X-Man, Avenger, Mentor, Headmaster, Lover, Killer! Wolverine is a hero with many titles and star of many comic book titles!
Paul Cornell returns to Marvel with a brand new Wolverine series premiering in March 2013. The legendary Alan Davis will be the artist on Logan’s new solo book. Cornell talked with Marvel.com about his return to the House of Ideas and his take on the fan favorite X-Man.
“This is the series that gets into what makes James Logan tick, that shows him being, as he puts it, “a regular guy,” interacting with civilian friends of his in New York City. The most amazing thing about James is that he’s been alive so long, gone through so many extraordinary things, is such a strange being, but holds on—very hard—to being a guy who likes to hang out in bars with good company, who can run a school, who’s a decent, civilized man. Most of the time. No vampire alienation and boredom for him. He’s a man of the people. I’m going to poke that and see what happens.”
The challenge for any new writer is Wolverine’s history of iconic stories by specific writers (Weapon X, Old Man Logan). Cornell explains his big influence and how he will stake his claim in the Logan legacy.
“By looking hard at who he is, dealing with him in the here and now, exploring that voice I’m so fond of. Why does he call people “bub?” That’s now a tic that’s peculiar, that says something. I’ve been a Dad for four weeks now, and it occurs to me that James is the super hero I would be most comfortable in handing my child to. You know he’s going to take care of him, you know he’d be willing to just about die to do it, that while he’s got him, nothing is going to hurt that child. That’s what we’re going to get into: James the determined, bastard hard defender of innocents. I’m an enormous fan of Chris Claremont. I think his contribution to comics is just gigantic, that these days he’s enormously undervalued, to a degree that just staggers me. I’ll be drawing on the love of this character I felt from my childhood, and that means drawing on my own inner Claremont.'”
Cornell teases the first arc of the new series:
“James is involved in a hostage situation in the heart of New York, which spirals into an action-movie chase with him pursuing…he has no idea, and neither do we. It’s something absolutely disciplined, ruthless, and absolutely unconcerned with harming innocents. James has to do something not very nice in front of one such innocent. He’s damned if he’s going to let it happen again.
Cornell revealed he will explore the humanity of Wolverine:
“He’s one of the few super heroes who one could have a drink with. And he really should be a lot weirder. So there’s something going on there. I’ll also be examining the consequences of some recent decisions he’s made, but that would only be obvious for those who’ve been following the character lately. You can start with this first issue, not knowing anything, and absolutely know who he is, and what he does. It’s kind of a continuity-free first issue, from which we’ll gradually move to bring in wider aspects of the universe.”
Cornell reveal he’s creating a new villain and new supporting cast members (police officers, bar owners) for Wolverine’s NYC stomping grounds.
Cornell made comparisons between the X-Man and a certain caped hero of the competition when explains Wolverine’s role in the Marvel Now.
“I want it, and him, to be central. I want other titles reacting to what happens here. It’s an accident of history that WOLVERINE as a title has often been following what happens in other books, rather than originating the direction of the character because the title started so late. A new number one gives us the chance to change James’ standing a little, to make him as obvious a lead as Batman is, not just the eternal supporting character.”
Op/Ed: Alan Davis is on my list of (I MUST MEET THEM) comic book creators! In fact I could program an entire Alan Davis Comicon based on this amazing career which includes X-Men, Excalibur runs as writer/artist and artist with Chris Claremont writing.
Alan Davis recently brought back his ClanDestine in several Marvel Annuals including Wolverine, drew Ed Brubaker’s final volume of Captain America, If you can get your hands on his Wolverine graphic novel Bloodlust – grab it!
For Cornell’s entire interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
By Editor