Issue(s): Marvel Comics Presents #72, Marvel Comics Presents #73, Marvel Comics Presents #74, Marvel Comics Presents #75, Marvel Comics Presents #76, Marvel Comics Presents #77, Marvel Comics Presents #78, Marvel Comics Presents #79, Marvel Comics Presents #80, Marvel Comics Presents #81, Marvel Comics Presents #82, Marvel Comics Presents #83, Marvel Comics Presents #84
Published Date: 1991
Title: "Weapon X"
Credits:
Barry Windsor-Smith - Writer
Barry Windsor-Smith - Penciler
Barry Windsor-Smith - Inker
Mark Powers & Kelly Corvese - Assistant Editors
Terry Kavanagh - Editor
Tom Defalco - EIC

Review/plot:
This is the only Wolverine: Origin you will ever need.

The plot is fairly straightforward: A Canadian agent of some sort named Logan is suspended from the force due to violent behavior and excessive drinking. He is kidnapped, infused with adamantium, and subjected to mind control treatment. It is discovered that he is a mutant with regenerative abilities. The attempt to control him fails, instead turning Logan into a feral beast, who kills most of the guards and escapes.

At the time this was originally published, Wolverine's history was mostly a mystery, so these revelations were huge. The only question at this point was who was what agency were these scientists working for and who was the mysterious background figure that was pulling the strings. Attempts to subsequently answer these questions have resulted in a series of terrible stories, weighing the character down with tons of unnecessary backage. Similarily, attempts to tell stories prior to the Experiment X event, either attempting to detail his adventures as a Canadian agent (which at least is logical) or showing every goddamned detail of his childhood, have diminished the appeal of the character.

Equal in weight to the impact from a character point of view is the method in which it was delivered. The Barry Smith from the 70s, who was a perfectly good Neal Adams/Jim Steranko hybrid, has continued to evolve and at this point has a very unique style that lends itself well to the dark and confusing nature of this story. (Windsor-)Smith inked and co-colored this series as well. The coloring is especially strange, creating a very distinct look. He also wrote it, and we could have used some more writing by Windsor-Smith. He does a dead-on Wolverine in the opening scenes, and then as the experiment starts, he uses a style of narrative captions to depict the events. The captions are written the way people talk, with asides, interruptions, stopping short, technical data... It never feels like exposition.

It's all quite impressive, especially considering this was initially published in Marvel Comics Presents, which came out on a weekly basis and published a few pages at a time. Most stories published in this series have trouble with pacing, as the story is constantly interrupted, resulting in new opening splash panels and recaps. None of that happens here.

I don't know why Windsor-Smith didn't do more work as a writer for Marvel. He's clearly very good at it.

Interesting note on Wolverine's claws: The scientists in Experiment X (at least, the ones actually appearing in the series) did not set out to provide their subject with claws. There was an anomoly in the adamantium injection phase that caused adamantium to cluster in the wrist area. Whether or not Windsor-Smith intended it, this could be used as justification for the fact that Wolverine has had claws all along but was unaware of it. The claws break skin and cause bleeding every time they are popped open; it is suggested that an apparatus could be designed to keep the holes open.

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 7 - origin of Wolverine. First Weapon X program.

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Cross-over: N/A

Continuity Implant? Y

Reprinted In: Weapon X TPB