Chris Claremont

Le découpage choisi dans les aventures des mutants ne favorise pas l'homogénéité de l'ouvrage, au contraire. Les deux premiers tiers sont consacrés à un gigantesque crossover concernant le Shadow King et son emprise sur l'île de Muir et le centre de recherches en génétique de Moïra McTaggert : les X-Men et X-Factor sont la partie et vont finir par se retrouver dans cette quête brouillonne aux couleurs criardes et aux dessins parfois repoussants qui ne favorisent guère la compréhension des scènes d'action totalement chaotiques. C'est souvent laid, dans des décors grossiers et l'intrigue tissée par Nicieza ne convainc jamais. C'est assez stupéfiant de voir que ces productions constituaient le haut du panier de l'époque. On en voit donc péniblement le bout et on se retrouve avec un Prof Xavier de retour face à deux équipes de mutants bien rôdés : ses premiers élèves et les nouveaux. On est en septembre 1991 et survient un tournant majeur dans les séries mutantes (et la littérature Marvel) : Claremont de retour aux commandes associé à Jim Lee à la fois coscénariste et dessinateur. Et là, c'est immédiatement plus probant : l'encrage précis de Scott Williams met particulièrement en valeur les personnages charismatiques : dès la seconde page, l'apparition d'un Magneto en majesté annonce la couleur. C'est beau, et parfois même impressionnant. Les dialogues prennent parfois le dessus mais les trois épisodes présents sont agréables, puissants et cohérents, même s'il n'est pas facile de gérer une quinzaine de héros et presque autant d'antagonistes. Dommage que la confrontation entre les mutants soit amenée aussi mécaniquement, le climax "X-Men vs X-Men" sentant le réchauffé. Du coup, l'on se dit qu'il vaudrait mieux se débarrasser de ce Epic Collection pour tenter de trouver à bon prix un Omnibus Jim Lee. Mission impossible...… (més)

Originally published in Comic form, this is the 2012 hardback collection of the first solo outing of Wolverine.

Wolverine follows his true love Mariko to Japan, only to find that her father has re-appeared on the scene and has married his daughter to a violent mobster to pay off a debt. Mariko, a dutiful Japanese daughter, marries the mobster and so forces Logan into the arms of another (after a degrading fight with her father).

Meanwhile there is a consolidation of the black market mobsters in Tokyo, with ninjas and "The Hand" taking a central role. A price is also put on Wolverine's head and there are regular attempts to kill him. Finally Wolverine comes out of his drunken depression, and there is a final showdown with Mariko's father, and Mariko has to decide between respecting and protecting her father, and the Japanese traditions she holds dear.

With her father and her husband dead, the novel ends with the X Men receiving an invitation to Logan and Mariko's wedding.


I must have read this story not long after it came out, as as I was reading this edition - repackaged in a hardback by Marvel in 2012 - I soon thought "I've read this before". It's a nice introduction to Wolverine on his own, and whilst the drawings arent crude, it is interesting to see the development of the character representation into later stories.
… (més)

Originally published in Comic form, this is the 2012 hardback collection of the first solo outing of Wolverine.

Wolverine follows his true love Mariko to Japan, only to find that her father has re-appeared on the scene and has married his daughter to a violent mobster to pay off a debt. Mariko, a dutiful Japanese daughter, marries the mobster and so forces Logan into the arms of another (after a degrading fight with her father).

Meanwhile there is a consolidation of the black market mobsters in Tokyo, with ninjas and "The Hand" taking a central role. A price is also put on Wolverine's head and there are regular attempts to kill him. Finally Wolverine comes out of his drunken depression, and there is a final showdown with Mariko's father, and Mariko has to decide between respecting and protecting her father, and the Japanese traditions she holds dear.

With her father and her husband dead, the novel ends with the X Men receiving an invitation to Logan and Mariko's wedding.


I must have read this story not long after it came out, as as I was reading this edition - repackaged in a hardback by Marvel in 2012 - I soon thought "I've read this before". It's a nice introduction to Wolverine on his own, and whilst the drawings arent crude, it is interesting to see the development of the character representation into later stories.
… (més)