of Schism #5.
• WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN (vol 1. #1-42 plus Annual) Also by Jason Aaron. Wolverine sets up the new Jean Grey School (this follows SCHISM).
• WOLVERINE by Paul Cornell, which was the series that ran last year (2013) with issues #1-13 and currently now (#1-12) leading up to DEATH OF WOLVERINE in September (#1-4) by Charles Soule and Steve McNiven.
• There's also SAVAGE WOLVERINE, the anthology series, where each arc is by a different creative team. This is currently ongoing and I believe it's up to #21, the last issue published at the moment.

I think I covered all the major bases.

 

[wyokid]

Wolverine by Jeph Loeb is also very good. It features Wolverine Evolution and Sabertooth Reborn. Gorgeous art with huge action pieces. I used to hate Wolverine but this and Jason Aaron's run turned me around.

 

[Ice]

Wolverine by Jeph Loeb is also very good. It features Wolverine Evolution and Sabertooth Reborn. Gorgeous art with huge action pieces. I used to hate Wolverine but this and Jason Aaron's run turned me around.

No! No! Bad Wyokid!

Loeb's issues on Wolverine (in volumes 3 and 4) were both terrible. Terrible. The only good thing about it was the amazing art by Simone Bianchi, but that is not enough to save the train wreck that it is. It's up to you, thecount, if you choose to read it, but IMO, I would not recommend it.

 

[mike3717]

No! No! Bad Wyokid!

Loeb's issues on Wolverine (in volumes 3 and 4) were both terrible. Terrible. The only good thing about it was the amazing art by Simone Bianchi, but that is not enough to save the train wreck that it is. It's up to you, thecount, if you choose to read it, but IMO, I would not recommend it.

LOL! Loeb wrote a train wreck? Say it ain't so.

You forgot to mention the original Weapon X story by Barry Windsor Smith in Marvel Comics Presents (#72-84). I'm sure it's been released in collected editions many times by now. But it has always been one of my favorite Wolverine stories and imo is required reading for anyone jumping in new.

 

[wyokid]

No! No! Bad Wyokid!

Loeb's issues on Wolverine (in volumes 3 and 4) were both terrible. Terrible. The only good thing about it was the amazing art by Simone Bianchi, but that is not enough to save the train wreck that it is. It's up to you, thecount, if you choose to read it, but IMO, I would not recommend it.

What's so bad about it? I know people don't like that

Spoiler

Wolverine may or may not have been the founder of Weapon X

but just because you don't like something that happens makes the story bad. I thought that was a really good twist and I wish it had actually gotten answered. It's a giant action movie filled with mystery, suspense, shocking moments, and awesome cameos. It's fun which at the end of the day is what you go into a comic for.

 

[Ice]

LOL! Loeb wrote a train wreck? Say it ain't so.

You forgot to mention the original Weapon X story by Barry Windsor Smith in Marvel Comics Presents (#72-84). I'm sure it's been released in collected editions many times by now. But it has always been one of my favorite Wolverine stories and imo is required reading for anyone jumping in new.

Yes. I knew there was something else!

And for anyone who wants to read it, Hulk #181, Wolverine's (full) first appearance (#180 was cameo).

 

[E]

I really loved Old Man Logan - great story.

 

[wadewilson123]

I like wolverine and I think he is an interesting character and has and interesting backstory but I don't necessarily recall reding anything exclusive to him except old man Logan which was fenominal

 

[wadewilson123]

I woul also recommend reading alternate timeline stories about him first so that you can get to know the characters (or just go on wiki)

 

[Captain Canuck]

Some years ago there was a series called "WOLVERINE: ORIGINS" by Daniel Way and Dougie Braithwaite that explored Wolverine learning his origins after getting his memories back following the event series "HOUSE OF M". This ran for 50 issues.

If you're looking for good stories, I would recommend skipping this one. It started off as a cool idea, but just became a confusing mess. They actually establish that Winter Soldier was involved in Wolverine's past, then immediately after his interaction with Winter Soldier, Wolverine meets a young Natasha Romanova (Black Widow). Then some years later Black Widow and Wolverine team up with Cap and Bucky in WWII...

And the reveal of the big bad at the end is dumb.

 

[E]

And the reveal of the big bad at the end is dumb.

Alright, I'm curious - what was it?

 

[Ice]

If you're looking for good stories, I would recommend skipping this one. It started off as a cool idea, but just became a confusing mess. They actually establish that Winter Soldier was involved in Wolverine's past, then immediately after his interaction with Winter Soldier, Wolverine meets a young Natasha Romanova (Black Widow). Then some years later Black Widow and Wolverine team up with Cap and Bucky in WWII...

And the reveal of the big bad at the end is dumb.

I didn't like it either, but maybe someone else might. You never know.

I mean, there are, believe it or not, people who just love Ultimates 3. :wink: