I was considering picking this issue up when it come out, my main reason being that scribe Greg Rucka [Gotham Central, Elektra, Queen & Country] was on writing duties. The realism and anti-hero style that he brings to Gotham Central can be seen in this story as well.

Rucka brings a grit and practicality to Wolverine by placing him in a realistic setting. Logan spends his time reading in a two-bit diner and then goes off to a run-down apartment where he sleeps in sparse settings on the floor of his room. I really enjoyed the new story which starts in this issue. Wolverine is first introduced to us through the eyes of a waitress at the diner. Her name is Lucy and it’s her sad and mysterious story that we follow. She is killed by a mysterious gang of men that gun her down in her sleep. Wolverine is left to track down her killers and find out why an ordinary waitress was murdered in such a violent manner.

If the original story wasn’t enough to recommend this book by then the artwork is another great reason you should pick it up. The choice of artist to go along with the gritty crime style of writing that Rucka brings to the deal, has to have a realistic and dark edge and this is exactly what Darick Robertson[Fury] brings to the plate.

Robertson draws Wolverine as a grim-faced mean bastard with a body type that takes him back to his original thick necked dwarf-like origin. With arms thicker than tree trunks and more body hair than ten Italians put together he really is back to his classic look.

The colours really help to set the mood of this book. The wallpaper and other environmental textures bring this comic to life. The realistic, dark and moody setting take this issue to another level and you can see how when the art and story work together that little else can match the medium of comics when it comes to telling a complete story, this is truly a case of a comic imitating life in its realistic portrayal day to day life and the surroundings that we live in each day.

This is a great first look and I was suitably impressed by the preview of this upcoming book. Rucka weaves a grand story with a nice humanistic side and leaves a hook at the end so that we have a reason to buy the next issue. The artwork is well suited to the writing and looks to compliment it well. If the new creative team keep this up Wolverine should fly up the sales charts and find a place on your comic shelf.

Score:8/10

Written By: Iain Duncan