I know once I say this the whole thing will implode, but Zeb Wells may be the guy Wolverine fans have been waiting for. Since the end of 2005, when Jeph Loeb stepped in with his awful Wolverine Evolution series, the number one mutant has been hard pressed to find a voice. A few one-shots would get him right, but overall clichés and boring storylines mired Wolverine. Cue Savage Wolverine, which has given a swift kick in the adamantium nuts to the man who is best at what he does.
Since Zeb Wells took over with issue #6, Savage Wolverine has been the best Wolverine book on the shelves. The story arc is wonderful. Wilson Fisk, recently confronted by members of The Hand looking to unseat him as the leader, have sent the zombie of Fisk’s long-dead wife to kill him. Meanwhile, Fisk lies to Elektra, saying that the marksman Bullseye has been resurrected to kill him. The assassin, hating Bullseye for killing her long ago, sets out with Logan to bring him down. Turns out, The Hand has bigger plans.
Savage Wolverine #8 is the conclusion of Wells’ first brilliant arc. The Arbitrators, a bizarre three-member clan of demons who preside over decisions for The Hand, have led Wolverine and Elektra into a trap. Having to defend themselves against a massive demon enforcer, Wolverine is knocked out and strung up, leaving Elektra to battle the demon. When Wolverine awakens, one of the Arbitrators – a small child with demon eyes – taps into his berserker rage and Wolverine goes ballistic.
The conclusion of this arc is not only incredibly violent, but also a new elevation in the world of Wilson Fisk. Having slaughtered his wife, Fisk extinguishes the last blip of humanity he has. He is now pure evil, and The Hand is comfortable with him as their leader. What this means for the future of The Kingpin and The Hand is anybody’s guess. Zeb Wells executes this story perfectly. He knows the characters and nails the dialog perfectly. From Wolverine to Elektra to Fisk, Wells gives us the best interpretations of the characters in a long time.
Joe Madureira’s are is phenomenal. The pencils are grotesque at some points, at others merely creepy. There’s a certain air to Savage Wolverine, a vibe of violence and decay, something surreal and disturbing. Madureira nails that perfectly. The Arbitrators are vicious but somehow regal, Elektra is severe and yet still feminine, and when the berserker rage hits, it’s some of the best Wolverine art in recent memory. I can only hope that Wells and Madureira are in it for the long haul.
