Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted #1
Though Wolverine in Japan, it nonetheless felt like classic Wolverine. Fast paced, and entertaining from beginning to end. This was a great start to something with a story that can really hold its own. They said that Wolverine would be pit against classic villains and a threat unlike any he has ever faced, and they delivered on that with the enemy being Sabertooth.
It really does feel refreshing to see another clash between Wolverine and Sabertooth. Two with a history that’s longer than your arm and you know that when they find themselves at opposite ends of a conflict it’s something worth seeing. It’s always about the thrill of the fight and that was what we saw in this issue. Jason Aaron shows that he knows how to play off of each of their strengths and weaknesses. Wolverine is someone who jumps into fights and really doesn’t think of the consequences till it’s too late. Sabertooth on the other hand consistently shows how smart he can be when driven, and that drive of course being to finally kill Wolverine, though something he’s failed to do many times before.
The art by Yves Bigerel was just amazing. The amount of detail overall is something you could just stare at and not lose interest. Not even just speaking of the character design, but the environment as well. The buildings, structures, especially those that lit up. It actually felt as if it was a fight in Japan with all the lights. In turn also means pointing out the use of highlights and shadows which really stood out next to the bold use of colors. The layout of it all just really sets it apart when comparing the physical books to something digital like this. Personally what I liked was the use of depth perception, making things blurred and then bringing them into focus. You could say it is unnecessary, yet I found it to be something unique to this story.
For a Wolverine book, this is actually one I can say I want to follow. You can’t say that for many books focused on him, but Jason Aaron managed to make this one more than just action. It’s story driven and it pushes Wolverine into situations where he’s out of his comfort zone. Who knows what the end to this issue will lead to, but just knowing that he will become Japan’s most wanted can’t be good for him. This is a great book to break into Marvel Infinite and makes you hopeful for whatever else they produce.
