Wolverine: Origin [Paperback]

Paul Jenkins (Author), Joe Quesada (Author), Bill Jemas (Author), Andy Kubert (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2009

Marvel's best-kept mutant mystery revealed! Before the X-Men, before Weapon X, Wolverine's struggle with his subconscious savagery first flourished in family tragedy. Some of Marvel's most acclaimed creators unite to tell the tale that shaped mutantdom's mightiest misfit. Collects ORIGIN #1-6.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Marvel; 2nd edition (March 18, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785137270
• ISBN-13: 978-0785137276
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.3 x 10.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,341 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 54 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars True Believers, Every Legend Has a Beginning... July 8, 2002

By Jason N. Mical

Format:Hardcover

The tagline on the inside cover to "Origin" describes the book as "The greatest Marvel story never told." Many fans, for years, insisted that it never be told: the beginnings of the mysterious, likable X-Man Wolverine. When Joe Quesada and Bill Jemas took over and Marvel Comics and reversed its almost 15-year downturn, one of their first projects was "let's do a story on the origins of Wolverine." Considered sacred ground - untreadable because part of Wolvie's appeal was his unknown past - the project was reluctantly, and then vigorously, accepted, with top minds from the Marvel universe turning in treatments.

"Origin" is the gorgeous final result of that process.

Somewhere in the 19th Century, on a massive estate in Canada, a young boy called "Dog" Logan escapes his father's drunken beatings by playing with James, the sickly child of the rich landowner in the House, and Rose, James' Irish nanny. The three forge a childhood bond broken too easily when class distinctions and family squabbles get in the way of their friendship. One night, the tensions come to a head when the three, now adolescents, are involved in a life-changing tragedy that leaves one horribly scarred, another without a memory and in possession of strange new abilities, and the third frightened for all three. Two of the friends flee into the night, while the third is left to pick up the pieces.

A quote on the back of the book compares "Origin" with "Watchmen" and "Maus," and suggests it will enter the annals of comic-dom's highest-regarded works. While it doesn't measure up to those examples, or to "V for Vendetta" or "From Hell," "Origin" is certainly worthy of praise and deserves a place next to "The Killing Joke," or "Batman: Year One." Kubert's illustrations are mind-bogglingly beautiful, managing to combine the serious nature of the story with the comic origins of the players without effort. The only complaint, and it is minor, is that the book seems short compared with similar series efforts. The story is told without becoming overlong, but the reader can't help but feel it could have been deeper and more involved. Overall, "Origin" is worth its price, and the hardcover book preserves the fantastic art in a great coffee-table format. Wolvie and X-Men fans will want to read it - unless, of course, you would rather not spoil the mystery, which is perfectly understandable.

Final grade: B+

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best minis of the year July 15, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Origin lived up to and exceeded the expectations of many. The story seems a bit farfetched when reading, especially compared to Wolverine in current times, but in the end it all fits nicely. The digital coloring method utilized on Andy Kubert's pencils fits very well and looks amazing. Jenkins writing is great, and the dialogue is well written. The story is at times even touching as we see the past of James Howlett and all the losses he faces at an early age. He transforms from a privileged, weak and often sick young boy to the beginnings of the feral Logan. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I won't reveal too much, but for someone who is an X-Men and Marvel fan, and not a relatively big Wolverine fan, I definitely recommend this. Even people coming off the movie who doesn't read much Marvel comics but likes Wolverine should try this out. The hardcover collects all 6 issues of this mini-series, and comes with some extras, such as some early sketches and ideas by Marvel COO Bill Jemas, EIC Joe Quesada, writer Paul Jenkins, and artist Andy Kubert. The hardcover also has larger pages than the original comics. For collectors, you can fish out the original issues from comic shops, but even then they may be more expensive than the hardcover edition. Origin explains much of Wolverine's foggy past that even he himself can't remember, but still leaves much to be revealed. Origin 2 is likely to materialize, it's only a question of when.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good start but incomplete May 29, 2003

By Benjamin Denes

Format:Paperback

Being a huge fan of Marvel's Wolverine character, I really enjoyed this book. 'Origin' had the task of telling the beginnings of the character, and finally explaining what the up until now mysterious origins of the character were. This book tells a good story, throwing in some mildly obvious twists and tragedy to interest all readers. The art is beautiful, and gives the work an identity. The story itself seems to work better as an introduction, an feels unfinished. There is obviously so much more to tell of the characters beginnings, and anyone who picks 'Origins' up to read should understand it's not the complete origin of Wolverine, rather just the first chapter. A good read, and I can't wait for more.