Wolverine Black White & Blood No.1 (NOV 2020)

I rarely pick up any single issue comics lately, but I was intrigued by this new title, Wolverine: Black White and Blood. I loved the Batman: Black and White title that was revived a few years ago, so I had to try an issue out. This book is meant to be a never-before-told tales sort of publication, and while some may ponder the necessity of another Wolverine series, the power of only black, white, and red is graphic and fitting of the character. It is predictably graphic in it's depiction of the sort of eviscerations administered by Wolverine on his unfortunate combatants. I love seeing all the drawing/inking  in a comic laid bare without color in black and white comics, and artists Adam Kubert, Joshua Cassara, and Declan Shalvey all bring their A game to these three short stories I sincerely enjoyed.

In "Beast Within Them", writer Gerry Duggan and artist Adam Kubert tell a tale of Logan's Weapon X days, Canadian Government Dept. K agents pitting a feral Wolverine against sequentially more and more powerful opponents, only to find he is virtually undefeatable. I love how they retrieve a spent Wolverine using a giant magnet at the end, as he catches his human reflection in a pool of blood he is lifted from.
 

Writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Joshua Cassara pit a Hydra Grand Inquisitor against a captive Wolverine in the spy-versus-spy "I Shall Be a Wolf", in which Nick Fury takes part. But Inquisitor Hersh has unwittingly fallen into Wolverine's trap in reality, ending this short story with a bang! The fight scenes are fantastic!

Declan Shalvey does double duty on the last tale, "Cabin Fever", adopting Frank Quitely's 2001 New X-Men look. There are no survivors in the end, save an orphaned child and the cop that arrived too late to save his partner, avenged by Wolverine only minutes before. Wolverine is one of my favorite characters, and this issue made me want to pick up the next! Recommended!

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Toybiz 10in. Wolverine Figures (X-Men 1996, Marvel Universe 1997)

 I've had this 10" Toybiz X-Men Series Wolverine in my collection for many years now, only recently picking up the Marvel Universe Series "reverse" variant for a great price on eBay. I'm drawn to these big, dumb action figures of the '90s for their simple sculpts, bright colors, and exaggerated proportions. They are absurd figures, but scream fun!

Like may of the 10" Toybiz figures of this era, Wolverine came with a standard issue sidearm, apropos of nothing to do with this character. Tiger Stripe Wolverine doesn't hold his particularly well, the clip portion of his Uzi-like gun seemingly missing. I will be displaying Reverse Wolverine with his weapon!

The sculpt on these Wolverines is identical, but I love 

having the reverse color variant- what a pair they make!

Below, Tiger Stripe Wolverine with my 10" ToyBiz Beast, Gambit, Bishop, and Forge...

Below. Reverse Wolverine with my 10" ToyBiz Ninja Wolverine...

And finally. the 10" ToyBiz Wolverines with my 9" Hasbro Wolverine, 2" Heroes and Villains Wolverine, 6" Marvel Legends 1st Appearance Wolverine, 3.75" Marvel Universe Wolverine, 

6" Marvel Legends Tiger Stripe Wolverine, and 10.5" Marvel Legends Tiger Stripe Wolverine...

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Marvel Legends X-Force Wolverine/Cowboy Wolverine

While I was more interested in the new X-Force Wolverine, the Marvel Legends Cowboy Wolverine kinda bowled me over on the spot at a local GameStop. I love that he comes with a sword, and the alternate "berserker" head sculpt is really fun! I unloaded my previous X-Force Wolverine (2013 Hit Monkey Wave) on an eBay auction for a shocking amount, prior to this new version being announced, and I have to say that I much prefer this new, shorter buck for the character. Check out the video:

Below, Cowboy Wolverine and X-Force Wolverine with Marvel Legends X-Men Wolverine and All-New Wolverine, and Old Man Logan and Retro Series Wolverine. Not pictured is my 1st Appearance Wolverine from the Marvel Comics 80th Anniversary 2pk w/Hulk, a Wolverine that I didn't think I'd like as much as I did.

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Marvel Legends 1st Appearance Wolverine & Hulk (80 Yrs 2-Pk)

I was immediately into the Marvel 80 Year Anniversary Marvel Legends Wolverine/Hulk 2-pack upon it's announcement a few months ago, mostly for the comic-based Hulk included, a version many fans have undoubtedly been looking forward to. While I wasn't as mad for the 1st Appearance Wolverine, who uses the same buck as the last two Wolverines, I must admit I do like the face sculpt quite a bit, and he makes a great partner with the Hulk, who battled the adamantium-clawed berserker in Hulk #181, Nov. 1974. Check out the video:

I love the butterfly shoulder joints on these figures, giving them a range of fighting poses that especially complements two raging characters Like Wolverine and the Hulk. Hulk is the star of this 2-pack, and Hasbro nailed it, even giving us a tattered shirt made of this latex that drapes nicely over the shoulders and makes him extra special. While I like that and the extra hands, I do feel the price point of $60.00 we deserved at least a variant head sculpt for each figure, but there was no way I was passing on this. See the video above for more comparison pics with other action figures. Recommended! 

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Marvel Legends Wolverine & All-New Wolverine

I posted a picture of these two on my Instagram in mid-October of 2018, and am just getting around to opening them! I've been selling off a lot of my collection, which has kept me busy along with a couple other very involved hobbies that take a lot of time and work. While they are from different Marvel Legends waves, I felt they'd make a nice pair, and I wasn't disappointed. Check out the video:

I've been reading some of the All-New, All-Different Wolverine from Marvel's 2015 relaunch, and have enjoyed it. Laura Kinney/X-23 is an interesting character - from her taking Gabby under her wing, a clone of herself also looking for absolution after escaping Allchemax, to their strange relationship with Old Man Logan from another dimension, designated Earth-807128. How long must we wait to see Laura as full-on Wolverine in the movies?  This needs to happen in the next wave of MCU. As a figure, Laura has some lateral hip articulation limitations, and her toe claws are hard to keep pegged while posing, but I love her aesthetic in that bright Tiger-Stripe outfit. There are some uneven tones in the yellows, but the mask and dynamic hair sculpt are fantastic. Like a lot of female Legends, Laura has single-hinge elbows on a swivel, though she does get beyond 45 degrees, and her hinged wrists help extend that reach. 

The X-Men Series Tiger-Stripe is nearly a perfect figure, built on the same base as the Retro Series Wolverine, whom he complements nicely. His claws are a little loose in their pegs and get moved posing, but don't drop out. An additional portrait would have been nice, maybe a berserker expression- Laura came with an unmasked portrait, and a huge BAF piece for Sauron, and we get skinny little arm hoses for the Apocalypse BAF, and a pair of regular fists for Wolverine. Still, he IS a great figure. Recommended!

Below, Marvel Legends X-Men Wolverine with some other Tiger-Stripe Wolverines that reside in the Super-DuperToyBox:  9" Origins Signature Series Wolverine, 2" Heroes & Villains Wolverine, Marvel Legends 10.5" Wolverine, and Marvel Universe 3.75" Wolverine. See the video above for more figure comparisons with both these Wolverines!

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Marvel Legends 10.5" Wolverine

I almost couldn't believe what a cool figure Hasbro was dropping when I saw the announcements for this 10.5" Marvel Legends Series Wolverine. I'd been impressed with most of the previous 1:6 scale figures from this series, but this one really tapped so deeply into my '80s/'90s nostalgia that I preordered him on Big Bad Toy Store's site. Wolverine did not disappoint, check out the video:

The accessories really made this Wolverine worth the full retail price of fifty bucks, particularly the unmasked head and empty mask accessory that hangs over the figure's back from around the neck, a feature I loved about the recent Retro Series Wolverine. The berserker head is also really well painted and sculpted, with battle-distressed shoulder pads included to complement. Ferocious! I'd have preferred gripping hands and a katana to the alternate fists with claws retracted, since his claws can be individually removed anyway. And the articulation on this Wolverine is outstanding, the butterfly joints at the shoulders adding the kind of posing dynamics required of a character like Wolverine. 

Below, Wolverine with my other Marvel Legends 1:6 scale figures:

the SDCC Exclusive Daredevil, the massive 14.5" Hulk, and Iron Man...

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Marvel Legends Retro Series Wolverine & Old Man Logan

I picked these up from TRU at the beginning of last December during a BOGO at 40% off sale, and thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I knew the Retro Series Wolverine would be very popular, and have only seen him on the peg one other time after. Plain-clothed Marvel Legends don't normally appeal to me, unless they are Wolverine, and in spite of the lack of any accessories, Old Man Logan did not disappoint.

While I'll most often display Wolverine unmasked, the masked head looks pretty good- the flared boot tops and wide red belt are classic Wolverine! This figure has articulation to spare, the butterfly joints at the shoulders of particular interest- I also love the swivels at the boot tops...

Pictured below. Wolverine with T'Challa, and with Sub-Mariner and Invincible Iron Man from the recent Marvel Legends Black Panther Wave...

Old Man Logan's sculpt and paint look really great! The bomber jacket is amazing, as is the head sculpt. A proper accessory would have been a hat or baby Hulk in a papoose, two possibilities straight from the original Old Man Logan (2008-2009). I only recently read this series, after subscribing to Marvel Unlimited, and while criticized by some, I enjoyed it. Less grotesque perhaps is another title I read shortly after, the more recent Wolverine: Old Man Logan Vol. 0 - Warzones! 

Below, Old Man Logan Vs. my 14.5" Legends Series Hulk, and Star-Lord...

These are two more great Marvel Legends to add to my collection. Nitpicks aside, Hasbro has really cranked out some great action figures the last two or three years, with a lot more coming up. I still have a few to photograph that I've picked up in the last six months, which has turned out to be a return to Marvel Legends here at the Super-DuperToyBox.

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Rewind: Marvel Universe Silver Samurai & Wolverine

After reading about Silver Samurai in the Wolverine #150 Giant-Sized Special from May of 2000, I was reminded of the Marvel Universe Greatest Battles Comic Pack I sold on my eBay store, which included the only Kenuichio action figure I've ever owned. And if you only had one, this was a good one to have- his detailed sculpt, flashy metallic presentation, and extra size among Hasbro's 3.75" line made him a standout! While I've successfully sold off most of my loose figures in this scale, I'll eventually put my carded samples up for auction- keep an eye on that if you live in the continental U.S. For now I've listed all my 2.25" DC Action League collection, as well as my 4" JLU figures.

The Wolverine included with Silver Samurai in that Greatest Battles pack wasn't that spectacular, but the Astonishing Wolverine I sold with his Marvel Universe Wave 16 counterparts was! I don't know if he's the best Wolverine in my collection, as the are so varied in make and scale, but I kinda hated to see him go   :D  Be sure to follow the Super-DuperToyBox on Instagram to see more of the toys in my collection revisited as I put them up of sale!

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Wolverine "Blood Debt" Continued & More...

Continued from my last post on the Wolverine #150 Giant-Sized Special, the "Blood Debt" story further unfurls, Logan tangled in the ongoing Kaishek clan power struggle between Kia and brother Haan! I couldn't find issue #151 in the dollar comics bin, but I did find #152 & #153 from July and August of 2000, respectively. There are a lot more scenes of Wolverine taking on piles of baddies, as illustrated below, after Kia betrays Gomm, and seeks to do the same to Haan. Logan reluctantly follows as bodyguard for the ambitious sister, looking for a window of opportunity to free the captive Amiko and Yukio.

Logan returns to find Kenuichio and Amiko, discovering Yukio has left for outer Mongolia to confront Kia, Pleas of young Amiko and battered Kenuichio are unequivocally shut down by the bloodied hero, determined to collect his debt in blood alone...

...and collect it he does. Wolverine # 153 concludes the "Blood Debt" story with Kenuichio and Amiko defying Logan, following him to a downright brutal takedown of Kia. The team barely survives the conflict, barely escaping the Kaishek tower as it explodes, a spark setting off a broken gas pipe by the clashing of Kia's sword and Logan's adamantium claws! Exhilarating! While I'm no literary critic, I really enjoyed this dark, but engaging return on the earlier Wolverine Vol. 1 characters, and continuance of the clan mythos. Classic Wolverine evolving into darker, modern Wolverine!

Dropping right when 20th Century Fox brought X-Men to the silver screen, these issues are packed with advertisement for the movie, merchandising for ToyBiz action figures, and solicitation for the new Ultimate X-Men book that would be released in February of 2001. Things like this are a big part of why I love the dollar comics bin, like small time capsules from exciting times past!

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