Origin II (Comics) | Review

Years have passed since James Howlett fled civilization and he's become something barely recognizable as human. Living among wolves in the Canadian wilderness, Logan has completely embraced his feral nature for a while until unexpected circumstances force him back into contact with civilization and its many dangers.

This isn't the traumatized boy we left behind in the first series at all anymore. Logan has fully embraced his feral nature, communicating through growls and surviving on pure instinct in the wilderness completely and utterly for years now without any human contact whatsoever.

The story introduces us to the mysterious Dr. Essex, whose scientific curiosity about unusual specimens leads him to Logan's trail. Essex represents everything sinister about Victorian-era science, treating human subjects as lab rats rather than living beings. His methods are clinical, his goals unclear but his impact proves devastating.

Gillen introduces Essex as a compelling antagonist whose clinical detachment makes him more unsettling than traditional comic book villains. His scientific curiosity about mutant physiology feels genuinely threatening because it treats Logan as a specimen rather than a person.

Logan's capture and subsequent imprisonment become the volume's central tension. Gone is the emotional complexity of the first Origin. This Logan operates on survival instinct alone, making his interactions with captors feel genuinely unpredictable and dangerous.

The series explores the early dynamics between Logan and his future nemesis through their shared captivity experience under Essex's brutal control. Saul Creed enters the narrative as another of Essex's test subjects, establishing the foundation for Logan's most enduring rivalry that will span decades ahead through their lives.

Their initial encounters lack the personal hatred that defines their future relationship, focusing instead on mutual recognition between apex predators who understand each other's deadly nature and capabilities in combat situations perfectly well from the very start.

Clara emerges as Logan's connection back to humanity, serving a similar role to Rose in the first series but under vastly different circumstances. Her relationship with Logan develops through shared captivity rather than any childhood friendship, creating a bond forged in survival rather than innocence and pure naive trust entirely.

Character dialogue serves the story's more action-oriented pace. Logan speaks minimally, communicating through behavior rather than words. Clara's conversations carry the emotional weight, serving as the reader's guide through Logan's mindset and motivations.

Essex's experiments push Logan's abilities to their breaking point while simultaneously stripping away the last remnants of his human identity. Each session in the laboratory drives him further from civilization and deeper into the primal mindset that will define his future relationships with authority and science forever more ahead.

The volume culminates in Logan's escape and the destruction of Essex's research facility. However, the damage to his psyche proves irreversible and lasting. Logan emerges more feral than ever, with Clara representing his only remaining connection to humanity and compassion.

Adam Kubert brings a different energy compared to his brother Andy's work on the original series. Where Andy created atmospheric gothic horror, Adam delivers kinetic action sequences that emphasize Logan's physical transformation. His Logan looks wild, with longer hair, scarred flesh and eyes that reflect pure animal instinct.

Kubert's fight sequences capture Logan's feral fighting style with impressive detail throughout the volume. Every claw strike feels brutal and desperate rather than heroic. His artwork makes Logan's violence feel necessary for survival rather than chosen aggression or heroic posturing.

Gillen's writing takes a notably different approach from Jenkins' psychological exploration of the character in the first series entirely. Where the original Origin focused on emotional trauma and identity loss, Origin II emphasizes physical survival and the corruption of scientific progress through unethical experimentation and abuse.

Origin II succeeds as an action-driven sequel while struggling to match the emotional depth of its predecessor. The series works best when focusing on Logan's complete transformation into a wild man and the early stages of mutant persecution through scientific experimentation.

Gillen and Kubert create a compelling chapter in Logan's development that bridges his feral wilderness years with his eventual integration into civilized society. The introduction of Essex and Creed provides important foundation work for future storylines without feeling forced or overly convenient throughout the narrative.

For longtime Wolverine fans, Origin II offers valuable insights into Logan's psychological development and his deep distrust of authority figures and scientific institutions. The series explains why Logan reacts so violently to confinement and medical procedures.

Origin II may not achieve the emotional devastation of the original but it serves as a worthy continuation that expands Logan's mythology without contradicting established continuity at all. The series proves that some stories benefit from exploring different aspects of trauma and recovery in unique and meaningful ways entirely.