Old Man Logan #6

By Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Marcel Maiolo, and VC’s Cory Petit

Jeff Lemire has his hands in several books at Marvel. His Extraordinary X-Men run has received mixed reviews and his first couple of issues of Moon Knight are being applauded; this leaves Old Man Logan as the tie-breaking book. If we’re being honest, this book has been excellent and Lemire really has a good grasp on the character. As we step into the next part of the second arc, we get to see if Lemire can keep up with the interesting premise of the series and if the character is a suitable replacement for a long time fan favorite.

The first four issues of Old Man Logan were pretty exceptional. It dealt with Logan adjusting to modern day and attempting to get revenge on the people who wronged him in his timeline. This arc we see something a little different; Logan goes to see Maureen, who would eventually grow up and become his wife in his home timeline, as a young girl. Jeff Lemire’s characterization of Logan continues to be great, as we get to see a more laid back Logan who is not so quick to go berserk. It’s apparent that he really cares for Maureen as he spends his day looking for her dog that has gone missing. Another thing that Lemire successfully accomplishes is distinguishing this Wolverine from others. Lemire gives us a more cautious and sensitive Logan who is not so quick to attack. His internal monologue in this issue takes us through the process as he discovers that there is trouble in the small town. Logan uses tact in his fight with Bonebreaker, something other Wolverines may not do. Lemire gives us another very good issue and he continues to show why he is widely regarded as one of comics most talented writers.

The pencils this issue are done by Andrea Sorrentino with colors by Marcel Maiolo. There is a certain amount of expectation when you pick up a book by Sorrentino and Maiolo. These two work together a lot and have a great rapport that is evident on the page. Sorrentino is one of the most creative artists in the business today and this issue is a perfect example of why. His page layouts are gorgeous, from the consecutive panels of Logan walking toward Bonebreaker as he fires off a chain gun to word panels that have an image inside of them. Each Sorrentino book has an authentic feel to it, they’re unmistakably him. You could look at any image and say, that’s Andrea Sorrentino’s work. Another reason why these issue are so successful is due to Marcel Maiolo. His colors give Sorrentino’s pencils a pop art feel that makes it all the more distinguishable. It’s not uncommon to see heavy reds or dark blues in these books. Even the shading as Maureen cries over her lost dog is amazing. Maiolo completely shades out half of her face and it just looks wonderful. This art duo has to be one of the best in modern comics.

Old Man Logan continues to be a must read book. Everything about it just flows naturally and gracefully off the page. Jeff Lemire’s characterization is spot on for Logan and the most interesting Wolverine he’s been in years. There isn’t much more to say about Sorrentino and Maiolo other than they are simply rock stars. This is a series that should be read, or at least given a fair shot, by everyone.