The Good
If SCHISM did anything it was leave a lot of fans with a lot of unanswered questions ; but more importantly, SCHISM established an opening in the story lines of several characters associated with the rift within the X-Men, one being Wolverine. Issue #17 of Wolverine opens a whole new chapter of Wolverine's life. How he will deal with the rift within the X-Men as well as the direction the character will take as he moves reverts back to Westchester to re-open what was once Charles Xavier's school.
This issue is as much about new beginnings as it is about saying goodbye to od friends. Too often we see writers make the mistake of leaving questions unanswered by jumping from one story arc to the next -- failing to tie their loose ends. You get the sense that this is something Jason Aaron wants to avoid in issue 17 of Wolverine. Even the cover which shows Wolverine wearing a backpack crossing the San Francisco city line infers that the character is on the move. He is both putting his past behind him as well as stepping forward into his new adventure. But before he makes his way back to New York, he's going to have to accept his new role as the Black Dragon.
This new story arc feels like a cross between Wolverine and Indiana Jones; and if you watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom you'll definitely understand the reference I am making here. Ron Garney's art and Jason Keith's colors are absolutely stunning and compliment Aaron's story perfectly. The way Garney captures expressions and emotions in the characters faces is gorgeous, and the colors are vibrant making the action scenes in the book even more thrilling and hard hitting.
The Bad
As much as I trust Jason Aaron as a storyteller, I wonder why Wolverine is so adamant about ending his relationship and moving on to Westchester in the first part of the issue, only to stick around long enough to get sucked into a drug den. I'm sure it will all be explained, but it just seemed as though the relationship ended abruptly and without reason.
The Verdict
Overall, this is a fun issue and a really great start to Wolverine's new adventures. The story is very fluid with solid pacing, and the art is absolutely gorgeous. Both Wolverine fans as well as new readers will appreciate this title; and if you aren't yet reading Wolverine, this may be a good place for you to start.