In the midst of Dark Reign, Norman Osborn has assembled his own team of Avengers, many of them criminals who’ve assumed the identities of existing heroes.
One such is Daken, who’s usurped the identity of his father, Wolverine. While I’ve followed this current Wolverine series from the very beginning, I was largely unfamiliar with Logan’s upstart offspring, as he was introduced in Wolverine: Origins, a title I didn’t stick with for very long. And when I’d heard that the imposters would be taking over their counterparts’ books, I have to admit that I went into this book fully expecting to dislike it.
I was wrong. I really enjoyed reading this, especially as a complement to the Dark Avengers series. Written by Daniel Way and Marjorie Liu, Dark Wolverine #75 shows Daken to be a master manipulator in his own right. While he may have agreed to take a spot on Osborn’s team to get under the skin of his old man, Wolverine, (heh. Old Man Wolverine. See what I did there?), it seems he’s determined to have fun while he basks in the spotlight that his new identity brings. His interactions with his teammates, particularly Hawkeye/Bullseye, are VERY entertaining, and it’s obvious that he’s nobody’s pawn, as he uses secret abilities to play those around him and set his own machinations into motion. The artwork by Giuseppe Camuncoli is nothing less than beautiful. Camuncoli seems like a shoe-in for Marvel’s Young Guns stable of artists.
I’ve always found the Wolverine series to be largely hit or miss, depending on who the creative team was. The recent “Old Man Wolverine” arc was fantastic, so, as I stated already, I didn’t have high hopes. I know it’s only been one issue, but if this series continues to showcase the same type of high level storytelling, it’ll quickly jump to the top of my must read list.
Rating: /5.0
Reviewer: Don Chiavon
Summary: "I really enjoyed reading this, especially as a complement to the Dark Avengers series"
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Some have criticized Dark Reign as just an extension in what was going on during Warren Ellis' run on Thunderbolts. While that may be true, I'm still enjoying the storylines generated by this arc. Osborn's evolution from psychosis-inflicted Green Goblin to National Hero may strain credibility more than a bit, but his interactions with others in power have been a hoot. Dark Avengers is a great title, although it should be said that I haven't liked Thunderbolts anywhere near as much since Dark reign began. But those are digressions better left to the reviews. I've also enjoyed the machinations of the Cabal and am in eager anticipation of where it will all lead.
Cosmically, the Inhumans-led Kree and the Vulcan commanded Shi'ar clash in a War of Kings. Most of Marvel's cosmic characters, like Nova and the Starjammers are involved. Whatever the outcome, this is a status changing event of an epic scale. I wasn't sure about this series when it began, and in fact planned not to buy it. I'm glad I changed my mind and picked it up. Again, I'll be reviewing the series as a whole, so that's all I'll say about its quality for now.