273: 2007 Wolverine Stories
- Matt Campbell
- 21 hours ago
- 8 min read
What’s Covered?
Wolverine: Origins # 6 - 15, Wolverine: Origins Annual #1, Wolverine vol. 3 #49 - 56, Wolverine Annual vol. 2 #1, Claws # 1 - 3, X-23: Target X # 1 - 6, Darkness/Wolverine #1
Synopsis
Wolverine: Origins # 6 - 7: Savior
Writer - Daniel Way
Pencils - Steve Dillon
In this two-part arc titled “Savior”, Wolverine finds himself once again at the mercy of those who have long tried to control him. Captured and subjected to psychological manipulation, he's caught in a cycle of brainwashing designed to break his will. To ensure his compliance, his captors use Carbonadium—a radioactive metal that slows his healing factor—leaving him physically vulnerable and mentally frayed. But Wolverine, no stranger to torment, eventually fights through the haze and reclaims his agency. The action intensifies in issue #7 when Omega Red enters the fray, also in pursuit of the elusive Carbonadium synthesizer. Meanwhile, Jubilee and Maverick tend to a group of de-powered mutants, their stories running parallel as the aftermath of House of M continues to ripple through the Marvel Universe.
This arc continues Wolverine's exploration of memory, identity, and the long shadows cast by his past. The brainwashing sequence speaks to how often Logan’s agency has been stolen—and how reclaiming it is a constant, brutal struggle. The use of Carbonadium not only weakens his body but also symbolizes the way trauma dulls his resilience over time. Omega Red’s hunt for the synthesizer injects themes of power and survival, contrasting Logan’s internal battle with an external arms race. Through the subplot with Jubilee and Maverick, the story also touches on displacement and loss, emphasizing how many mutants are grappling with a new reality in the wake of M-Day. Together, these threads highlight Wolverine’s enduring fight to define himself in a world determined to weaponize him.
Wolverine: Origins #8 - 10: Swift and Terrible
Writer - Daniel Way
Pencils - Steve Dillon
In this chilling arc, Wolverine deepens his mission to dismantle the remnants of the Weapon X program by hunting down those who manipulated him. His investigation uncovers The Covenant, a shadowy, cult-like organization that predates modern mutant experimentation and seeks to control mutants through ancient, esoteric means. Leading them is none other than Bucky Barnes—Captain America’s former sidekick—here portrayed as a ruthless figure with his own twisted agenda. But the arc’s most shocking revelation is the introduction of Daken, Wolverine’s estranged son. Gifted with a healing factor and retractable claws, Daken ambushes Logan and delivers a vicious, near-fatal stab through the heart. Cold, calculating, and loyal to the Covenant, Daken becomes the embodiment of everything Logan fears about his legacy.
“Swift and Terrible” wrestles with the weight of legacy and the corrosive impact of generational trauma. Wolverine’s past doesn’t just haunt him—it literally fights back in the form of Daken, a son twisted by the same kind of brainwashing that once enslaved Logan. The Covenant symbolizes the timeless machinery of manipulation, showing how old ideologies continue to exploit new lives. Through Daken’s introduction, the series explores the idea that violence and control are inherited unless broken. For Wolverine, this arc is less about revenge and more about reckoning—trying to sever the cycle before it destroys the only family he didn’t know he had.
Wolverine: Origins #11 - 15: Our War
Writer - Daniel Way
Pencils - Steve Dillon
“Our War” shifts between the blood-soaked past and the relentless present as Wolverine’s pursuit of the truth takes him back to World War II. In flashbacks, we see Logan working alongside Captain America and Bucky, not as a costumed hero but as a black ops assassin doing the dirty work no one else could—or would—handle. While Cap views Logan as a rough-edged ally, Wolverine sees himself as a necessary monster, carrying out morally ambiguous missions under the guise of patriotism. These missions serve as Wolverine’s first exposure to the dark underpinnings of programs like Weapon X, hinting at the experimental horror lurking behind government curtains. In the present day, Logan continues his pursuit of Daken and uncovers the deep emotional scars his son carries—not just from Covenant brainwashing but from a lifetime of believing he was abandoned.
This arc explores the long-lasting psychological wounds left by war and manipulation. Through its wartime lens, it questions the myths of heroism and loyalty sold to soldiers, exposing the moral compromises buried beneath patriotic narratives. Wolverine’s fractured relationship with Captain America underscores the tension between idealism and survival, while his hunt for Daken brings the focus back to fatherhood and regret. The series wrestles with whether someone shaped by violence can ever truly break free—or if they simply pass on their damage to the next generation.
Wolverine: Origins Annual # 1: Our War
Writer - Daniel Way
Pencils - Kaare Andrews
Summary of Wolverine: Origins Annual #1. This special issue dives into the brutal origins of Victor Creed, aka Sabretooth. Through a series of flashbacks, we see Sabretooth’s violent tendencies trace back to a childhood marked by abuse and cruelty. But his savagery isn’t portrayed as random—it’s revealed to be the result of systemic manipulation, similar to what Wolverine endured. The issue introduces hints of Romulus, a mysterious figure pulling strings behind both men's lives, suggesting they’re products of a larger experiment: predator versus predator. Sabretooth and Wolverine, it turns out, may not just be rivals—they're two halves of the same weaponized design.
The annual highlights how nature and nurture blend to create monsters—and how trauma, when cultivated intentionally, can forge killers. Sabretooth’s path mirrors Wolverine’s, reinforcing the idea that both were victims of the same dark system. Their rivalry is less about personal hatred and more about survival and identity in the face of manipulation. It raises the haunting question: if you were built to kill, is redemption even possible—or is destruction your only true legacy?
Wolverine V3 # 49 - 56: Evolution
Writer - Jeph Loeb, Rob Williams (49)
Pencils - Simone Bianchi, Laurence Campbell (49)
This explosive arc begins with what seems like another brutal chapter in Wolverine and Sabretooth’s long-standing “birthday feud”—a twisted tradition where Sabretooth hunts Logan each year on his birthday. But as Wolverine digs deeper, aided by Storm and the X-Men, he uncovers a far more disturbing truth: their rivalry isn't just personal, it's programmed. Both men have been pawns in a much older, darker game orchestrated by Romulus, a shadowy figure who has manipulated Wolverine’s life from the very beginning. As the pieces fall into place, Wolverine captures Sabretooth and learns that Daken, his newly discovered son, has been influencing events from behind the scenes. The arc culminates in a shocking finale where Wolverine, wielding the Muramasa Blade—a sword forged to neutralize healing factors—decapitates Sabretooth, seemingly ending their eternal conflict once and for all.
Evolution” explores the terrifying idea that free will can be an illusion, especially for those forged into weapons. Wolverine and Sabretooth's blood feud, long believed to be rooted in personal hatred, is revealed to be the result of ancient manipulation—raising questions about identity, destiny, and control. The story delves into generational trauma, as Daken steps into the shadows as both legacy and threat, continuing the cycle Wolverine desperately wants to break. At its core, this arc is about reclaiming power from those who would script your life, even if it means committing the ultimate act of violence to end a legacy of blood.
Annual # 1: Death Song & The Man in the Pit.
Writer - Jason Aaron, Gregg Hurwitz
Pencils - Howard Chaykin, Marcel Frusin
In this beautifully somber standalone tale, Wolverine returns to Japan to pay tribute to his lost love, Mariko Yashida. Hoping for quiet reflection, he instead finds himself swept into a brutal war between two rival Yakuza clans. At the heart of the conflict is a woman from Logan’s past—someone he once cared for—now entangled in a violent power struggle. As blood spills in the streets, Wolverine is forced to confront ghosts both literal and emotional, caught between the weight of memory and the chaos of the present.
“Death Song” is a meditation on grief, love, and the lingering pull of the past. Set against the stark violence of organized crime, the story contrasts Wolverine’s capacity for destruction with his deep, often hidden longing for peace and connection. It reflects how the past never truly stays buried—especially for someone like Logan, whose long life is littered with loss. The issue highlights the emotional cost of immortality and the delicate balance between honoring the dead and surviving the living.
Darkness/Wolverine #1
Writer - Frank Tieri
Pencils - Tyler Kirkham
In Darkness/Wolverine #1, two brutal anti-heroes from different worlds collide when Jackie Estacado — the ruthless mob hitman empowered by the ancient force known as the Darkness — crosses paths with Wolverine, the feral mutant and seasoned warrior. Set in the grim underbelly of New York City, the story kicks off when Wolverine tracks a series of grisly murders that lead him straight into Jackie’s violent world of supernatural crime. What follows is a savage, chaotic clash between claws and shadows, as both men — each shaped by violence and dark destiny — test each other’s strength, skill, and code of honor. As the night unfolds, Wolverine realizes that Jackie’s power isn't just brute force, but something ancient and monstrous, and Jackie learns that Wolverine’s resilience and savagery go far deeper than he expected. Both warriors ultimately find a grudging respect in one another, hinting that survival sometimes requires recognizing a familiar darkness in someone else.
Claws # 1 - 3
Creatives - Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray Joseph Linsner
In this lighthearted, action-packed miniseries, Wolverine and Black Cat find themselves unwilling partners in a deadly game. Initially believing they’ve been captured by Kraven the Hunter and dropped onto a remote island, the two soon discover they’re being hunted for sport by a group of elite mercenaries. As they slice, claw, and banter their way through the chaos, the true mastermind is revealed: Arcade, the sadistic game-maker with a flair for theatrical traps. Uniting their skills and chemistry, Wolverine and Black Cat turn the tables on their captors, escape the island, and—after the dust settles—share a flirtatious night out on the town.
Claws leans into fun, fast-paced storytelling while playing with tropes of survival, attraction, and reluctant alliances. The series balances brutal combat with tongue-in-cheek charm, highlighting how two lone wolves can find surprising synergy—even in the most dangerous of circumstances. Beneath the explosions and one-liners, it’s a story about trust forged under pressure, the thrill of shared danger, and a rare glimpse at Wolverine letting his guard down for a moment of unexpected connection.
X-23: Target X # 1 - 6
Writer - Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
Pencils - Mike Choi
This emotionally charged miniseries picks up in the aftermath of Laura Kinney’s traumatic escape from the facility that created her. Still reeling from the death of her mother, Laura (X-23) eliminates an elite strike team before seeking refuge with her aunt and cousin in a quiet suburban town. She experiences a brief taste of normalcy—attending high school, bonding with her cousin, and imagining a life beyond violence. But peace is fragile. Told through flashbacks during an interrogation by Captain America, Laura’s story reveals how she once manipulated a rescue mission to escape, leaving behind a trail of bodies and false innocence. As danger creeps back in—including threats from her aunt’s boyfriend and the sadistic mutant Kimura, designed to break Laura—she fights to protect her new family. The arc culminates in a tense, emotional resolution: Laura spares Wolverine after a brutal confrontation, and with support from Daredevil, Cap is convinced to let her go free—not as a threat, but as a survivor finally breaking her chains.
Target X is a powerful exploration of trauma, identity, and the fight for autonomy. Laura’s journey highlights the lasting scars of being created as a weapon and the difficulty of imagining a future beyond that role. The story emphasizes how trust and human connection—no matter how fleeting—can be acts of resistance in themselves. Through her bond with her aunt and cousin, Laura begins to reclaim her agency, while her conflict with Kimura reflects the internal and external battles all survivors face. At its heart, this series is about the possibility of redemption—not by erasing the past, but by refusing to be defined by it.
My Connections and Creators
Boring or Great?
I typically haven't been keeping up with Wolverine comics. There are so many different runs out there and most of them aren't really my cup of tea. I love Wolverine when he's hanging out with Kitty or giving philosophical advice to Colossus, but most of these series cover him going solo and fighting crime. I know that's a gross oversimplification. Regardless, I caught wind that Wolverine's son, Daken was introduced as well as Sabretooth's apparent death. I felt I needed to dip back into the world of Wolverine and I don't regret it.
Things to keep an eye on
Will Sabretooth stay dead!? (I doubt it.) Will Daken continue to play large role in the Marvel universe?