Marvel Comics Presents Wolverine Vol 4 by Dwight Zimmerman et. al.

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Marvel Comics Presents Wolverine, Volume 4
by Dwight Zimmerman and Howard MacKie

Even though this is a Volume 4, the comics make sense on their own. This collects Marvel Comics Presents #62-71, at least the parts of those that have to do with Wolverine.

The first few issues have to do with Wolverine in Madripoor, a fictional jungle-filled island near Singapore. There are innocents Wolverine knows who have been captured... and he turns into a beast in an attempt at rescuing them. It was the rougher, more animalistic side of Wolverine that you don't see too often. Yet, he still manages to throw some X-Men references in there and he keeps his head, despite all outward appearances.

In the next eight issues, ninjas attack. They're working for Deathwatch, though it takes some time to figure out the specific who, what, and whys. Wolverine finds himself almost immediately up against Ghost Rider. I was secretly hoping for the two of them riding their bikes off into the sunset after a job well done at the end of this. Instead, Ghost Rider and Wolverine spend a third of the story fighting each other and not understanding that they're both on the side of good. The battle is probably something guys would like--hey, look what happens when Wolverine's claws make contact with Ghost Rider's skull!--but I am really tired of good characters thinking the other is bad and immediately jumping into a fight instead of just talking. Okay, neither Wolverine nor Ghost Rider are the talky sort (in fact, Ghost Rider doesn't say much the whole time except that people must pay for spilling the blood of innocents. He says that a lot.

Okay, this is the first Ghost Rider story I've ever read. Is that the only thing he ever says when he's in that form? He seemed super angsty in his normal form, but otherwise he just threw his chains around, rode his bike, and explained that he was the spirit of vengeance. Kind of boring. But he did have a few moments of brilliance that made me smile at the end. Wolverine makes friends with some others who are also good at fighting. And the whole group rescues some innocents. It takes far longer than I would have expected with Wolverine, Ghost Rider, and Brass (who can apparently see the future) on the job, but it all turns out all right in the end.

The art is classic Marvel style--bold and dark and bright and not my favorite. But I didn't mind it so much as the volume is short and the pace of the story keeps it going. This was a nice read. I do love me some Wolverine :-)