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WOLVERINE #66
preview art by
Steve McNiven
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By Jim Beard
He's the best there is at what he does—no matter what world he's on.
In just about every alternate reality one might come across when traversing the Marvel Omniverse, you're likely to find a man called Logan who stands out from the pack. He may not always have the claws or the unbreakable skeleton, he may not always be on the side of angels, but it's never hard to spot
Wolverine.
In honor of "Old Man Logan," the new story arc by the blockbuster creative team of writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven kicking off in WOLVERINE #66 on June 11 that introduces a new take on Wolvie's possible future, we've compiled a brief tour of some of our most favorite alternate takes on this Canadian champion.
Days of Future Past (UNCANNY X-MEN #141-142—1981)
One of the first looks at a possible future for Wolverine, the grisly landscape of a Sentinel-dominated United Sates spelled doom for several of the
X-Men. Alongside his remaining compatriots, an older Logan paid for a valiant strike against his oppressors with his life and only his famous Adamantium skeleton remained to mark his time on Earth after he leapt fearlessly into the path of a Sentinel energy blast.
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Mangaverse |
Mangaverse (MARVEL MANGAVERSE: X-MEN #1—2002)
A strange version of Wolverine with many divergences, the Manga Logan called
Cyclops brother and himself founded the X-Men. A horrible flirt, he seemed to have once conquered the heart of
Jean Grey but felt that other heroines represented a rich playing field on which to ply his romantic prowess. In one of the recurring themes of alternate Wolverines, the Manga version had been maimed, sporting what appeared to be an artificial hand equipped with energy claws.
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Age of
Apocalypse |
Age of Apocalypse (WEAPON X #1-4—1995)
One of the most popular "other" Wolverines, in the reality ruled by Apocalypse, Logan carried the codename Weapon X. "AoA" Logan became lovers with Jean Grey and also came up short a hand thanks to a run-in with Apocalypse's troops. He claimed
Magneto as an ally and enlisted his help in quelling his innate berserker rages. Also, in this version, Scott Summers and his brother Alex opposed Weapon X.
Ultimate Universe (ULTIMATE X-MEN—2001-present)
In the Ultimate Universe, Wolverine began as one of Magneto's assassins but ultimately forged a bond with the X-Men and shared—then lost—the love of Jean Grey. Unlike his main Marvel Universe counterpart, this Logan's background remains shrouded in mystery, but he has encountered his one-limbed possible future self,
Cable.
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X-Men:
The End |
X-Men: The End (X-MEN: THE END—2004-2006)
This alternate future Wolverine also formed an emotional and physical bond with Jean Grey after coming out of retirement alongside
Storm to face off against
Lady Mastermind. In an event that mirrored the Skrull invasion of today, this Logan found himself attacked by a Warskrull, which drove him back to the X-Mansion and eventually into a wartime alliance with
Rachel Summers and
X-23.
Marvel Zombies (MARVEL ZOMBIES #1-5—2006, MARVEL ZOMBIES 2 #1-5—2007-2008)
Perhaps the wildest version of Wolverine yet, the zombified Logan partnered with other similarly undead Marvel heroes and formed the sickest posse of all. Having devoured the
Silver Surfer and gained the Power Cosmic,
Zombie Wolvie helped eat the citizens of Earth and then flew off into deep space to devour any and all life he and his zombie compatriots could uncover. You won't be surprised to learn that he too lost an arm, though he later gained an artificial one.
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Wolverine:
The End |
Wolverine: The End (WOLVERINE: THE END #1-6—2004)
Old and living in his beloved Canadian wilderness, this possible future Logan had seen better days and better frames of mind. After
Sabretooth's funeral, this Wolverine set upon the path of a great mystery which led him back to Japan and a brother he never knew. A sad tale, it posed a future for Wolverine wherein peace lurked elusively around the edges of his perception and his own body betrayed him.
Before WOLVERINE #66 transports you to the post-apocalyptic future of "Old Man Logan" on June 11, check out another possible destiny for Wolverine with WOLVERINE: THE END courtesy of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
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