Marvel Graphic Novel #31: Wolfpack (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Sam Weltschmerz is a Jewish teen living in the South Bronx. He's accused of attempted murder by a gang member who probably assaulted his dad and most definitely burned the family hardware store to the ground. Known as Slippery Sam because of his ability to make sly escapes, the teen is the oldest established member of the vigilante team, the Wolfpack.

Formed in China 2000 years ago, the Wolfpack was created to protect the earth from evil. A splinter group called the Nine is the Wolfpack's primary foe. Mr. Mack, the Wolfpack's sensei, took martial arts, including the way of the ninja, that he learned overseas in the navy and formed a new Wolfpack to confront the Nine who have set up operations in the crumbling wasteland of the Bronx.

Along with Slippery Sam, this Wolfpack consists of the brooding giant genius, Slab, the ultra fleet of foot Sharon, and young Malcolm, AKA Wheels, a brilliant strategist confined to a wheelchair. After running afoul of the gang members who attacked Slippery Sam's family, the brash Rafael becomes the newest member in the fight against the Nine.

Wolfpack made their debut in the 31st edition of Marvel Graphic Novel. It was co-created by Larry Hama and Ron Wilson. Wilson came up with the team name, the members of the Wolfpack and the concept behind the evil intentions of the Nine. Hama was hired to write the script. As a result, many of the character back stories and tha inclusion of martial arts, a subject of great interest to Larry Hama as you can see in his G.I. Joe comics, were added to the story. 

Both Larry Hama and Ron Wilson were born in New York. Wilson, a Brooklyn native drew inspiration from the gangs and war on drugs he encountered from his childhood. Wilson imparts a heavy 'Just Say No' to drugs fervor, especially in the backgrounds of many scenes where the rhetoric is displayed on the graffiti of the city walls. 

Larry Hama was in the Navy during the Vietnam War. After a short one-year stay in Hollywood trying his hands at acting, Hama returned to New York City, becoming very active in the Asian community there. Seeing the effects that urban decay, gangs and drugs were having on the city's Asian community among others, it influenced Hama to focus on the social inequalities and sense of hopelessness the poorest parts of the five boroughs were experiencing in the mid- 1980s.

After the graphic novel, the Wolfpack returned in a 12-issue maxi-series where they continued to fight against the Nine. While Ron Wilson penciled the entire series, Larry Hama had to depart midway due to scheduling conflicts with his other regular series. John Figueroa took over as Wolfpack scribe for Hama.

Aside from a couple of appearances of solo members of the Wolfpack in the pages of Marvel Comics Presents, the gang of do-gooders really haven't had a large presence in the Marvel Universe. Slippery Sam lost his life at the hands of a stalker type villain. Wheels left in his own sometime later, eventually joining the Underground resistance during the Secret Empire storyline. That leaves Rafael, Slag and Sharon to defend the South Bronx from drug dealers and violent gangs. The trio of remaining Wolfpack members appear to have last been seen during the first Marvel Civil War, in which they were branded as sympathetic to the Superhuman Registration Act.

Completing this review completes Task #30 (Written by an Asian Author) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #130

The Wolverine story comes to a close in this issue. While I did around the mid-point of this event say that this adventure was getting a little boring and predictable, about 2 or 3 issues ago, this book turned into a bit of a screwball comedy and I was reinvigorated. The tale of Logan trying to protect a young mutant girl from numerous interested parties ended with a promising conclusion. One of which that actually has me a little bit interested to see what is in store for the child referred to only as Lynx.

The Ghost Rider/Typhoid Mary story also ends. This one didn't really peak my interest with a comeback or anything. But it very much does guarantee that readers are going to see a third segment that will tie in Mary's run-ins with both Danny Ketch and Wolverine!

The Iron Fist story is just spinning its wheels. If this was a horse, and I owned a gun, I would have shot it! If Danny Rand just wouldn't be doing everything opposite that I'd expect from the character of Iron Fist, I might enjoy this Hydra heavy story. Did his recent death and resurrection in previous pages of MCP screw with his head or something?

In the single issue story, the Navajo superhero American Eagle returns. This is just his second appearance in 3 issues! Still in the Big Apple, the protagonist is recruited by the NYPD to help take down a mutant on a killing spree. 

The American Eagle stories by John Figueroa (Marvel Knights) and Ron Wilson (What If...?) have been fantastic. I would rather have had a multi-parter where the hero was called to New York City for a family friend and then stick around for a while helping out the police with unusual cases. The fish out of water type story would have been way more entertaining than the farce that the Iron Fist story has become. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #85

A new Wolverine story begins in this issue. Big surprise there. Actually, I have mixed feelings about this. And the negative I have isn't really about Wolverine. It's about the cover artist.

For roughly 85 issues, there was a different cover artist. That all changes here as Sam Keith becomes the permanent cover artist. I am a fan of Keith due to his creation The Maxx. Both the comic book and the animated series that appeared as part of the MTV series Oddities. (I'll admit; before researching just a few moments ago, I thought The Maxx was on Liquid Television. Oops!) Anyways. So I like Sam Keith. But I am not digging his take on Wolverine. 

Okay. Let me retract slightly. This cover and the next couple are decent. But as I've been looking ahead on what's to come, there are some real stinkers. I'll be pointing them out as we come to them.

Now what I am liking about this new Wolverine tale is the story itself. Wolverine is back in Madripoor. That's a plus for me. He's in a relationship with Tyger Tiger. Another plus. And penciler Sam Keith is making her look really alluring. Another plus. But the thing that I am liking about this story is the antagonist, a mutant called Cyber.

This is Cyber's first ever appearance. But in the story, he's got a history with Wolverine. Right now, it's not revealed. But apparently, just the mention of his name is enough to make Wolverine put his tail between his legs and fall into a cold sweat.

Finally, after years of being this little wise-ass who can't be beat, there's someone who makes Wolverine feel like a defenseless child. Yes. I know we just sat through 12 chapters+ of a Weapon X story that saw Logan suffer terrible torture under the guise of laboratory experiments. But deep down, Logan was still fighting his oppressors, even if most of it was subconscious. Here, Wolverine is rattled deep to his core. And I love it!

Meanwhile, the Firestar story continues with nothing really new happening. A new multi-parter starring X-Man, the Beast, attending a symposium in Europe and facing a deep, dark secret from his past. Finally, Scott Lobdell and Ron Wilson craft a fun Speedball story. Once again, my interest in the New Mutant character is whetted by the talent of MCP. I may have to find some back issues or a trade because I am really enjoying these stories.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Essential Marvel Two-In-One Volume 4

Volume four completes my run of Marvel Two-In-One. This early 80s series starring the Thing of the Fantastic Four was really entertaining and by the end of this book, I was sad to see ol' Ben Grimm go.

Featuring stories starring some very familiar and some quite obscure guest stars. Just about every story was a winner. Bill Mantlo and Tom DeFalco got very creative in these stories almost exclusively penciled by Ron Wilson.

Some highlights:

The Thing is laid-up in a hospital bed. Mr. Fantastic is fearful that some of the FF's enemies might take advantage of Grimm's grim condition and attack him. As the superhero community goes to visit Thing, they intercept the baddies until there's a massive battle royale outside the hospital!

The Thing and his nephew Franklin Richards are having a fun day together at the local arcade. There, the two meet a video game programmer who accidentally takes The Thing to an alien world that seems an awful lot like the video game he and Franklin were just playing.

Lastly, in a moving story, The Thing and his arch-enemy The Sandman bond over brews while Flint Marko reveals his secret origin. Will this be a crucial turning point for a villain on the edge?

I really enjoyed both this series and this volume. The biggest problem for a few of the stories was the endings. I think the writers had so many ideas that they ran out of space to give a couple adventures adequate endings. On at least several occasions, the fighting lasts until the very last page. If the story was to end on a cliffhanger, that would be one thing. But most of the stories were one-and-done issues.

Great fun, awesome art, and exciting ideas and character. Just a little bit rough on the total plotting.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.