The Deathsong remains the same

By Eric Drumm

Looking for a Wolvie tale that takes a break from mutant agendas and personal revenge quests to offer insight into how lethal Logan-brand justice can be? DEATHSONG is just what you're looking for. And how do we know? We went straight to the source: novelist and screenwriter Gregg Hurwitz.

"It's a down-and-dirty tale of a guy who took a wrong turn in life," says Hurwitz. "And all those wrong choices have finally caught up to him—in the form of a clawed vigilante." He knows he's gonna die, that Wolverine's coming for him. And he has some time to reflect, in the midst of the bloodshed, on what got him into this deadly predicament."

A newbie compared to fellow Wolverine writers Daniel Way (WOLVERINE ORIGINS) and Marc Guggenheim (WOLVERINE), Hurwitz says that it was a simple matter of synergy between himself and the Marvel editorial staff that brought him onto the book, and that the pieces just fell into place.

"[Editor] Axel Alonso called with a notion," he explains. "Before he could get the idea out of his mouth, I was off and running with, 'Then X could happen! Then we could have Y! And a guy who does Z!' That's what happens when an idea strikes the right spot, whereas others yield nothing but sawing crickets."

This excitement comes naturally when dealing with Marvel's most deadly mutant. Who doesn't love a guy with foot long claws on his hands? Hurwitz feels a special affinity for Wolverine, but is glad that he was able to take a new approach to the character. When speaking of how he feels about writing Wolverine, he couldn't be happier.

"I'm thrilled," he gushes. "I'm especially excited to show Logan from the outside in, as this force of nature and justice."

To accompany this new direction for Wolverine, the art would have to be just as fresh, and for this Annual, that lucky artist is Marcelo Frusin. Bringing the nasty when it's called for, he also draws a sadness to the characters that gives the book a well-rounded emotional maze for the reader to delight in. Hurwitz agrees with that statement wholeheartedly.

"Frusin has done an amazing job with this. He's got a real poetic sensibility, bringing out the few key elements in each panel that accent the action or emotion," he adds. "Wait 'til you see some of the splashes. And yes, I think he captures his version of Logan exquisitely."

Perhaps the most interesting part of the annual is its title, DEATHSONG. Wolverine and death are a pretty common pairing, but Hurwitz says that the story owes its theme to one his most favored pieces of writing.

"It's a tip of the hat to my favorite poem, a reflection on mortality that seemed apt for this tale," he says.

With this fresh approach to Wolverine, the annual is sure to strike a chord with fans in a way they may not expect. If the title is truly apt, then perhaps we will see Wolverine dispense justice is a new, more poetic way than we have ever seen before. Hurwitz left us with a final word on what we will see in the WOLVERINE annual.

"A lot of stylized action, with a strong undercurrent of emotion—fear and regret. If noir is working-class tragedy, then this is right in the wheelhouse."

Justice is served on an adamantium claw in the WOLVERINE ANNUAL #1: DEATHSONG by Gregg Hurwitz and Marcelo Frusin, on sale October 3.

WOLVERINE ANNUAL #1 : DEATHSONG (AUG072264)
Written by GREGG HURWITZ
Pencils & Cover by MARCELO FRUSIN
Parental Advisory …$3.99
FOC—9/13/07, On-Sale—10/03/07

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