Writer, Artist, Colorist: Dan Panosian
Letterer: Cory Petit
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in”
Something to note about this book is that it takes place shortly after The Dark Phoenix Saga. So, Wolverine (Logan) goes to clear his mind—on the nice beaches of Miami, Florida.
Dan Panosian is spearheading this entire book, and I thoroughly enjoy that. Not only is he a good writer, but he is also a good artist. He is making it completely his own. That means the writing and the art share a single vision. This is a typical story for Logan, aside from the setting. Trouble always finds him, and although he doesn’t always start it, he always finishes it. All I want from this is an entertaining story with Logan doing some slicing and dicing here and there.
Full Spoilers Ahead!
Given’ Them The Ol’ Razzle-Dazzle(r)
Logan is just trying to enjoy himself. He can’t even get some ice cream without trouble starting. Some goons try to force an ice cream vendor to pay money when they start mouthing off to Logan. It starts with Goon #1 threatening to “shave a little off the top” as he readies a switchblade. Logan replies, “Find a new hobby,” while enjoying his sweet treat. Even if they don’t know who Logan is, the guy they are trying to intimidate tells them off while still eating ice cream. Then Goon #2 tells Logan he’s “about to start dripping more than that ice cream”. Logan proceeds to beat them both up. We get close to a *SNIKT*, but Logan settles on just fists (still made from adamantium) because “he’s on holiday”. Dazzler sees this all go down and invites him to her show at the Stingray Club because she is in over her head and needs his help. He happily agrees, but not before she tells him she’d owe him. It is worth mentioning that she offered him free drinks. Now, the holiday is over. He has a job to do.
The Club Can’t Even Handle Us Right Now
While at the club, he sees some muscle start strong-arming Dazzler’s crew. He doesn’t know why, so he continues to just watch how things get done. He notices the bouncers not doing anything about the mobsters at the club. It all comes to a head when some of the mobsters grab Murray, Dazzler’s manager, and bring him to the one who calls the shots. Who is that, you might ask? It’s none other than Hammerhead! One small thing I enjoy about Logan’s narration is his rundown of Hammerhead. He knows he can beat Hammerhead in a fight, but Hammerhead is still dangerous to normal people who are also currently in the Stingray Club with Logan and Hammerhead. They are just there to see a Dazzler show. Logan doesn’t like innocent people getting hurt, so that’s when he steps in. The book ends with a standoff that includes a surprise character.
The Art
As I said above, Panosian is a very good artist. I enjoy the way he draws faces/expressions. Seeing as this is a Wolverine book, I was looking forward to how Panosian designs Logan. It’s not that Logan is *supposed* to be ugly, but he is just angry, hairy, and, well, short. An awesome showcase of how well Panosian draws Logan is right after Hammerhead opens fire in the crowded club. Logan is out there in all of his glory. He has a rabid expression. His body hair somehow outlines and exaggerates all of his muscles at once. And we finally get the *SNIKT* we were waiting for! Although Panosian has better examples of his colors (any panel with Dazzler), he still colors this in a way that highlights Logan’s form.
Final Thoughts
Wolverine: Paradise #1 is a stylized story I wasn’t expecting. A Wolverine book set in Miami in the 80s gives Panosian the chance to put all of the energy/vibes/aesthetics of that time period into a superhero book. I really like that this book has a singular vision, so there’s complete synergy between the writing and the art. I am really glad I picked this up because it seems to be a tight story that’s told in the world of superheroes. And I cannot think of a flashier time than the 80s and a sweeter setting than Miami.