Wolverine: Inside the World of the Living Weapon

Enter the mysterious and savage world of James Howlett, aka Logan, aka…Wolverine! He has a regenerative healing factor.. He’s got retractable claws and superhuman senses. He's one of Marvel's greatest and most unstoppable Super Heroes! How did he get this way? Find out in Wolverine: Inside the World of the Living Weapon. (Buy now!)

From James Howlett’s youth in Alberta Canada to leading the X-Men as their field commander and, later, heroically saving Earth from an invading hoard of Skrulls, get an in-depth look at Wolverine’s history. Meet the friends, foes, partners and women behind the beast. See how the adamantium affects him. Check out details on all the important life changing events that give Wolverine his effervescent charm and beast-like rage.

DK: How long have you been working on Wolverine’s character?

CSC: The distinction of creating Wolverine goes to Len Wein, along with Dave Cockrum and Herb Trimpe (who penciled Wolverine's first memorable appearance in the Hulk). I took him over with the second issue of X-Men and along with Dave set about bringing him into focus.

DK: What is your favorite issue of Wolverine and why?

CSC: Without a doubt, my favorite(s) are the Wolverine mini- series, which was penciled by Frank Miller; and the two-part follow-up / coda story that was presented in Uncanny X-Men (penciled by Paul Smith) wherein Rogue officially made her entrance as part of the team and Logan's wedding to Mariko Yashida came to its sad and nearly tragic end. They're my favorites partly because of the brilliant visual story-telling, but mostly because of the opportunity to present Logan in the fullness of his character, to show readers the best he can be and the worst. To me, in this arc, we see the essential tragedy of the man, all the things he dreams of and struggles for but that tragically he seems never able to grasp, despite his most heroic of efforts.

DK: How do you feel about changes made to the original character?

CSC: Comic books are a forever evolving medium, every creator building on the foundation laid by those who preceded him (or her), ideally for the better.

DK: Of all the women in the Marvel Universe, who is Wolverine's greatest love?

CSC: Jean Grey, followed by Mariko Yashida.

DK: If Wolverine were to pick his ultimate team who would be the best teammates to watch Logan's back?

CSC: Dangerously hard to say, because this is an answer that varies depending on circumstances. In an overall sense, I'd have to start with Jean (telepath-telekinetic and very much the better part of Logan's soul), Ororo (raw power in terms of super- abilities as well as the skills of a superb thief), Kitty (her phasing power makes her nigh-impossible to touch / capture and she's among the smartest people Logan's ever known, not to mention the sneakiest), Kurt (likely among the most honorable, rational and moral men Logan knows, the ideal balance to his passions and a superb infiltrator. That, I'd consider the "A" list - but following hot on their heels I'd have to include Rogue (because when it comes to Logan she'll do whatever it takes to help him) and Gambit (because he likes a challenge and Logan always presents the best) and Scott (because only a fool would discard his natural abilities as a leader, and Logan is anything but a fool, even if the two of them don't really like each other all that much - because, let's face it, they both passionately love the same woman!)

DK: If there were world peace and Wolverine didn't have to fight, how do you imagine him spending his days?

CSC: World Peace is, if you'll pardon the phrase, a "global" concept. Logan's never been one to deal with "global" issues. He relates to things on ground level, person to person, eye to eye - and I suspect, whatever the global situation there will always be those places, those people, who don't toe that line and might have to be dealt with the "old fashioned" way. I suspect Logan would have an easier time adjusting to such a reality than Sabretooth (because you'll have to remember in my vision / history of the characters, Sabes is Logan's father). The question for me is, whether or not Logan is alone in this reality. Is Kitty beside him, is Jean, is Charles Xavier (because in my history of both men they had a most impressive history together - as do, I confess, Kitty and Logan as well)? Unlike Sabretooth, Logan would find a way to adapt and move on with his life. The tragedy of Sabes is that he so much likes who and what he is that he'd have no reason to try to adapt to this kind of world; he'd rather just keep hammering at it until it accepted that his reality was the only reality, end of story.

DK: What was it like seeing Wolverine on the big screen for the first time?

CSC: Totally cool, but not quite as breath-taking as attending the premier gala and getting to spend some quality time conversing with Sir Ian McKellen, wherein he introduced me to Hugh Jackman, who'd just knocked everybody's socks off bringing Logan to life on- screen. For me, in that first film, the key moment came when he and Rogue were driving through the Canadian Rockies and she asks him if it hurts when he extends his claws. And Jackman gives this little flick-look of his eyes and responds with a quietly offhand but altogether riveting reply, "every time." A tiny gesture, a couple of words, and just like that the character is brilliantly defined for the audience, leaving me proudly telling myself, this is so cool, that's my guy up there on-screen, my vision of the character brought to life. As a writer, you can't ask for much more!