Wolverine #72

I had good reason for thinking this arc was going to come to its flashy, larger-than-life conclusion.  This seemed especially true since, due to shipping problems or whatever, #73 had already shipped and was not the Millar / McNiven Old Man Logan story.  So I settled in expecting an ending.

What I got was a bit less satisfying.  I’ll grant you that this alt-future that Millar has created is driving about 70% of my interest in this arc.  Regular readers may recall my theory that there are no more ideas left in the present-day 616 Marvel Universe, so well-planned alternate timelines appeal to me.

This, obviously, is why we hadn’t been told who the “President” was, and it resolves a good chunk of the ambiguity surrounding the fates of the big guns.

The imagery is fantastically vivid and creepy, as it has been throughout.  And you can’t tell me that the Logan / Skull battle isn’t spectacular.  It’s sort of a “What If” nerdgasm with a typically over the top Millar conclusion.

Then there’s the third act. Let’s make no mistake: the end of this book is a heartbreaker. We have a sense that things are not going to end as well as Logan thinks, but it’s still as gut-wrenching as it is inevitable.

There’s an uncharacteristic amount of thinkage in this book for a Millar work.  Is Logan a hero for going back to his old ways, or is he a hero?  If he is a hero, why did he wait until his loved ones were dead?  Is it okay to conquer your demons when those you depend on you might be better served by embracing them?

We probably won’t get any clear answers on these questions when we get to the REAL end–not the one I thought I was going to see here–in some sort of special one-shot.  I find that mildly annoying, but I’m still hoping for a good wrapup to a thoroughly enjoyable read.

~ by The Comics Dad on May 31, 2009.