Over the past 51 years, Wolverine has become a hugely popular superhero, playing a key role in the success of the X-Men. As Logan, he redefined the antihero archetype in comics, boosting its popularity, and established himself as a top character in the Marvel Universe. He’s earned the admiration of other heroes, fought iconic villains, and undergone significant experiences that have kept his character dynamic and relevant.
As a longtime Wolverine fan, I have to say the ’90s were a wild ride for the character. Removing his adamantium skeleton was a huge shift, making him surprisingly vulnerable. Honestly, those ‘bone claw’ years are some of his best, even though they’re often overshadowed. And then there’s the infamous ‘feral mutation’ – you know, the one where he lost his nose! It gets a lot of flak, but I think Marvel really fumbled a potentially brilliant concept. It didn’t last long, and looking back, it’s clear they just didn’t know what to do with it.
Feral Wolverine Could Have Pushed the Character to New Levels
Wolverine comics from the 1990s are considered some of the decade’s best. Like Batman today, Wolverine was a hugely popular character, and many top writers wanted to tell his stories. The Wolverine (Vol. 2) series was particularly strong thanks to writer Larry Hama, who had consistently delivered excellent work, and his focus on Wolverine’s ‘bone claw’ origins was a fantastic way to revitalize the character.
The Wolverine comic series, issues #75-90, is a strong arc that revitalized the character after he lost his adamantium skeleton. The storyline was briefly interrupted by “Age of Apocalypse,” but writer Larry Hama introduced a major twist in issue #91: Wolverine’s adamantium had been suppressing his natural mutant evolution. Without it, he was destined to become a feral beast. Hama skillfully developed this idea over issues #91-99, leading many fans (including me) to believe that issue #100 would see Logan regain his adamantium, perhaps manipulated by Cable’s son, Genesis. Instead, the opposite occurred – Wolverine actively rejected the adamantium to protect Cannonball, embracing the bestial form he’d been dreading.
Wolverine had always struggled with his bestial side, but now it was taking over. He began to physically transform – growing fur, with his face becoming flatter (though he didn’t lose his nose, contrary to popular belief) and his claws growing longer and sharper. For a while, he hardly spoke, acting more like a wild animal, even licking Cannonball’s injuries. This was a compelling storyline with a lot of potential.
When Hama returned to writing Wolverine, he introduced Elektra to help the character regain control of his rage. Fans anticipated a meaningful journey of rebuilding for the hero. However, after only a few issues, Wolverine was quickly restored to his original state and began using a holographic disguise to maintain his familiar appearance. Marvel swiftly abandoned this new direction, reverting to the classic Wolverine formula. Within a year, the potential for significant character development was lost, and Hama finished his run on the book with issue #118.
Marvel briefly introduced a fresh take on Wolverine, but quickly changed course. It was a logical decision, considering Wolverine’s popularity was boosted by the X-Men: The Animated Series, and new comic readers were drawn in by that version of the character. Marvel worried that a drastically different Wolverine might alienate those new fans, so they abandoned the new direction. Many fans were excited about a potential team-up between Logan and Elektra, but it wasn’t meant to be. Instead of exploring a new path for the hero, Marvel reverted to what was familiar, ultimately denying readers a unique version of the character.
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2026-01-02 05:10