33 Years Ago Marvel Destroyed Wolverine & Made Him More Popular

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I’ve been a fan of Wolverine for years, and it’s amazing to see how far he’s come! For over 50 years, he’s become one of the most beloved superheroes ever. Honestly, I think his return to the movies really helped the Marvel Cinematic Universe get back on track financially, after a few films that didn’t do as well. He’s become a true icon – he’s actually more popular than the entire X-Men team, even though he was a huge part of their success! The X-Men were at their peak in the early ’90s, especially after the 1991 reboot and the launch of X-Men: The Animated Series. That’s why, looking back, the decision Marvel made regarding Wolverine in 1993 seems so bold.

The storyline “Fatal Attractions” marked Magneto’s return in a pivotal X-Men arc, leading to an all-out clash with the team. Wolverine played a key role in the final battle, appearing in X-Men (Vol. 2) #25, and nearly secured victory before Magneto unleashed a brutal attack. In a shocking move – one that would likely be different today – Magneto stripped the adamantium from Wolverine’s skeleton. While it seemed to destroy a beloved character, this event ultimately contributed to Wolverine’s rise in popularity. Marvel took a huge risk by weakening him, and it paid off, making him even more iconic.

Wolverine Losing His Adamantium Was Integral to His Success

A common complaint about modern comics is how they’re altered to match movie adaptations. Big changes to storylines often don’t stick, or never even happen. Back in the early 90s, Wolverine and the X-Men were incredibly popular in comics, and that popularity quickly spread to television. Suddenly, they were huge stars, with their stories being made into a cartoon. Comics were widely available then, and kids who loved Wolverine could easily find his adventures at stores for just $1.75 – and they did. Everyone knew about his unbreakable skeleton and claws; they were central to what made the character so iconic.

Removing Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton was a really strange decision, and it completely shocked me when it happened – I was only twelve at the time. Comic books rarely made such big changes back then, so it felt like a major event. It was a bold move, especially considering Wolverine was one of Marvel’s biggest stars. They were fundamentally changing him, stripping away what made him seemingly invincible. Surprisingly, it worked! Instead of abandoning the series, readers were captivated when Wolverine revealed his bone claws in Wolverine (Vol. 2) #75, and sales numbers reflected that success.

As a huge movie and comic book fan, I always thought the shift in this character’s portrayal was brilliant. It wasn’t about diminishing him, but actually making him more compelling. Suddenly, he had to be smarter about his battles, and who he fought mattered. It instantly raised the stakes – because he wasn’t invincible anymore! That run of Wolverine (Vol. 2) became a massive hit, and I think writer Larry Hama and artist Adam Kubert (though Kubert could be a bit slow sometimes, he’s always been fantastic) really redefined what the character could be. A lot of fans, including myself, had first gotten into Logan through the animated series, and we stuck with him even after they took away the thing that made him such a relentless force. Honestly, it was a pretty incredible transformation.

The Wolverine comics of the 1990s, after the character lost his adamantium, were incredibly engaging. This period allowed fans to see a different side of Wolverine, grappling with new obstacles, and it worked remarkably well. The stories explored interesting questions and provided satisfying answers, keeping readers invested. Marvel fully committed to this change, and it’s impressive they sustained it for six years – some even thought the loss of adamantium would be permanent. Wolverine overcame a significant hardship and emerged stronger. The eventual return of his adamantium was a surprise, and it highlights how skillfully Marvel managed a potentially risky storyline. Despite the change, Wolverine (Vol. 2) remained a popular title, and he continued to be a key member of the most successful team book at the time.

Marvel Broke an Icon and Created a Legend

The 75th issue of Wolverine (Volume 2) came out on my 13th birthday, September 14th, 1993, and it was a huge moment for fans. Wolverine had just suffered his biggest defeat yet, and we were all wondering what would happen next – would his claws even work? The answer was shocking, and it launched a story arc where Wolverine essentially started over, rebuilding himself until he finally achieved a satisfying win against Sabretooth. Back then, a win against Sabretooth was unusual, as ‘Tooth usually dominated him. This fresh direction drew in a lot of new readers and kept long-time fans engaged.

Seeing Wolverine lose his adamantium really changed him, making him feel more human than ever before. It was a brilliant move – exactly what the character needed. It’s still amazing to me that Marvel did it when everyone was paying attention to the X-Men. Nobody saw it coming, but it worked, both immediately and over the long run. They essentially had to break him down to build him back up, and they did it at the perfect time. Now, he’s a huge star, and honestly, losing that adamantium is one of the biggest things that got him there.

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2026-02-01 17:20