10 Years Ago, Marvel Put Out the Best Wolverine Book of the 21st Century

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Wolverine started as a supporting character in stories featuring heroes like the Hulk and Wendigo, but he eventually became one of the most beloved superheroes ever. Over the years, fans have enjoyed countless comic series and individual issues exploring the life of this skilled and formidable hero. While Wolverine has evolved significantly over the decades, overcoming numerous challenges, Marvel decided to dramatically change course in 2014. They ended Wolverine’s story with the Death of Wolverine series. Surprisingly, this led to one of the most acclaimed Wolverine stories of the 21st century: Old Man Logan.

Old Man Logan is a highly regarded take on the Wolverine character. First appearing in the “Old Man Logan” storyline across Wolverine (Vol. 3) #66-72 and Wolverine: Giant-Size Old Man Logan, it presented a hardened, older version of Wolverine as one of the few remaining heroes in a world conquered by villains. The story quickly became a fan favorite, and after the death of the main Wolverine (Earth-616), Marvel launched an ongoing series starring this popular alternate version. The resulting 50-issue run is widely considered the best Wolverine comic of the 21st century.

Old Man Logan Was Peak Marvel

After the ‘Death of Wolverine’ storyline, it became clear Marvel was hesitant to retire the character permanently. They tried passing the Wolverine identity to his daughter, Laura, but Wolverine had always been seen as a unique individual, not just a title. Because Wolverine’s comics were so popular, Marvel worried fans wouldn’t accept a new Wolverine and would stop buying the books. This led to ‘Old Man Logan,’ which started as a limited series tied to the 2015 ‘Secret Wars’ event. The story followed Logan’s journey through a dystopian world ruled by Doctor Doom, eventually bringing him to the main Marvel universe. This successful miniseries then launched an ongoing ‘Old Man Logan’ comic book series.

The series began with a 24-issue run by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino, with Filipe Andrade and Eric Nguyen contributing art. Lemire and Sorrentino were a fantastic writer-artist duo, and they crafted a compelling story about Logan grappling with his past while adjusting to a life where he hadn’t harmed those close to him. The comic delivered everything Wolverine fans could ask for – memorable appearances by characters like Puck, Captain America, Hawkeye II, Miles Morales, and the X-Men, iconic villains like Lady Deathstrike and the Reavers, and emotionally resonant stories that are considered some of the best Wolverine tales of the 2010s.

Following Jeff Lemire’s departure, Ed Brisson took over writing the series, collaborating with a rotating team of artists including Mike Deodato and Ibrahim Roberson. The final 26 issues saw Logan return to his classic superhero role, featuring storylines like a battle with the Maestro, a Japan-set adventure revisiting a familiar Wolverine foe, protecting the X-Men, and befriending Glob Herman. He also faced off against villains like Kingpin, Bullseye, and Kraven the Hunter in various action-packed adventures. Though different in tone from Lemire’s run, Brisson’s stories delivered some of the most thrilling Wolverine tales of the decade, culminating in the twelve-issue maxiseries Dead Man Logan with artist Mike Henderson.

The 21st century has seen many excellent Wolverine comics, with standout work from creators like Greg Rucka, Mark Millar, Jason Aaron, Paul Cornell, and Benjamin Percy over the last 25 years. But Old Man Logan truly stands above the rest. It successfully captured the spirit of Larry Hama’s classic 90s Wolverine stories, delivering thrilling action and a deep exploration of Logan’s character. Despite being a fantastic series, it often goes underappreciated. Marvel didn’t heavily promote it – or most X-Men titles – in the mid-2010s, making it a hidden treasure for devoted Wolverine fans, and it didn’t fail to deliver.

Old Man Logan Never Got the Credit It Deserved

Let’s be honest: the Old Man Logan series happened because Marvel was hesitant to commit to Laura Kinney as the sole Wolverine. While that raises questions about Marvel’s approach to diversity, it was a good thing it did happen. Old Man Logan is truly one of the best Marvel series from the 2010s. It captured the feel of classic Marvel comics, offering a character-driven story with meaningful adventures that built Logan’s personality – something many modern Marvel series lack.

As a huge cinema and comic book devotee, I always feel like Old Man Logan doesn’t get nearly enough credit. It’s a real standout title that gave Wolverine fans something truly unique. Honestly, it’s better than a lot of the Wolverine comics Marvel’s released since it finished, and it’s sadly been largely overlooked. If you’re thinking of getting into Wolverine comics but don’t know where to begin, this is the place to start. It’s a wild ride that will absolutely blow you away.

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2025-10-26 16:13