Wolverine: Paradise #1 Has Too Much Meandering and Sanitization for Wolverine (Review)

Skip to content The X-Men are one of Marvel’s premier superhero teams, but none of them have reached the level of popularity that Wolverine has. This shortstack slicing machine captured the hearts and imaginations of countless fans, and as such, Marvel pushed him to rise far above what he was intended for. He began as nothing more than a Hulk villain, but his creators believed in him, and he soon took the X-Men by storm. From there, he traveled the world and interacted with some of the world’s most incredible characters. He’s well-known to be a world-traveler, and Wolverine: Paradise #1 brings him to an all-new locale, Florida.

This series takes place sometime in the somewhat recent past, with Wolverine aiming to leave the superhero life behind and finally find some peace. Of course, not even Miami can let Wolverine hide for long, and he finds himself drawn into conflicts of all kinds. This is a classic Wolverine miniseries setup, but while the idea behind it is sound, the story itself has too much description and not nearly enough tension. It feels less like a Wolverine adventure and more like a string of events that Wolverine happens to be associated with.

This adventure throws us right into Wolverine leaving the X-Mansion without so much as an explanation. The implication is that this is just after Jean Grey’s first death, with Wolverine hoping to find a life without conflict. On the road, he finds an old man who insists that he knows him, who Logan blows off. Upon reaching Miami, he runs into the mutant superstar Dazzler, who asks for Wolverine’s help protecting her from Hammerhead. Wolverine tries to ignore her, but inevitably leaps into the action, where the old man reveals that he can heal from fatal wounds and turn young again, alongside claws like Sabertooth. All of this is to say that a decent amount happens in this issue, but there are two major disconnects that keep it from being anything more than average.

The first thing that this issue suffers from is an overabundance of expository text. Wolverine explains everything in this comic, from who he is to what a mutant is. This is the first issue in a series set apart from the ongoings, so I’m not against these types of introductions for potential new fans, but it’s not done in a natural way. Nor does this feel like something Wolverine would narrate, especially at the times they occur. Beyond that, Wolverine describes nearly everything he does, giving context to the point of it being overwhelming. A lot happens in this story, but because so much time is spent on Wolverine explaining what we can clearly see in the art, it slows everything down.

The second thing holding this issue back is that, despite Wolverine being present on every page, it doesn’t read like a Wolverine story. The plot feels too much like a string of coincidences without an emotional core or any of Logan’s personality, barring a few moments. Wolverine just quit the X-Men, but we get no focus on how he feels or what he’s really thinking, other than wanting peace. Things happen here, but they don’t land emotionally. Without that critical piece, the story feels hollow.

Dan Panosian is the writer, artist, and colorist for this series, and his style definitely fits a Wolverine story. Everything has a rough, granular texture to it that matches Logan’s tough exterior perfectly. It reminds me of John Romita Jr.’s style, though more rounded. The faces are especially detailed, adding an extra layer of complexity to the wide array of expressions on display. There’s also a great sense of movement between panels, telling a huge amount with the art alone. My personal favorites are Wolverine with the boy at the ice cream stand and his hotel vacation where he can’t quite seem to fall asleep.

Design-wise, I wasn’t sold on Wolverine’s look at first, but the more I see of it, the more I think it fits his Miami adventure perfectly. It captures enough elements of his costume to work, and helps sell the idea that he’s here to relax instead of fight. We also need to give some serious praise to the letterer, Cory Petit. Lettering is an underrated art, but when it’s done well, it’s done well, and Petit’s work here is the highlight of the issue for me. His sound effects all have a wonderful, lively design to them, fitting into the flow of the action by bending and twisting with the thing making the noise. Dazzler’s speakers make a buzz with shining stars around them, and Hammerhead’s gunfire literally filling the panel are seriously great touches that go a long way.

However, there are some definite downsides to the art. For starters, Panosian loves ot have the perspective jump around during a fight, and with so many panels, it can get a bit jarring at times. The part that ruined it for me, however, was the ice cream eating. Seriously, I never want to watch Wolverine eat ice cream again after this. It was such an unnatural, weird stretch to both his mouth and the ice cream that it genuinely hurt me a bit to look at. The vast majority of the art on display is very good, but a few moments stuck out to me like this.

Overall, this series has potential, but it’s too focused on explaining what’s going on instead of trusting the reader or itself to live in the moment. Future chapters need to let Wolverine’s real personality shine through if it wants readers to connect with it. What do you think of Wolverine’s adventure in Florida so far? Let us know in the comments below!