The 7 Greatest Wolverine Artists (Who Aren’t Marc Silvestri)

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Wolverine is now a hugely popular superhero, which is surprising considering he could have easily been an obscure character. He’s appeared in some of the best-selling comic books ever, illustrated by many renowned artists. His stories are particularly known for their striking artwork. Wolverine’s dynamic action sequences and compelling character portrayals are a winning combination. In the early 1990s, artist Marc Silvestri significantly shaped the character, first working on Uncanny X-Men and then on the Wolverine solo series.

Many fans first experienced Wolverine’s solo adventures through the incredible artwork of Silvestri in the 1990s, and his style really shaped how we see the character. However, he’s just one of many talented artists who’ve created fantastic solo stories for Wolverine. Here are seven other amazing artists who deserve recognition for their contributions to the best there is at what he does.

7) John Romita Jr.

John Romita Jr. was practically born into the comic book world, growing up around the offices of Marvel Comics. Following in his father’s footsteps – John Romita Sr. was a famous Spider-Man artist – he eventually became a successful artist himself. While he first drew Wolverine in the early 1980s for Uncanny X-Men, he didn’t get to lead his own Wolverine series until the 2000s. He teamed up with writer Mark Millar for a celebrated 12-issue storyline, “Enemy of the State/Agent of SHIELD,” in Wolverine (Vol. 3) #20-31. Romita Jr. is known for his dynamic action sequences, and his work on these issues is full of incredible, fast-paced fights. He’s considered one of the best artists in the field, and his take on Wolverine is sure to impress.

6) Steve McNiven

As a huge Wolverine fan, I always say “Old Man Logan” is one of the best, and a lot of that comes down to the incredible artwork by Steve McNiven. I first noticed his work back when he was at CrossGen, and when he came to Marvel, his realistic and detailed style really stood out, especially on titles like Marvel Knights 4 and Civil War. Then, when he teamed up with Mark Millar on Old Man Logan (issues #66-72 of Wolverine Vol. 3 and Wolverine: Giant-Size Old Man Logan #1), it was magic. People went wild for how he drew the character. He came back later to illustrate Death of Wolverine (#1-4) and Return of Wolverine (#1 and 5). Honestly, his attention to detail and the way he drew figures were just phenomenal, and he really brought those violent action scenes to life – it just made the stories hit harder.

5) Ron Garney

Ron Garney is a highly respected comic book artist with a long and successful career. He first gained recognition for his work on the classic Captain America story, “Operation: Rebirth,” which helped launch his career and led to opportunities drawing many popular characters for Marvel and other publishers. He collaborated with writer Jason Aaron on the acclaimed “Get Mystique!” storyline in Wolverine (Vol. 3) and later on Wolverine: Weapon X. Garney’s art is known for its dynamic action sequences and incredibly detailed, expressive characters. His work on the Wolverine series, in particular, showcases his talent and how much his artistic style has developed over time, cementing his place as one of the greats.

4) Alan Davis

Alan Davis is a British comic artist who first gained recognition for his work on Captain Britain, collaborating with Alan Moore for Marvel UK. He later had the opportunity to draw Wolverine in Uncanny X-Men, and continued to showcase the character in X-Men, developing a strong understanding of how to visually capture Wolverine’s appeal. In the late 1980s, he created a fantastic one-shot story, Wolverine Bloodlust, but didn’t get to work on Wolverine’s main title until issues #1-4 and 8-13 of Wolverine (Vol. 5) and Wolverine (Vol. 4) Annual #1. Davis excelled at portraying Logan as intimidating, even with his shorter build, and his artistic style was a great match for the character.

3) John Buscema

As a lifelong comic fan, I truly believe John Buscema is one of the greats. He was a mainstay at Marvel during those incredible Silver and Bronze Ages. Most fans know him for his amazing work on titles like The Avengers and Conan the Barbarian – his action sequences were just breathtaking. When Marvel finally decided Wolverine deserved his own ongoing series, they brought in Buscema to work alongside Chris Claremont, the writer who really made Wolverine a star. Buscema drew the first eight and tenth issues of Wolverine (Vol. 2), and honestly, it’s some of the best art I’ve ever seen on that character. The action just exploded off the page, throwing you right into these brutal, intense fights. But it wasn’t just the action; his character work and the way he drew the figures were perfect, really emphasizing the emotional weight of everything and making sure everyone looked exactly as they should. And the backgrounds! He completely brought Madripoor to life, from the grimy streets of Lowtown to the jungles and the more modern parts of that pirate city. Buscema was just consistently excellent, and his work on Logan still holds up as some of the very best, even after all these years.

2) Leinil Yu

As a longtime comic fan, I’ve always been fascinated by Leinil Yu’s career. It’s a real dream-come-true story! He won a contest in Wizard magazine, and practically overnight, he was drawing Wolverine – one of the biggest titles of the ’90s. I remember when he first started on that run, issues #113 through #122, and then several more after that – #125-126, 129-130, 132, 139-143, and 145. You could see his style developing with each issue, becoming more and more impressive. And it wasn’t just Wolverine; he’s drawn the character in so many other books – X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, New Avengers, Secret Invasion, even Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America. What always struck me is how well he gets Wolverine. He captures every side of that character, every nuance. Plus, his action sequences are just phenomenal – truly some of the best I’ve ever seen. I’ve been following his work for the last 28 years, and it’s been amazing to watch him grow as an artist.

1) Adam Kubert

Adam Kubert comes from a legendary comic book family – his father was the renowned Joe Kubert. Adam learned the craft at his father’s side, assisting with lettering, inking, and coloring, and later became an instructor at The Kubert School. He eventually found work at DC before teaming up with his brother Andy at Marvel. Kubert’s breakthrough came with Wolverine (Vol. 2), and after 34 years of reading Wolverine comics, I believe he’s the best artist to ever draw the character, returning to it many times. He’s worked on numerous Wolverine issues, including issues 75, 77-79, 81-82, 85, 87-88, 90, 92-93, 95-97, 100, and 102, as well as Weapon X #1-4, Wolverine (Vol. 3) #73-74, Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine #1-6, Origin II, Wolverine (Vol. 7) #1-3, 8-10, 14-16, and 20-23, and Deadpool/Wolverine: WWIII #1-3. Beyond those titles, he’s contributed to X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, Ultimate X-Men, New Avengers, and Avengers vs. X-Men, plus countless covers. His style is a perfect fit for Wolverine, delivering both thrilling action and powerfully emotional scenes. He’s a truly gifted artist whose work on Wolverine cemented his status as a superstar.

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2025-12-06 00:16