All-New Wolverine #35
Writers: Tom Taylor
Artist: Ramon Rosanas
Colorist: Nolan Woodard
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Artist: David Lopez
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Review by Nico Sprezzatura
For nearly three years, Tom Taylor has consistently produced one of Marvel’s best titles in recent memory with All-New Wolverine, and this week’s #35 puts an end to it by flashing-forward to the future. Does it stick the landing, though? I’d say yes — with a teeny caveat.
Taylor’s decision to end his run with a story set in a possible future of the Marvel Universe is an interesting one. “Old Woman Laura” is an obvious play on “Old Man Logan,” albeit with a more optimistic twist. In this reality, Laura Kinney has become the president of a utopian Madripoor, while Gabby —the former Honey Badger, now Wolverine— is operating as its protector in her stead. All seems well, until it becomes obvious that Doctor Doom is still up to his nefarious ways, and it’s up to Laura to stop him once and for all. The only problem? She’s dying.
I’m a sucker for alternate universes and possible futures, so “Old Woman Laura” has been catnip to me. Earlier in the arc, we were introduced to President Kamala Khan of the United States (!!!), and saw where other contemporary figures of the Marvel U (e.g. Maria Hill, Carol Danvers, Janet van Dyne) end up in this timeline. We get more glimpses of that future here, such as this timeline’s Captain America —whom I assume to be Dani Cage, as seen in Al Ewing’s various Avengers titles— and an aged-up version of Gabby’s fellow clone Bellona.
The writing in this issue is solid as ever; Taylor has seriously emerged as a great talent over the past few of his work-for-hire stuff, and All-New Wolverine may very well be the zenith of that. He’s worked with a variety of artists over the course of this title, and Ramon Rosanas is a solid pick to finish with. I was a big fan of his work on Astonishing Ant-Man, and “Old Woman Laura” proves that his superhero chops are quite strong.
As the third (and final) installment of “Old Woman Laura,” All-New Wolverine #35 is a satisfying conclusion for this brief excursion to a possible future. As a capstone to Taylor’s Wolverine run, however? I’m not totally sure.
While he may be penning the new X-Men Red title, which features both Laura and Gabby as prominent characters, this issue does feel a bit anticlimactic in the broader context of All-New Wolverine. I would’ve liked to see a one-issue coda that wraps things up more appropriately, but that’s more a knock on my own expectations than what Taylor, Rosanas, and the rest of the creative team deliver here.
(I’m also a little disappointed that Laura is relinquishing the Wolverine name back to Logan and returning to her old title in Mariko Tamaki and Juann Cabal upcoming X-23, but again, that’s neither here nor there.)
And, despite my little grievances with this issue serving as Taylor’s sendoff to Laura Kinney as Wolverine, All-New Wolverine #35 is strong enough on its own merits to overcome them.
The Verdict: Buy it.
Ending Tom Taylor’s run on an upbeat note, All-New Wolverine #35 is a fitting conclusion to Laura Kinney’s tenure as Wolverine.
