Orphans Reunited: An All-New Wolverine Sketchbook

Family gatherings can get complicated. But when you’re the clone of a renowned X-Man dealing with your “dad’s” murderous biological son, they’re really complicated.

On October 11, Laura Kinney has to contend with exactly that—as writer Tom Taylor and artist Juann Cabal kick off Marvel Legacy with ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #25! When Daken gets kidnapped, Wolverine jumps into the fray to save him…but they soon find themselves facing off against the mysterious and deadly Orphans of X.

We caught up with Juann to hear more about carving up the visuals for issue #25.

Marvel.com: How would you describe illustrating the differences between Laura’s and Daken’s fighting styles?

Juann Cabal: To me, Laura fights with more subtlety and precision; she’s almost surgical. She’s also developed some fighting routines to include Gabby (and even Jonathan)! I think of her as a very intelligent, complete fighter.

On the other hand, Daken feels more direct, instinctive, and brutal. He shows no mercy. But this doesn’t mean he’s not smart—there’s a particular scene where he shows how resourceful and imaginative he can be. Can’t wait for the fans to see it. I’m sure they’re going to love it.

Marvel.com: In a roundabout way, Laura and Daken are family. Aside from all those claws, how do you convey that?

Juann Cabal: I think they share a certain “I’ve got your back” attitude that they don’t share with any other character. We’ve put so much effort into translating this mutual understanding into body language—and it wasn’t easy. You have to be very delicate, because the line that separates “awkward” and “cold” can be very thin.

Marvel.com: Along similar lines, how do these two relate to one another when they’re not in fight mode?

Juann Cabal: They’re distrustful, but more relaxed than usual in a way that says, “I know you, you know me.” It’s pretty funny because Gabby tries to include Daken into the “happy family” dynamic, but he’s not very comfortable with it and Laura isn’t either. But she shows real concern for him and Daken proves that—sometimes—he can be a cool guy and not the jerk we all know.

Marvel.com: How’s it been jumping on this book alongside Tom Taylor?

Juann Cabal: An absolute pleasure. I love when people stay long enough on a book to construct strong, homogeneous characters, relations, and stories. Tom shows lots of knowledge and respect for the characters, but also a great sense of humor and fun. He’s always open to suggestions—keeping the product fresh and dynamic. A dream come true for an artist. He’s a superstar.

Marvel.com: How did the Orphans of X come to life on the page?

Juann Cabal: It was hard! I mean, aesthetically, they’re pretty simple. But according to their own idiosyncrasies, they behave in a very specific way. A couple of times I’ve had Tom telling me, “That’s not the Orphans way.” I can’t tell you more than that.

ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #25, written by Tom Taylor with art by Juann Cabal, drops on October 11!