10 Best Wolverine Stories of the ’10s

During the past decade, it felt surreal for me, a devoted Wolverine fan, to witness his journey. He had been associating with the X-Men and Avengers, climbing the ranks in the superhero world. At the zenith of his legitimacy as a superhero, he led X-Force, even taking charge of his own X-Men team and mutant school. However, the loss of his healing factor culminated in his demise, which unfortunately lacked the dramatic impact we had hoped for. We were left with years of Laura stepping into the role of Wolverine, followed by Old Man Logan filling Wolverine’s shoes within the X-Men. This period was fraught with missteps — Wolverine’s death was underwhelming, a comic with stunning art but a simplistic storyline, then Laura wasn’t given the opportunity to truly embody Wolverine, often relegated to secondary teams. To add to this, Wolverine’s resurrection was quite poorly executed (yet another instance of beautiful artwork and poor writing). Nevertheless, there were undeniably some exceptional Wolverine tales that emerged from this timeframe.

As a die-hard Marvel’s mutant enthusiast looking back on the past decade, I must admit that it wasn’t always a golden era for our beloved clawed hero, Logan. However, amidst the less than stellar storylines, there were some truly exceptional tales that emerged.

Logan’s journeys throughout this period, be it the grizzled Old Man Logan or the classic 616 version, were nothing short of captivating. Granted, there were missteps along the way – I’d advise you to steer clear of any Wolverine comics penned by Charles Soule. But despite these stumbles, this decade produced some all-time great Wolverine stories.

In fact, these ten Wolverine tales stand out as the best of a somewhat lackluster period and deserve recognition alongside the greatest Wolverine stories ever told.

10) “Past Lives”

In the continuation of Old Man Logan, sparked by the events of Secret Wars, our beloved grumpy Logan embarked on a thrilling journey across Battleworld and eventually arrived in the 616 universe. The 50-issue series featuring Old Man Logan was exceptional and should not be missed, although many consider the initial 24 issues to be the finest. These issues were co-created by writer Jeff Lemire and his frequent collaborator Andrea Sorrentino, along with Filipe Andrade and Eric Nguyen, producing an extraordinary series.

The concluding story of Lemire’s tenure, “Past Lives,” presents a unique narrative where Wolverine is sent drifting through time to return to the Wastelands after confronting the villain Asmodeus, all while attempting to reclaim his body before Asmodeus can sell it to the wrong hands. This four-issue tale takes readers on a journey through Logan’s life, as Lemire and Nguyen expertly depict his growth and set him on a new path. It serves as a fitting conclusion to a run that deserves more recognition in the annals of Wolverine lore.

9) Dead Man Logan

Ed Brisson assumed control over the “Old Man Logan” series following Lemire’s departure. Although Brisson’s work didn’t always evoke the same emotional depth as Lemire’s tenure, it remains an outstanding Wolverine storyline. As Logan’s physical condition deteriorates and he yearns to reunite with his Wasteland companions before his demise, this run is nothing short of impressive. The series “Dead Man Logan,” written by Brisson and Mike Henderson, unfolds after Logan killed the Maestro in “Old Man Logan” #50. Sin and Crossbones enlist Miss Sinister and Mysterio to instigate a villain uprising similar to the one that led to the creation of the Wastelands, and Logan and his allies must thwart their plans. The narrative takes a dramatic twist in its latter half as all of Logan’s past wrongdoings catch up with him. “Dead Man Logan” offers 12 issues of top-notch Wolverine action, along with the classic Old Man Logan appeal that fans have come to expect since the character’s 2015 comeback (if you’re a Wolverine enthusiast, the late ’10s Old Man Logan books are phenomenal, and I strongly suggest collecting them all).

8) “The Final Execution”

In the 2010s, “Uncanny X-Force” (Vol. 1) stands out as one of the top X-Men series and undeniably the finest featuring Wolverine during this period. Unlike other team books, “Uncanny X-Force” didn’t solely revolve around Wolverine; however, the climactic narrative primarily centered on everyone’s favorite Canadian, Logan aka the ol’Canucklehead. The storyline “The Final Execution” spanned issues #25-35, written by Rick Remender, with art contributions from Mike McKone, Phil Noto, Julian Totino Tedesco, and David Williams. In this story, X-Force confronted a fresh Brotherhood, spearheaded by Wolverine’s son Daken, and staffed by some of Logan’s most formidable adversaries such as Sabretooth and Omega Red, along with enemies that X-Force had built up over their tenure as a team. The 10-issue saga serves as a climax to the series, as the repercussions of Wolverine and X-Force’s past actions come back to haunt them. In essence, “The Final Execution” represents the pinnacle of Wolverine’s team experiences, wrapping up an exceptional series that ranks among the best of the decade.

7) “Wolverine Goes to Hell”

Jason Aaron penned many exceptional Wolverine tales during his tenure with the character; I suggest giving them a read. One of Aaron’s top Wolverine stories is “Wolverine Goes to Hell,” found in Wolverine (Vol. 4) issues #1-5. In collaboration with artist Renato Guedes, Aaron weaves an engrossing tale where Wolverine’s soul is dispatched to Hell, and a demon assumes his role on Earth. As Wolverine struggles to escape from Hell, the Earth is controlled by this monstrous demon, putting Wolverine’s X-Men friends in jeopardy. Moreover, “Wolverine Goes to Hell” serves as the start of Wolverine’s epic fight against the Red Right Hand, and after reading it, you’ll undoubtedly want to continue following along to see how it all unfolds.

6) “The Last Wolverine Story”

As a die-hard X-Men fan and Wolverine enthusiast, I can’t help but express my disappointment about “The Death of Wolverine.” It seemed less about a poignant character departure and more about sidelining a beloved figure in the X-verse as part of Marvel’s strategy to dampen the X-books around the mid to late 2010s, and boost sales for the event itself. Frankly, “The Death of Wolverine” and its follow-up, “Return of Wolverine,” felt lackluster and poorly written to me.

However, I must acknowledge Paul Cornell’s stellar work on “Wolverine” (Vols. 5 and 6). One of the series’ standout moments is the final story, “The Last Wolverine Story,” in issues #10-12 from “Wolverine” (Vol. 6). In this gripping tale, Sabretooth sets his final trap for Wolverine. With his healing factor gone, Wolverine has had to re-learn how to fight, and now faces the most dangerous version of Sabretooth in years. This is an action-packed narrative that showcases the true greatness of Wolverine when he decides to strategize rather than just act impulsively. “The Last Wolverine Story” is a masterpiece, and it’s a shame that it was overshadowed by the less impressive Wolverine stories that followed.

5) “Berserker”

The tale “Berserker” launched the saga of Old Man Logan, which resumed from where the 2015 Old Man Logan tie-in series during Secret Wars concluded. In the present day New York City, a bare-naked Logan finds himself disoriented, but quickly recognizes his location and recalls how he arrived there. Caught in a temporal loop, Logan vows to prevent the future villain attacks that led to the wasteland, compiling a list of adversaries to confront in order to alter time itself. The duo of Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino bring their exceptional talents to this narrative, which unfolded across Old Man Logan #1-4. This tale perfectly encapsulates the essence of Wolverine and paved the way for the rest of this remarkable series.

4) “Killable”

Killable” by Paul Cornell and Alan Davis

In the fifth volume of Wolverine, issues #8-13, we find our protagonist grappling with a new reality after foiling the Microverse invasion – for the first time in years, Wolverine is vulnerable as his healing factor has disappeared. This leaves him exposed to danger that he hasn’t experienced in a long while, given his adamantium skeleton was extracted.

In this challenging phase, Wolverine crosses swords with Black Panther and engages in a fierce battle with Batroc the Leaper. However, it doesn’t take long before Sabretooth and Mystique draw him into their machinations. Sabretooth, having learned about Wolverine’s loss of his healing factor, sees an opportunity to test this vulnerability.

What unfolds is a nerve-wracking tale of an underprepared Wolverine (with Kitty Pryde by his side) confronting his deadliest adversary. This storyline showcases Wolverine at the height of his struggle, ultimately leaving him at his most vulnerable point. This is the pinnacle of Wolverine’s resilience, and the hero is left battered and broken.

3) “Hunting Season”

By the 2010s, Wolverine had solidified his position as a premier superhero. He served as a leader among the X-Men and held a prominent role within the Avengers. His friendships with numerous top-tier heroes were well established. The comic series “Wolverine” (Vol. 5) #1-4, written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Alan Davis, showcases Wolverine in an unprecedented predicament. As a result of his Avengers status, he is summoned to a hostage crisis at a shopping mall, which soon proves to be much more than anticipated. Invasive beings from the Microverse aim to annihilate humanity and have devised a sinister plan, one that only Wolverine can thwart due to his proximity. To counter this threat, he is compelled to collaborate with Nick Fury Jr. and the regulars of the Guernica Bar. However, the Microverse invaders seize Wolverine’s most potent asset – his regenerative capabilities. With his healing factor rendered useless, Wolverine must find a way to stay alive against an adversary capable of possessing any body, as the situation becomes increasingly perilous. Although some fans may criticize Cornell’s tenure on “Wolverine,” it deserves more recognition than it receives. The storyline “Hunting Season” exemplifies Wolverine at his peak performance.

2) Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine

The comic book “Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine,” penned by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Adam Kubert, exceeds all expectations. Time travel has thrown these two heroes together, forcing them to collaborate in solving the mystery. Initially, they point fingers at each other and engage in heated arguments. However, as events unfold, they gradually unravel the situation, leading to a challenge that tests their limits. This tale is instrumental in forging an alliance between Wolverine and Spider-Man, making it exceptional. Aaron’s writing demonstrates his prowess as one of the top Wolverine writers of the 21st century, offering readers a captivating crossover adventure. Kubert’s artwork is remarkable; it ranks among the best work of his illustrious career. Aaron pushes Kubert to his creative limits, and the artist brings each challenging scene to vibrant life. In essence, “Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine” is a near-perfect comic, and any reader who gives it a chance will be captivated.

1) “The Last Ronin”

The comic series from issues #9-13 of “Old Man Logan,” penned by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino, is famously known as “The Last Ronin.” This exceptional Wolverine story is undeniably one of the finest Wolverine tales of the 2000s. Following his confrontation with Lady Deathstrike in the “Bordertown” arc, Logan embarks on a rescue mission. However, this journey leads him to an adversary that he has previously encountered – as an adult, during his time in the Wasteland. “The Last Ronin” encapsulates the essence of Wolverine perfectly, offering intense action and deep emotional resonance through skillfully woven flashbacks that delve into Logan’s life in the Wasteland. The writing is exceptional, but what truly sets this comic apart is Andrea Sorrentino’s art. His innovative page layouts and panel structures are a spectacle to behold. I cannot stress enough how remarkable this story is; it rivals the best Wolverine tales penned by greats like Claremont and Hama. I highly recommend giving it a read, as its brilliance must be experienced firsthand.

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2025-07-11 19:12