There’s a new Wolverine in town, as Logan’s successor officially takes his place in Marvel lore. Easily the most powerful hero to ever bear the ‘Wolverine’ name, there are some significant differences between the new Wolverine and the original.
The Wonderful Wolverine Officially Debuts
Leonard Takes His Place as Logan’s Successor
In today’s The Last Wolverine #1 – from Saladin Ahmed, Edgar Salazar, Carlos Lopez and Cory Petit – the Wonderful Wolverine officially debuts. Following a ten-year time jump, Logan’s former protégé Leonard has taken his place as the heroic Wolverine, nicknamed ‘the Wonderful Wolverine’ by the mutant society in which he lives.
Wearing a version of Wolverine’s costume, Leonard has lethal claws and an unbelievable healing factor, but he’s way more optimistic than Logan. However, beneath the surface, Leonard has a savage heart he’s struggling to control.
Who Is the New Wolverine?
Introduced in 2024’s Wolverine #2, Leonard is a teenager afflicted by the curse of the Wendigo, turning him into a mystical beast who hungers for human flesh. Wolverine fought Leonard but ultimately saved his life from the villainous Arcade, teaching Leonard to harness his hunger and assert his humanity, even in Wendigo form.
As part of the Age of Revelation event, Marvel just jumped a decade into the future. In this new world, Revelation has taken over most of America, turning it into a fascist state where all mutants answer to him and his enforcers. In this world, Leonard operates as the Wonderful Wolverine, replacing Logan who has been brainwashed into Revelation’s chief assassin, the Angel of Death.
Leonard is keeping Wolverine’s heroic legacy alive in order to honor the man who gave him his life and humanity back. However, the issue ends with Wendigo teaming up with an old face from Wolverine’s past to try and erase his brainwashing and bring back his hero.
The New Wolverine’s Powers Explained
As a Wendigo, Leonard has vicious claws and a powerful healing factor. Even being gutted by the Angel of Death and thrown off a skyscraper wasn’t enough to keep him down, with Marvel lore establishing that only a specific mystic rite can kill a Wendigo. Like Wolverine’s berserker rages, Leonard’s cursed hunger is always with him, simmering close to the surface during violent encounters.
However, Leonard also has powers that Logan doesn’t. The new Wolverine possesses impressive superstrength which has allowed past Wendigos to go head-to-head with the Hulk. He showcases that in The Last Wolverine, destroying debris and combining his strength with his claws to dig his way out from under a collapsed building, rescuring a pair of kids in the process. He also has enhanced durability, vicious fangs, and superhuman reflexes and physical speed.
Our Take on the New Wolverine
Age of Revelation promised some big new ideas by leaping ten years ahead into the future, and Leonard’s Wolverine is one of them. Logan has always been a loner with a soft spot for kids in trouble, so it’s interesting to see how bright his legacy could be when he’s honored by those he saved and mentored.
While the Age of Revelation itself is dark and Logan is in major trouble as Revelation’s thrall, it’s fascinating to see the ‘Wolverine’ concept through such an optimistic lens. Leonard is a good-hearted hero beloved by the people he helps, and while he’s struggling with his own demons, he’s a superhero in the classic mold. Hopefully, the original Wolverine can be brought back to his right mind, because it might change Logan’s life to see how bright his legacy can be.
The Last Wolverine #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- Created By
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Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.
- First Appearance
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The Incredible Hulk (2023)
- Alias
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James “Logan” Howlett
- Alliance
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X-Men, Avengers, Canadian Army, OSS/CIA, Avengers Unity Squad, Alpha Flight, New Avengers, New Fantastic Four, Savage Avengers, Weapon X, X-Force
- Race
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Human-Mutant