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Wolverine Back Issue Talk, Part Three: Why Not Try Your Luck Against — Me!

§ December 20th, 2024 § Filed under wolverine § 7 Comments

So before I jump into part three of our Wolverine discussion, let me remind you that I’m taking your comic industry predictions for 2025 right here! Get ’em in preferably before 2025 really gets goin’, so you slide in the first couple of weeks of January, that’ll probably be fine.

Also, the new Superman trailer is up. And before you say anything, this is a Pro-Krypto Household and I will not accept any complaints about the Super Good Boy.

Okay, now on to “Wolverine: Which Issues Will People Continue Caring About?” already in progress:

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Wolverine experienced a burst in popularity, largely in part to Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s run on Uncanny X-Men. When Byrne left the book in 1981, there was some measure of anticipation among fans as to when he’d return to the characters. Aside from a brief appearance or two during Byrne’s run in Alpha Flight, he mostly stayed busy with other projects. However, when it was announced that he would be taking over the Wolverine series in 1989, that garnered excitement and gave a boost to sales on a book that, well, wasn’t hurting but could use a new influx of excitement.

His first issue was #17 here, with (and I’ve been using this term a lot in this series of posts, I realize) an iconic cover:

I mean, that’s pretty much the Platonic ideal of a Wolverine picture, along with the cover to Incredible Hulk #340, or Art Adams’ variations on the pose seen here in this Wolverine standee pic I stole from eBay:

…and I’m sure many of you recognize this standee from the cover to the Crazy 8s album “Doggapotamus World,” of course.

Anyhoo, Byrne’s short run on the book was a relatively popular one over all at the time, and lived on in strong back issue sales for a while afterward, eventually the bloom’s off the rose, Byrne’s superstardom fades, and the run became Just More Wolverine back issues.

Except that #17. That cover still sells the book. Whenever I get them in, they sell almost immediately. And people aren’t really buying the other issues Byrne did, which is telling me people are buying this only because it’s a cool cover, not because they’re interested in Byrne’s storytelling. So, using the three-clawed scale of Wolverine’s Continuing Hotness, as established in previous installments of this posting series, I give this issue the rarefied rating of Three Claws. It was in demand demand, in demand now, and will continue to be in demand so long as people love Wolverine and, well, comic fans exist.

One exception to the “only Byrne issue that sells” thing is #21, which, well, just look at it:

Maybe not an “iconic” image, to throw that word around again, but certainly a striking one that grabs the fancy of the occasional back issue bin peruser. Still sells, and may continue to sell, but it’s getting the Two Claws rating simply because it doesn’t move like its lower-numbered partner.

Now let’s jump ahead to the far flung future of 1991, when Wolverine #41 was unleased upon an unsuspecting public:

Now, this book, featuring another clash between Wolverine and Sabretooth, was “hot” for a while, mostly because of a particular revelation within:

Oh no, what? There were rumors and I think even a hint or two in earlier comics that there was a familial relationship between Sabretooth and Wolverine, and this issue seemed to confim it.

At least until the second part of the story came out:

…and a S.H.I.E.L.D. tech tells Wolvie, nah, Sabretooth ain’t your dad:

…though Nick Fury adds “but he totally thought he was your father!” and I haven’t read enough Wolverine comics to tell you whether or not Sabretooth’s misconception was ever addressed again.
Thus, possibility brought up, possibility almost immediately shot down, though with just enough wiggle room to maybe leave some questions…but regardless, this was a Hot Book for a brief time, specifically the first part, because of Sabretooth’s spurious claim. Issue #41 even got a second printing, there was so much demand for it. Used to sell out of the back issue bins right away, along with #42, but it’s slowed down in recent years.

These two books still sell, but mostly because it’s Wolverine Vs. Sabretooth more than because of any semi-controversy stirred up by Sabretooth’s supposed parentage. Once a Three-Claw rater for its immense demand, it’s more a Two Claw rating now. Not a dead book, but not leaping out of back issue bins into people’s hands like it used to either.

• • •
Am I going to continue this series, now that a week has passed? But of course, there are still a few Wolvie books to go, like those with die-cut covers, not to mention holograms, holograms, holograms! It’s not going to be every single day I’m posting — I’ll try to write about something else on Monday, we’ll see — but I’m not done yet! Thanks for reading, pals, and I’ll see you next time.