Creative Team
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Penciler: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Carlos Alberto Cruz Cuevas
Art Rating: 5 Night Girls out of 10.
Story Rating: 3 Night Girls out of 10.
Overall Rating: 4 Night Girls out of 10.
Synopsis: The issue begins with the armored thug’s saw burning out before he can finish sawing off Wolverine’s head. Suddenly, Janus and the blonde female Atlantean from earlier in this story arc appear on the scene. They quickly kick butt on the armored thugs. We learn that Wolverine had called them for back up support just in case he ran into some serious trouble. Wolverine, gets up all fully healed from the saw attack. Suddenly, the Sentry enters the scene along with a platoon of Shield Cape Killers. (Yeah, like they are necessary with the Sentry on the scene. That is like attacking someone with a nuclear bomb accompanied by some throwing knives.)
The Sentry and Wolverine start brawling and the Sentry knocks Wolverine unconscious. When Wolverine wakes up he is shackled and aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. Maria Hill informs Wolverine that the two Atlanteans had diplomatic immunity so they were retuned to Atlantis. Wolverine and Hill then engage in more of the same standard post 9-11 political diatribe that is present in almost over Civil War tie-in issue. Yippee. Hill says that Walter Declun is protected and she could care less of Declun is a war profiteer. (Yup. Just keep piling onto the pro-registration side. They simply aren’t evil enough.) Wolverine then tells Hill that the Level 10 power-nullifier they have him shackled in doesn’t stop his claws. They aren’t a super power. Therefore, Wolverine uses his claws to break out of his shackles and he jumps through the windows of the Helicarrier. (Wait, haven’t I seen almost this EXACT same scene before? Oh yeah, Captain America’s scene with Maria Hill in Civil War #1.)
We cut to Walter Declun meeting with the Board of Directors. The Board of Damage Inc. informs Declun that they are removing him as their C.E.O. Wolverine then enters the room. The Board members quickly run out of the room. Declun then pops some mutant growth hormone pills and we have a big brawl between Declun and Wolverine. The go crashing through the building’s windows and land onto the street. They continue fighting until Wolverine gets the upper hand. Wolverine then stabs Declun through his eyes with his claws and kills Declun.
We then shift to Wolverine back at the site of the explosion in Stamford, Connecticut. Miriam Sharpe, the woman of one of the children killed, is standing next to Wolverine. Miriam asks Wolverine if he has regretted what he has done since the Stamford tragedy. Wolverine says “No.” End of issue.
Comments
The Good: Well, I can’t say that I was very impressed with this issue. However, I must follow The Revolution’s Rule of Positivity. Hmmm, what exactly did I enjoy about this issue. Well, I’m glad that this Civil War tie-in story arc is finally over. I have been thoroughly unimpressed with all the various Civil War tie-in issues and, frankly, I can’t wait for Marvel to get of its soapbox and go back to just delivering entertaining comic books.
The Bad: Wolverine #47 was a pretty weak read for several reasons. First, because I had to put up with even more of the same standard political blah blah blah that has been shoved down my throat in every single Civil War tie-in issues. I get it all ready. The pro-registration are the second coming of the Third Reich and I should hate them. Move on. Second, the ending was so painfully predictable. You knew that there was never going to be any other outcome other than what was delivered in this issue.
I’m not going to bother addressing the entire Nazi/fascist routine that each and every writer has trotted out like some old tired and toothless show pony. It got extremely old and boring with the first Civil War tie-in issue. It is beyond description how mind numbing it is now with the 100th Civil War tie-in issue. I’ve already commented on this topic and quite frankly I’m bored to death of it.
The entire scene between Wolverine and Maria Hill was lame for other reasons as well. Mainly because it was almost an exact repeat of the Captain America and Maria Hill scene in Civil War #1. The two characters engage in some political banter and then the hero makes his great escape by crashing through the windows of the heli-carrier. It was cool when Captain America first did it in Civil War #1. It was less cool seeing it repeated with Wolverine in this issue.
The ending was so obvious. The reader saw this comic from a mile away. Declun is nothing more than your base villain. Nothing more than a mad dog. And predictably, Wolverine killed Declun in a gruesome fashion. Unfortunately, since this ending was so expected it failed to have much of any impact on the reader. It was just a standard ho-hum ending. This ending was pretty much like every other Civil War tie-in issue: predictable.
And having the final shot of Wolverine standing next to the mother of the Super Hero Registration Act, Miriam Sharpe was incongruent with the earlier political rant by Wolverine. Plus, how did the two of them meet at the scene in Stamford? Wolverine has Miriam’s number on his speed dial? He sent her a text message and asked her if she wanted to hook up for a Starbuck’s coffee and check out the scene of the explosion? I mean, c’mon, the two of them just happened to appear at that scene at the exact same time in order to exchange a rather predictable “poignant” moment? That final scene of Miriam and Wolverine just seemed terribly forced and unnatural.
The dialogue was average. The pacing of the story was hurried. It seems like Guggenheim had more story to tell, but not enough time to do it so he had to quickly force the showdown between Wolverine and Declun. And the showdown made the rest of this story arc seem unnecessary. If it was just going to come down to Wolverine brawling with Declun and killing him then why didn’t Wolverine just do this when he first met Declun at his office building early in this story arc?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I like Humberto Ramos, however, his offbeat style is a terrible match for this title.
Overall: Wolverine #47 was a less than impressive issue. The writing was weak and the art just doesn’t work for me on this title. I’m ready for Guggenheim and Ramos’ run on Wolverine to come to an end. Luckily, we only have one more issue from them before the new creative team takes control of this title.
