Old Man Logan: Days of Anger (Comics) | Review

What happens when you take two characters defined by their worst possible futures and force them to fight over who gets to rewrite history? You get something visceral instead of formulaic. Old Man Logan: Days of Anger isn't just another time-displaced story to recycle nostalgia.

This is writer Ed Brisson (Cable: Newer Mutants, Extermination) with artist Mike Deodato Jr. (Onslaught Saga, Original Sin) dragging Logan back into the nightmare he thought he escaped. The Maestro, Bruce Banner's psychotic future self, has arrived in the present with the Hulk Gang and a vendetta that goes beyond simple revenge.

Logan's been trying to build something resembling a normal life in the present timeline of the Marvel Universe. He's working with the X-Men, mentoring younger mutants and attempting to prevent the catastrophic future that destroyed everyone he loved.

The arc opens with Logan on vacation in Canada, trying to find peace in isolation away from constant battles. That peace shatters when he's ambushed by Hulk Gang members he thought he left dead in the Wastelands. Cambria, Clystin, Jewel and young Malakai Banner aren't just attacking randomly but following a calculated plan.

They're following orders from the Maestro, transported from his doomed timeline into Marvel's main continuity. These aren't normal Hulks and Logan isn't the same broken man. He fights back but the Hulk Gang overwhelms him through sheer numbers and psychological warfare.

Hawkeye enters the story as Logan's ally, connecting to their partnership in the original Old Man Logan storyline. Their dynamic carries weight because they've survived the Wastelands together. Clint knows what Logan lost and why this fight matters beyond stopping another villain. It's about preventing their nightmare future.

The Maestro uses the Hulk Gang as enforcers and psychological weapons. He knows Logan carries guilt over failing to protect his family from their attack. Seeing these Banners alive and following orders twists the knife, reminding Logan he killed some of them in revenge.

Cambria Banner becomes a focal point. She's young, following the Maestro because he's family and represents power. Brisson gives her moments of doubt about following a tyrant from another timeline. These scenes add depth to potentially one-dimensional villains.

Malakai, the youngest, becomes critical to the climax. He's been raised to worship the Maestro but hasn't committed the atrocities his older relatives have. Logan sees a chance to break the cycle, to save at least one Banner from becoming the monster that destroyed his world. Whether redemption is possible drives the final issues.

The Maestro's endgame involves a nuclear weapon, which feels both appropriate and horrifying given his character. He ruled the Wastelands through fear and irradiated devastation. The nuclear threat raises stakes beyond personal vendetta into potential catastrophe.

Logan's face-off with the Maestro is brutal. Brisson shows how outmatched Logan is physically. The Maestro combines Hulk strength with tactical brilliance and zero moral constraints. Logan wins through determination and exploiting arrogance, but the victory leaves scars.

The resolution involves choices rather than simple victory. Members of the Hulk Gang defect when they realize the Maestro's vision means destroying everything, including them. Brisson handles these defections organically, showing that even hardened villains from the Wastelands can choose differently when given alternatives.

This arc connects to the broader Old Man Logan series by addressing Logan's ongoing struggle with his past. The Maestro represents the ultimate test of whether preventing his future is possible when the worst parts of your history literally follow you.

It also sets up Logan's eventual return to the Wastelands in later storylines. The unfinished business with the Maestro and surviving Hulk Gang members creates narrative threads that Brisson revisits. The emotional weight of this arc carries forward, informing Logan's decisions about how far he'll go to protect this timeline.

Mike Deodato Jr. handles art throughout with his signature dark style that matches the story's tone. His Logan looks weathered and exhausted. The Maestro is imposing, a massive figure whose presence dominates panels through physicality and malevolent intelligence.

Deodato's action sequences are visceral. When Logan and the Maestro clash, you feel the impact. Panels don't shy away from the brutality of the fight. Blood, broken bones and desperate violence fill pages in ways that emphasize how personal this conflict is. The art makes clear this isn't superhero combat but survival.

Color work by Frank Martin uses a muted palette that reflects the story's grim tone. Greens dominate when the Hulk Gang appears, creating visual consistency. Flashbacks to Wastelands use washed-out browns and grays, contrasting with the present timeline's darker scheme.

Brisson's writing balances action with character moments effectively. Logan's internal narration provides context without over-explaining. His voice sounds weathered, cynical but still carrying the stubborn determination that defines Wolverine. The dialogue stays sharp and economical, which suits Logan's character and keeps a consistent tone.

Old Man Logan: Days of Anger succeeds as a direct confrontation between Logan and his worst nightmare made real. This isn't subtle or experimental storytelling but focused character work examining what happens when your past literally follows you through time.

The Hulk Gang adds complexity by humanizing the villains from Logan's origin story. They're not just monsters but Banner family members shaped by a terrible timeline. That nuance prevents the arc from being simple revenge fantasy while acknowledging redemption isn't guaranteed just because someone has sympathetic motivations.

If you're looking for lighthearted superhero adventure, this will disappoint. But if you want grim character-driven conflict examining trauma, guilt and escaping your past, this delivers. The arc works best if you're familiar with the original Old Man Logan storyline.

Old Man Logan: Days of Anger storyline is collected as a trade paperback and available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and most comic-book retailers. It's also available digitally for readers on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology, and Marvel Unlimited.