There's a lot to admire about Wolverine. He's a lone rebel who also doesn't age as quickly as everyone around him. It makes him a compelling adversary as well as a tragic figure who can't possibly escape his demons even as his skin heals. What Mark Millar set out to do was show what happens when old age finally catches up with him. In a neo-western pastiche, the answer is resolved in a depressing yet violent means. With a cast of familiar faces in a dystopian future, "Old Man Logan" is a story of superheroes with little to lose. In fact, Logan has only one thing in the world that means anything to him: is family. The rest is expendable in a story that manages to push grittiness to its largest extent and pose the question of what makes Wolverine tick.
As mentioned, the story begins far in the future. Logan is a retired superhero, but it's not entirely clear why he refuses to unleash his adamantium claws against his foes - specifically against the children of Bruce Banner that now collect his rent. There's a melancholy vibe to him, as if he is a defeated man who is incapable of ever trying again. After a brutal beating by the Hulk boys, he runs into the aged and nearsighted Hawkeye, who asks him to go on a journey with him to deliver a package. The catch? He will cover their rent and make things tolerable for a little while longer.
What Millar expertly does is manage to turn the American landscape into a wasteland where corruption has destroyed all that was beautiful. Along the way Logan and Hawkeye run into corrupt villains such as Kingpin and the Red Skull. As Logan recalls what lead him to his pacifist life, the answer becomes clear. He is downtrodden because of a personal error in his life that lead to many significant deaths. Because of him, the world appears to be suffering more than it should. His conscience keeps him form ever thinking of hurting another living sole, even at the extent of protecting Hawkeye in the moment.
Much like Millar's work for "Kick-Ass" and "Hit Girl," the story is rich with graphic violence. The final chapters feature a bloody rampage that leaves many people killed and finds the rage that Wolverine had repressed for years. While the story builds like a balloon on the edge of popping, it does so with a certain enjoyable factor. Even within cynical dialogue and gruesome imagery, there's an existential dive into Logan's psyche. There's wonder as to why he is unable to perform the violent tasks he's supposed to. Even with an array of great character cameos, he is someone who doesn't want to exist in this world. While his finale is fitting given the frustration explored throughout the story, it's still an interesting look at a dark side of Wolverine that is edgy as well as deep.
The story does well thanks to its ability to share a universe with other Marvel properties. Even then, this is unlike anything else that Logan has been involved with. He may have gone to some depressing places, but rarely had the isolation and regret felt so apparent to his character. It is said that the new movie Logan is based loosely on this story. Of course, there's reasons that become immediately apparent as to why that is. Not only would it be difficult to get the rights to the various characters, but it would be impossible to do so only to have them murdered to a bloody pulp. While it could lead to the darkest and most fascinating exploration of his psyche, it's a traumatic story that is pretty adult and impossible to recommend to casual fan. It's best to just let the movie take its own course.
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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