Origin II (Comics) | Review

What happens when the wild man with claws encounters the birth of scientific evil? Origin II picks up where Paul Jenkins left us hanging, finding Logan literally running with wolves in the Canadian wilderness but civilization has plans for feral mutants and those plans involve cages.

This five-issue sequel from writer Kieron Gillen (Iron Man: Believe, Thor: Siege) and artist Adam Kubert (Wolverine: Back in Japan, X-Men: Fatal Attractions) doesn't recreate the gothic tragedy of its predecessor. Instead, it shifts into darker territory where early mutant experimentation meets Logan's primal survival instincts.

Origin II doesn't waste time with gentle reintroductions or lengthy exposition. Logan has been living as a wild man for years now, more animal than human, until circumstances force him back into contact with civilization and its dangers.

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 the civilized world and its many dangers.

This isn't the traumatized boy we left behind in the first series. Logan has fully embraced his feral nature, communicating through growls and surviving on pure instinct in the wilderness completely and utterly for years now.

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.

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. Saul Creed enters the narrative as another of Essex's test subjects, establishing the foundation for Logan's most enduring rivalry.

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.

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.

The series explores early mutant experimentation with disturbing clinical detail. Essex's laboratory sequences feel genuinely unsettling, showing how scientific curiosity without ethical boundaries creates monsters out of both subjects and researchers.

Logan's healing factor makes him the perfect test subject for procedures that would probably kill any normal humans instantly. His ability to survive lethal experiments attracts Essex's attention and prolongs his suffering indefinitely.

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.

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

Logan and Clara's time on the run provides the series' most compelling character development. Their relationship demonstrates how trauma bonds can either heal or further damage survivors, depending on circumstances and choices.

Clara becomes Logan's anchor to humanity while he serves as her protector against a world that wants to destroy them both. Their mutual dependence creates something beautiful amid all the violence and chaos surrounding them.

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. Every claw strike feels brutal and desperate rather than heroic. His artwork makes Logan's violence feel necessary for survival rather than chosen aggression.

Gillen's writing takes a notably different approach from Jenkins' psychological exploration. Where the original Origin focused on emotional trauma and identity loss, Origin II emphasizes physical survival and the corruption of scientific progress.

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. The series proves that some stories benefit from exploring different aspects of trauma and recovery in unique and meaningful ways entirely.

Origin II limited series is available in trade paperback and hardcover editions through comic shops and retailers like Amazon. For digital readers, it can also be purchased on ComiXology and Kindle, ensuring fans can revisit Wolverine's past in physical and digital formats.