Dead Man Logan #7 Review

by Charles Martin on May 01, 2019

Dead Man Logan #7 Review
Writer: Ed Brisson
Artist: Mike Henderson
Colourist: Nolan Woodard
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I've been saying for months it's time to take Old Man Logan back to the Wasteland. Now it's happening, for real and for good. 

This first installment makes for a danged satisfying read. The Wasteland is recognizably familiar, yet Ed Brisson's script delivers all-new post-apocalyptic horrors. By the end of the book, Logan is admirably stocked with allies and antagonists for his final story arc.

If his exact plan is still a little unclear, Logan certainly isn't dawdling. He's taken his own advice to heart and he's definitely not going to stop fighting. Within the first few pages, he literally claws his way into a car and then road-trips north like an angry Canadian Cuisinart. More than anything else, Logan's sojourn in the 616 taught him how to be Wolverine again - and the people of the Wasteland are already learning how dangerous that makes him.

The core of the issue is Logan's first big detour. He's the unwilling guest of some very nasty hosts - this is the fresh Wasteland horror I mentioned above. It's inventive and dark and while it's an easy-to-explain "high-concept" premise, it is way too good for me to spoil it here.

Mike Henderson's visuals don't quite evoke the full horror potential of the detour, but that's about the only fault I can lay against them. They do a Teflon-smooth job of moving the story forward, capably handling fight scenes, montages, and Logan's conversation-heavy detainment.

They also bring pure violent delight to Old Man Logan's first adversarial encounter with Wastelanders. The visuals are satisfying when people are just talking, but they become stunning when the claws come out.

Nolan Woodard's colours show the benefit of restraint here, sticking mainly to sandy brown shades until the gore starts flying. Blood and dust - does a Wasteland palette really need to go wider than that? Not when they're handled with this much care and nuance.

As I mentioned above, Ed Brisson is keeping Logan's cards close to his chest when it comes to explaining his motivations and plans. This potential drawback is admirably and fully compensated for by the brisk pace, brutal plot developments, and impeccable tough-guy dialogue. Mr. Brisson is on the perfect wavelength for the Wasteland: Fury Road meets Sergio Leone Western.

In fact, Mr. Henderson may be channelling Leone here, too. He certainly makes the most of the script's opportunities to carve close-up portraits of craggy, saddle-leather faces. There are some all-time great growly profiles in here.

The first issue of Old Man Logan's return to the Wasteland leaves some key questions unanswered, but it's certainly not short of violent fun. Gorgeous fights, twisted foes, satisfying allies - there is plenty here to challenge Logan and delight readers. It is a good start, and all signs point to things getting even better as the arc goes on.

Our Score:

8/10

A Look Inside

Comments

Charles Martin's picture
Nobody in the contemporary Bullpen does tough-guy storytelling better than Ed Brisson when he's on form and he is very on form here.