I honestly didn't know what to expect from yet another Wolverine limited series, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a story that delves more into characterization than ninja-laden, slash-filled violence. Jones crafts a fascinating character to counter Logan's more primal nature. But the greatest strength of the book is Lucas's detailed, quietly moody artwork. It had the makings of a great comic book, but the script boasts a couple of odd moments in which the title character's words and behavior just don't make a lot of sense.
Logan spends a long overdue day with Amiko, his foster daughter. They start off at a museum, but Amiko's yen for culture is overwhelmed by Logan's boredom. He takes her to a carnival instead, but he finds he doesn't much like it there either. He feels people's eyes on him, feels their fear, and he doesn't deal with it well. Making matters worse is Amiko's fascination with the carnival's freak show and how easily he relates to their humiliation.
Lucas's art here is a far cry from being in the Kirby homage mode I usually expect from him. It's still finely detailed, but there's a more grounded, realistic tone to it that's in keeping with the non-action-oriented quality of the script. The architecture of the museum is stunning, and the carnival... well, the view from the ferris wheel was aqe-inspiring and stood out as the most stunning visual in the enture issue. The colors add a greater level of texture and realism to the art as well.
Amiko is almost instantly likeable as a character. Her wit and intelligence is thoroughly engaging, and instilling such qualities in a 13-year-old girl makes her an even more enjoyable figure. Her intellect makes for a complimentary contrast with Logan's instint-based character, and her age plays to the father-daughter dynamic to which the character is so often drawn. Unfortunately, I wish Jones had provided more context in which to appreciate this character. Is Amiko a new character? Has this relationship been an ongoing one, and if so, where's Amiko when her foster father is off saving the world or killing underworld crime bosses?
Logan's outbursts and impatience throughout this issue struck me as being an exaggeration of his character rather than being true to it. He allows his beastial side to blind him to Amiko's feelings, her presence and even her well-being. Logan comes off as immature and even irresponsible, so much so that it doesn't read as plausible scripting. That illogical behavior in the main character holds the story back, but it doesn't eclipse the fact that there's definitely some potential in the premise and subsequent issues.
