-I SPOIL, I DIE. I SPOIL AGAIN!-
Old Man Logan #1
Recap if you're new to the OML world (and I assume the two people reading this are not): in a future, the villains won. They finally teamed up and rid the world of our beloved heroes causing a wasteland of a country. Taking out the X-Men was Wolverine. To a degree. Mysterio was able to work it so that Wolverine thought he was seeing his villains killing his team when in fact, he himself was killing his team instead of those villains. He vowed to never pop those claws again. The Wolverine was dead. Years later, blind Hawkeye shows up needing his help and it all spills over, causing Logan to lose his new family and break that Snikt vow of his.
During the recent Marvel event Secret Wars, all universes were pulled together and combined into one world. OML was in that and his journey took him into other domains on Battleworld (the other dimensions and such) and he was confused as all shit seeing other versions of his dead friends. This second mini really did nothing except introduce Old Man to the modern Marvel universe that we know. Which is where this book begins.
Old Man Logan comes to in the middle of Times Square, naked and, once again, confused. Doesn't take long, however, as his memories come flooding back. As he finds clothes to cover his nethers, he comes across a hat, sparking flashbacks (to his past in the future...) of him and his son trading at the market. We see his son wearing the hat he found, which is apparently a big deal in that future as people want it in his trading. He tells 'em all no, that it's his son's and not open for trade. Until Black Butcher comes in (to my knowledge, a new character). A fourth rate villain who Logan claims only got power after sneaking in after the hard work was done, Butcher now wants the hat. Logan tried to fight it but since he's unwilling to get physical, he loses. Humiliatingly. Butcher not only takes the hat but he does if after slapping Logan's son. They end up leaving with Logan trying to explain that they have to pick their battles and fighting only would have made their lives worse in the long run..
Back in out present, Logan decides his purpose of now being here is to prevent his future from ever happening and he knows just where to start. After kicking some ass and taking some names, Logan is able to find his way to a young Black Butcher, who tries to zap Logan with his arm shocker thingie but he doesn't realize who this is and it has little effect. Before he can try again, Logan lobs off Butcher's arm, leaving him defenseless and, more importantly, scared. Butcher cries for answers, not understanding why this is happening
"You hit my boy."
"What?! You're crazy!! I - I ain't never seen you before! You or your kid!"
"Yeah... and now you never will."
And with the pop of the claws, Butcher is gone with three more holes in his head than when he started the day. With that, Logan has started the list. Butcher was first. Now he just needs to find Banner, Mysterio and Red Skull and he'll be done.
The original Old Man Logan was fantastic. It was badass Wolverine action front to back and was a joy to read. This book, though feeling a little bit darker, already has that same excitement back in me. Jeff Lemire has picked up a heavy load with this character but is showing he's ready to run with it. And the amazing artwork of Andrea Sorrentino only adds to how great it read. There's not a lot of depth here yet but there is definitely room for that. Though smaller, the original was riddled with it even though it all seemed small and quick. Overall, this book has me more excited for a Marvel book than any other right now and more than most have in the last few years. It's a promising start with what I hope with be a very violent journey.
