WOLVERINE #169
"Bloodsport, 3 of 3"
Neutral (3/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Frank Tieri
Pencils: Dan Fraga
Inks: Norm Rapmund
Colors: Avalon Studios
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Mike Marts
Price: $2.25 US/$3.50 CAN |
Ever see Fallen? Denzel Washingston, John Goodman, Elias Koteas, Donald Sutherland... pretty good flick. Tieri's story here reminds me a great deal of the central plot concept of that movie, but he doesn't capture the creepy, tense mood as director Gregory Hoblit did. Some rather standard Wolvie art from Fraga and less-than-compelling script make for somewhat of a dull read.
Wolverine is shocked to learn that his corrupt sensei, Ogun, is still alive, though now he exists as a non-corporeal spirit that jumps from host to host. Ogun's ultimate goal: to take Logan's fast-healing mutant body for his own. Given Ogun's powers and martial-arts skills, Wolverine is behind the eightball on this one, especially with no one but Viper, his wife and hated enemy, as an ally.
Fraga's art has fortunately evolved beyond being something more than just a copy of the style of Rob Liefeld, though the influence is still quite apparent. His stuff here reminds me a fair bit of the work of Tom (Mutant X vol.1) Lyle, and just like Lyle's more recent efforts, it fails to really grab me.
I'll give Tieri credit for one thing: this is a thoroughly accessible story. I knew nothing of Ogun, who has apparently appeared several times before, but the writer tells me everything I need to know about him. He also provides some solid background on the title character. Though I'm not sure if Wolverine is the best title for young readers, someone relatively new to the world of Marvel's most popular mutant could do worse in the way of introductions.
In the end, though, this is a rather ordinary story that really resolves little or nothing. It's been a long time since anyone did anything new with Wolverine -- at least in his own title; Origin is certainly a change of pace -- and it doesn't look like Tieri will be making much of a dent in that trend.
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