The Good
Change can be good and we're now seeing Wolverine in a new situation. It's hard to say for certain what is going on but it appears Wolverine has given up some of his old ways in order to meet his goal. Appearances can sometimes be deceiving and that's part of the fun in this series.
Last issue, Paul Cornell threw us into the mix as Wolverine was shown hanging out with a new team of mercenaries. The idea of Wolverine doing whatever it takes for this group felt odd yet exciting at the same time. No longer having a healing factor, we're seeing Wolverine needing to be a little more cautious. While trying to get some answers from the SUPERIOR Spider-Man, Wolverine has to operate a little differently than what he's used to. The conversation between Wolverine and SpOck is interesting and you can really see some of the parallels between these completely different characters. Cornell is laying down the groundwork for a new chapter in Wolverine's life and it's refreshing to be able to read a series with him and not be completely sure what's going to happen next.
Ryan Stegman's art is missed on SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN but almost as a treat, we get to see SpOck and Wolverine together. Stegman draws Wolverine like a beast and it really fits his new disheveled situation. We get a nice mix of action and conversation, both of which look great.
The Bad
There is still a bit of the unknown with Wolverine's new situation. We're finding out more about why he's joined up with this new group. We still don't know a lot about his new teammates and it's hard to fully accept whatever his plans are.
The guest appearance by SpOck was fun and did provide some insight into Wolverine's new situation but also felt a little forced, at the same time. It's hard to accept seeing Wolverine a little skittish during a fight. He may have lost his healing factor but he still has his skills that didn't fully rely on being able to heal.
The Verdict
Paul Cornell is delivering a different sort of Wolverine story. We've seen so many over the years and seeing the details unfold over his new alignment is fascinating. It's still a little difficult to accept Logan in this new status quo but that's part of what makes this new series different from past ones. Ryan Stegman's art is a joy to see. He captures the gritty nature of Wolverine's world perfectly and getting to see SUPERIOR Spider-Man felt like a treat. There's no telling where this series will take Wolverine next and that's what makes it so interesting.