Wolverine: Origins #3
Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: Steve Dillon
$2.99

Considering the disappointments of Origins and Endings and the first two issues of Wolverine Origins, this is definitely the best single-issue Wolverine story that Daniel Way has written thus far. Here, Way seems to finally right some of his storytelling wrongs; he reveals things in a context that makes sense, tells the story at a compelling pace, and he mostly avoids the problematic obliqueness that has plagued all of his other Wolverine tales. In Origins #3, we learn more about how Wolverine viciously shaped Nuke into a killing machine from a very young age, and it’s revealed that the reason Logan is currently seeking Nuke out is to try and rehabilitate him. Nice sentiments, except Wolverine seems to give up on his noble mission in about 2 seconds, opting to mercy-kill Nuke before Captain America inexplicably intervenes. Still, the issue succeeds in making Nuke quite a sympathetic character, and even if the Wolvie vs. Cap setup for the next issue doesn’t make sense (yet), it should be pretty damn fun.
KFR Rating: B

Civil War #2
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Steve McNiven
$2.99

While Infinite Crisis started off with a bang and went out with a whimper, Marvel’s mega crossover, Civil War, seems to be doing the opposite. The first issue — and setup for the entire series — was too similar to DC’s landmark Kingdom Come. But Civil War#2 has a uniquely gritty, realistic feel for a superhero story, and genuine repercussions are already being felt from the Superhero Registration Act enacted due to the events of the previous issue. Most impressive among them, however, is the surprise ending, where Spider-Man officially outs himself as Peter Parker to the world, in an act to show his support of superhero registration. Cynics will argue that this is a gimmick, or that Marvel will quickly undo the revelation, but either way, it’s an extremely compelling story development. Kudos to Marvel for making such a drastic change to their marquee character in-continuity. And if Civil War doesn’t have the end-of-the-world feel of DC’s great epics, it makes up for it with several twists and turns that will have a lasting impact, and quite simply, make it an enjoyable read. (And it goes without saying; Steve McNiven is one of the most gifted comic book artists around.).
KFR Rating: A-

Captain Atom: Armageddon #9
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope
$2.99

As the final issue of the Captain Atom: Armageddon mini-series, issue #9 also serves - with little advertisement from DC - as an official reboot of the Wildstorm universe, setting up the upcoming relaunches of WildCats, WetWorks, Gen13, and more. It’s a satisfying (if somewhat confusing) end to the story, with WildCats’ Void creating a “big bang” to reset the world after the cataclysmic events of previous issues. An easy way out, to be sure, but also an effective way to open a new chapter of the Wildstorm universe. In a nice surprise, Jim Lee guest pencils the first 2 pages featuring the “new” Wildstorm, and it’s a joy to see his renditions of Grifter and Deathblow once again.
KFR Rating: B+

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