The Wolverine has hung up claws and now lives a quiet life with his wife and children at their farm. Set fifty years in a dystopian future Logan tries to live a peaceful life in a world where heroes are no more, the villains have won and taken over. Coming off the success of the hit story line Enemy of the State, writer Mark Millar returns to make another Wolverine epic this time joined by artist Steve Mc Niven making this classic 2008 story arc. Collects Wolverine #66-72 and Wolverine Giant-Size Old Man Logan.
The Wolverine is gone, now a peaceful family man, Logan seeks to live a life without violence and hasn’t used his claws since that day fifty years ago when the heroes fell. He's not the man he was, what changed him. Logan now lives a very different life in a very different world. He along with his family tends to his plot of land in the territory owned by the Hulk, unable to pay his rent this month he takes a beating form the Hulk gang, the once feared Wolverine takes a beating and doesn’t fight back. With the threat of their return and fearing for his family he accepts an offer of old friend and former Avenger; Hawkeye. Offering him a job to travel with him across the country to deliver a package. The two set off on a cross country road trip coming into a bit of trouble and diversions time to time. It becomes a road movie as the duo set off on a road trip that's sprinkled with many Marvel references to other heroes throughout. It works extremely well as a stand alone story. Its not your typical superhero story, its more of a alternative take on the superhero tale, the bleak environment and sombre colours set the tone. As the story progresses, flashbacks tease what happened to the Wolverine that night and what changed him. The shocking revelation adds to the already great story. Dedicating most of the chapter to that pivotal moment in Logan’s history, so much story had hung on this moment and it doesn’t disappoint.
It can seem like a short read as it can be light on the dialogue but for big on action, artist Steve Mc Niven is able to reimagine the fate of the Marvel Universe. His movie blockbuster style of panels and double page spreads make for some unforgettable images. Both he and Millar are allowed to flex their imaginative talent in this story setting. This story posses some fantastic art and detailed panels, with fun nods and references of Marvel characters scattered throughout. Mark Millar crafts a fantastic tale, it’s really well told. It has slightly familiar elements in the case that it feels like a Mad Max setting with a reluctant Clint Eastwood style hero. This is a fantastic story, injecting a fresh and fun twist to make for an innovative and classic story.The involvement of the Hulk pays homage to the original first appearance of Wolverine in The Incredible Hulk #181 in 1974. An excellent story, this version of Wolverine has seen a resurgence recently due to the Old Man Logan iteration of Wolverine getting his own series being part of the Marvel Universe. It’s also the storyline is rumored to be the influence for the upcoming third Wolverine movie.
It’s a big bold action story, that’s thrilling, exciting and imaginative. The story is a creative take on a different Wolverine than we’re used to. It fuses superhero elements with a in a western like tale of a man’s quest for peace. Pitting Logan against with who he wants to be against the man he truly is. It’s a fantastic story that's become a modern classic and one of the greatest Wolverine stories.
When Tony Stark jump starts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as they battle to save the planet from destruction at the hands of the villainous Ultron.
Avengers Age of Ultron is the much highly anticipated sequel of earth’s mightiest heroes. The movie follows the elements of its predecessor in terms of action, scale and humor. It’s exactly what you expect. It defines your expectation rather than soaring above them like the most recent Marvel movies.
The Avengers are now a fully functioning independent unit, the opening battle shows how they now fight together as a team. Captain America and co. launch an assault on Baron Von Strucker’s castle, the last of the HYDRA strongholds. It’s during this assault we meet two important characters; Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, the twins glimpsed during the credits of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. They are the catalyst for much of the conflict to come. Wanda along with her super-fast twin brother Pietro attack the Avengers, causing them to see their worst fears brought to life. Wanda’s ability to get inside their heads and exposing their fears and weaknesses leaves a lasting impact. So much so that when Iron Man/Tony Stark retrieves Loki's scepter from the castle he see’s this as the key to implementing he and Bruce Banner’s goal of Artificial Intelligence, an initiative for Stark’s global peace keeping force serving as a means to help save the world from potential alien invasions. With its creation, Ultron is born, the sentient A.I. see’s the only way of truly protecting the earth is to eradicate humanity. What follows continues to an action packed, dramatic and highly enjoyable Avengers sequel, faced with a menacing threat giving the movie a darker and more ominous tone. Hawkeye’s role is much more expanded than last time, he’s a prominent hero in this movie. Natasha Romanov and Bruce Banner develop a romance. Thor takes a mild detour to fully understand his vision of events to come and Tony Stark continues to fulfill his ideals of the modern world while Steve Rodgers furthers his feelings as a man out of time trying to do the right thing in an increasingly complicated world. Our hero’s fearful visions give them each something to deal with. Hulk goes on the rampage that prompts the arrival of the Hulkbuster amour that is earlier than expected, which adds to the enjoyment.
Ultron is one of the most well known and recognizable of Avengers villains, here he can feel like the evil doppelganger of Iron Man/Tony Stark, his motivations, his technology and its humor is unexpectedly sarcastic. Vision is late addition to the team, he has great presence and it’s a character that an audience can quickly like. The characters appearance is largely practical consisting of old school effects with minor CGI elements, which is a nice touch to movie such as this. You instantly like the character that also provides one of the greatest moments of the movie.
Avengers Age of Ultron is immensely enjoyable but it does not reach the heights that comic book films can achieve. It satisfies as the sequel to its predecessor, one of the biggest superhero films ever nor does it have the impact as previous Marvel phase two movies particularly Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It does sustain the high quality for the 11th movie in the franchise whilst setting up future movies primarily Thor’s next solo movie Thor: Ragnarok and the third Avengers movie Infinity War. It’s a victim of its own success, the first Avengers film achieved so much, it was the culmination of four years of meticulous planning that proved to be a massive hit and one of the best superhero movies ever.
While it lacks have the shock element of previous installments of the franchise it does continue to be every bit as enjoyable and exciting as you could hope. It’s a smaller step forward than recent movies that doesn't attempt to re-write the superhero movie formula. Avengers in 2012 just achieved so much and was unlike anything we’d seen before. Avengers Age of Ultron is amazing and brilliant, a 5 star movie that doesn't fully achieve what comic book movies have done in recent years.
