Wolverine Noir, a Review

I’ve pretty much been a Wolverine fan my entire life, mostly because we both share the name Logan.  But the man’s got a wild sense of righteousness and justice, not to mention the three claws of death that spike out his hands.  Yes, Wolverine has always been a favorite Marvel character of mine, and when I saw the Marvel TPB collection of Wolverine Noir, I knew I’d have to read it.

The story, written by Stuart Moore and beautifully illustrated by C.P. Smith, fits the pulpy noir style perfectly.  Jim Logan, a rich kid that took a wrong turn, is a private detective, along with his partner Dog.  The story opens with a mysterious woman entering the office and soliciting a job, which they take on immediately.  Through detective work and flashbacks, the plot unfolds, leading up to a stunning and shocking conclusion.

I really enjoyed this collection.  The series ran only four issues, but I would easily read future releases.  To me, the best thing about this collection was Smith’s artwork.  It was very gritty and dark, commanding the reader to examine the pages and see what was lurking in the blacks.  Logan’s character easily worked in this styled setting, from the way his “claws” looked to his unkempt and wild facial hair. 

Even though the Marvel noir series got mostly poor reception, I’ve enjoyed the two I’ve read, Spiderman Noir and Wolverine.  There are a few other collections in this series my library has, X-Men and Daredevil, that I plan to read as well.  If you’re interested in trying a familiar Marvel story with an unusual twist, I recommend checking out the Noir series, starting with this one.