Old Man Logan has to be one of the most haunted characters in recent comic book memory. Ripped from a nightmare future where the villains win their eternal struggle against the heroes, and where Logan is tricked into killing his beloved X-Men as part of the orchestrated ambush that doomed civilization, things are looking crazier than ever for the character formerly known as Wolverine.
Now, due to the reality altering effects of Secret Wars (2015), we see “that” future’s Logan, old, worn down and more vulnerable to his enemies than ever, is now “our” Logan because “our” Logan is dead (inclosed in solid adamantium in the Death of Wolverine, 2014). In the current arc of Old Man Logan, written by Jeff Lemire and drawn by artist Andrea Sorrentino, Logan finds himself in Japan for like the thousandth time.
(Courtesy of Marvel Comics)
For longtime fans of Wolverine, Old Man Logan’s arrival in in the Land of the Rising Sun comes as no surprise. There are at least four stories that I can think of that found Wolvie fighting ninjas and dueling samurais. The story behind the Fox film “The Wolverine” is a nod to that. In Old Man Logan #11, we find that the protagonist has been lured to Japan in pursuit of longtime enemy and constant nemesis Lady Deathstrike.
(Courtesy of Marvel Comics)
He is fresh off kicking the butts of Deathstrike and her Reavers (Old Man Logan #9) when his pursuit of Deathstrike lands him in direct conflict with The Silent Order in part 3 of The Last Ronin storyline. Logan has seemingly been bested, his vaunted healing factor that once cleared up otherwise fatal blows instantly now requires hours and Logan is placed in a deep well, an obvious nod to “The Wolverine” movie, but climbs out to face his enemies, led by masked antagonist Sohei.
In this Logan’s reality, he has fought and bested the Silent Order before. However, this timeline finds him substantially weaker, weary and constantly longing for the attention of his lost love. Yet, his knowledge of future happenings, even if from another reality, gives him an almost sixth sense about the people he comes across. Logan also finds himself disoriented and confused when coming across scenarios that appear out of place with his recollection of how they should be.
As is a constant in all Wolverine-related arcs, Logan just can’t seem to catch a break, but unlike before, this Logan’s fate is much more in doubt. The work is a gritty, detailed art style that is beautifully complimented by colorist Marcello Maiolo.
A wonderful piece of artwork and an intriguing if yet unrevealed story arc makes us give Old Man Logan #11 a B-.
