The Death of Wolverine #2

By Charles Soule, Steve McNiven and Justin Ponsor

Last month the first issue of The Death of Wolverine came out and it was fantastic. We get the second issue just one week later, which is nice because the events are fresh in our minds. That being said, the first issue set the bar pretty high and it may be hard to follow, but if you have trust in anybody, Soule and McNiven seem like a good pair.

Once again, Charles Soule nails the characterization, not just of Wolverine, but of Sabertooth and Lady Deathstrike. This mini-series works so well because of how Soule writes all of the characters. He’s making them better than they have been in years. The story is also intriguing; it has an Old man Logan feel to it that leaves us wondering what will happen next. The funny thing is that Soule could probably take this in a terrible direction and still make it interesting. The only thing that is unsatisfactory about the issue is how quickly Viper skips out. She just leaves as Logan and Victor begin their fight, which seems a bit odd, but it won’t ruin the story – it’s just a nitpick.

The art by Steve McKniven is gorgeous as always. Once again, Justin Ponsor supplies some wonderful colors that make McNiven’s art pop even more. McNiven starts off great this issue as we are treated to a view of what Tony Stark sees when a low level thug puts on an Iron Man helmet. McNiven makes this panel incredibly detailed, which makes us all feel a little like superheroes, if only for a panel. There is also a stunning flashback page to one of the more epic battles between Wolverine and Sabertooth. This is hands down the best page in the whole book. It is violent, beautifully drawn and wonderfully colored. Just a marvelous page from McNiven and Ponsor. There really aren’t many complaints on the art side of things, but a minor one would be the way Sabertooth looks initially. This could be due to being poisoned, but he looks fat and overweight. They don’t mention if it affected his appearance, but maybe it did and that is all it is. Other than that, it was a great looking issue from two people at the top of their game.

The Death of Wolverine has been a home run so far and the excitement is building for the next two issues. Charles Soule has really nailed every character he’s written so far, and they have all served a purpose. He’s not just throwing in guest stars because it’s the end for an icon. McNiven and Ponsor continue to make this book the best drawn issue on the rack each week and deserve every bit of praise they get.