Old Man Logan #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Old Man Logan is a comic that was very well-acclaimed by critics and fans alike. It took about 2 years of comic reading to open it up and I seemed to be one of the few people disappointed by it. I thought Millar had A+ ideas but didn’t develop any of them very well. The story and character beats got quite predictable right after the big twist and so the comic failed to impress the way I was expecting it to. That being said, I was extremely eager to get a hold of Brian Michael Bendis’ sequel. I wanted the sequel to add layers to the world and close the storyline, rather than ending openly. I knew that this issue would be a slow one because that’s the way Bendis writes but it was certainly enjoyable nonetheless.
Brian Michael Bendis characterizes Logan very well while finding a great voice for the hero with a new cause. However, you still get a strong sense that this is a broken man. His use of excessive force got frightening as he is now completely unfettered from ideas of peace. The comic opens with a brutal brawl between Logan and a gang of Daredevils that depicted Logan’s power and cruelty. However, Bendis finds a good balance between this and showing that Logan is not a villain. He’s an anti-hero that uses questionable methods but he still has good intentions in his broken heart.
In terms of story, Bendis is just building off what Millar set-up at the end of the first book. However, he doesn’t take us very far this issue as Bendis typically starts off with very slow issues. There aren’t any big story beats, just a bit of set-up and strong character work. This unfortunately became a bit of a flaw near the end as Bendis ends this comic on an abrupt and dull note. For an issue that starts off with such a bang, it ends with the polar opposite of that.
Though, fortunately Bendis seems to be adding layers to this world as he weaves a bit of world-building through his character moments. The Punisher’s legacy has driven a group of “Punishers” to attack towns, playing as the “terrorists” of this story. Little ideas like this one made Bendis’ world building work because, while a little scarce, they add cool layers to this fascinating world.
Andrea Sorrentino was never a concern going into this comic. He truly is a fantastic artist and this book may well be his best work yet. Sorrentino transitions seamlessly between vicious action sequence, where he perfectly depicts Logan’s ferocious nature, to beautiful scenery. His art may not be the easiest to follow but his depicted of this wasteland is something worth marvelling at in between story beats. I think Bendis wanted to show off how amazing Sorrentino is as there are a few break pages where Logan simply stands near a beautiful landscape. This may have hurt the pacing a little but it was worth it for Sorrentino’s art. He’s that good.
Old Man Logan is a sequel that deserves to exist. The first series left the story open for more and Brian Michael Bendis is here to give us exactly that. Unfortunately, Bendis doesn’t tap into the scale that Millar set-up and paces this story a little too sluggishly if it’s compared to its predecessor. Though, in this first issue, Bendis writes a great portrayal of his protagonist and contributes great ideas to the development of this desolate version of the Marvel Universe. This could be the sequel that fans deserves but it doesn’t quite reach that status yet.
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Old Man Logan is a comic that was very well-acclaimed by critics and fans alike. It took about 2 years of comic reading to open it up and I seemed to be one of the few people disappointed by it. I thought Millar had A+ ideas but didn’t develop any of them very well. The story and character beats got quite predictable right after the big twist and so the comic failed to impress the way I was expecting it to. That being said, I was extremely eager to get a hold of Brian Michael Bendis’ sequel. I wanted the sequel to add layers to the world and close the storyline, rather than ending openly. I knew that this issue would be a slow one because that’s the way Bendis writes but it was certainly enjoyable nonetheless.
Brian Michael Bendis characterizes Logan very well while finding a great voice for the hero with a new cause. However, you still get a strong sense that this is a broken man. His use of excessive force got frightening as he is now completely unfettered from ideas of peace. The comic opens with a brutal brawl between Logan and a gang of Daredevils that depicted Logan’s power and cruelty. However, Bendis finds a good balance between this and showing that Logan is not a villain. He’s an anti-hero that uses questionable methods but he still has good intentions in his broken heart.
In terms of story, Bendis is just building off what Millar set-up at the end of the first book. However, he doesn’t take us very far this issue as Bendis typically starts off with very slow issues. There aren’t any big story beats, just a bit of set-up and strong character work. This unfortunately became a bit of a flaw near the end as Bendis ends this comic on an abrupt and dull note. For an issue that starts off with such a bang, it ends with the polar opposite of that.
Though, fortunately Bendis seems to be adding layers to this world as he weaves a bit of world-building through his character moments. The Punisher’s legacy has driven a group of “Punishers” to attack towns, playing as the “terrorists” of this story. Little ideas like this one made Bendis’ world building work because, while a little scarce, they add cool layers to this fascinating world.
Andrea Sorrentino was never a concern going into this comic. He truly is a fantastic artist and this book may well be his best work yet. Sorrentino transitions seamlessly between vicious action sequence, where he perfectly depicts Logan’s ferocious nature, to beautiful scenery. His art may not be the easiest to follow but his depicted of this wasteland is something worth marvelling at in between story beats. I think Bendis wanted to show off how amazing Sorrentino is as there are a few break pages where Logan simply stands near a beautiful landscape. This may have hurt the pacing a little but it was worth it for Sorrentino’s art. He’s that good.
Old Man Logan is a sequel that deserves to exist. The first series left the story open for more and Brian Michael Bendis is here to give us exactly that. Unfortunately, Bendis doesn’t tap into the scale that Millar set-up and paces this story a little too sluggishly if it’s compared to its predecessor. Though, in this first issue, Bendis writes a great portrayal of his protagonist and contributes great ideas to the development of this desolate version of the Marvel Universe. This could be the sequel that fans deserves but it doesn’t quite reach that status yet.
A Look Inside
