Wolverine and the X-men #1

NOTE: This review has been published for the 3/3/2014 Monday 99¢ Marvel sale. You can find the sale on Comixology.

Destruction comes easy. Especially in comics. Even more especially in the Marvel Universe where New York gets trashed more often than a freshman on spring break. And no one does it better than James, I mean Logan, I mean Wolverine. The guy took down hell after all.

Personally I’m tired of destruction. Been there. Seen it. Bought that issue, that issue and that issue. I grow tired of schisms and versus and the all encompassing civil war. At some point I feel every hero in the Marvel Universe would rather play “mine’s bigger than yours” than handle the boring, mundane task of fighting bad guys and saving the world.

Building is harder. Creating takes patience, teamwork and nuance. Nothing’s wrong with a knockdown drag-out fight in a busy city, but I’m ready to enjoy seeing a character try to build something bigger than himself and his ego. I want to see a character have a dream and work with others to jump hurdles and create something special. And no one does it better than James, I mean Logan, I mean Wolverine. The guy took down hell after all.

Wait, what?

That’s what we get in the first issue of Wolverine and the X-men #1, written wonderfully with humor and style by Jason Aaron. We see a Wolverine who has to give himself to something bigger, to be a leader in creating something special. We see a Wolverine who’s not the best at what he does but a Wolverine who’s just trying to keep it all together and making it up as he goes along.

And I loved it! Yes, Wolverine can beat Satan and 10,000 superheroes and never get killed. I get it. How about a Wolverine who’s human and has everyday problems that don’t ever seem to get solved and go away?

This is what we loved about Peter Parker, right? Now of course turning Wolverine into Spider-man is just plain stupid (are you listening, Mr. Bendis?), but let’s see humanity and the real world give him a shot or two. Let him ask for help. New kids, state inspections and toilets that shoot fire? Bring it on!

That’s Wolverine and the X-men. Teenagers and rookie teachers. Mutants, aliens, terrorists, tweener baddies and a janitor who will never get any respect. You get school uniforms and alien technology.

And Chris Bachalo’s artwork works perfectly here. This type of book doesn’t need 90’s style bulging muscles and breasts. It requires a style that can be as tongue-in-cheek as the writing.

Aaron and Bachalo have created something interesting and special here. It’s a genuine treat.