Wolverine (voiced by Cal Dodd) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97 Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel
Benjamin Percy, the iconic Marvel author who has tackled Wolverine stories countless times, including for the recent Wolverine: Long Nightpodcast, visited New York Comic Con for a panel called “Deconstructing Wolverine.” Moderated by Mike Aliva, author of Wolverine: Creating Marvel’s Legendary Mutant: Four Decades of Astonishing Comics Art,the duo discussed their thoughts on the world’s most famous mutant.
Percy, a longtime fan of the character before officially writing him, explained what aspects of the character appeal to him and what sort of Wolverine stories he’s been most excited to tell. Wolverine, who first appeared in 1980’s The Incredible Hulkissues 180-181 by Len Wein, has been an omnipresent character ever since he joined the X-Men back in 1975’s Giant SizeX-Men #1, also by Wein and illustrated by Dave Cockrum. Given how many artists have been able to take the reigns on Wolverine, Percy dove into what elements of Wolvie are most important for his takes on the character.
Bejmanin Percy’s platonic ideal of a Wolverine
When asked which artist’s version of Wolverine he pictures when thinking of the character, Percy responded with the work of his friend, the late Joshua Cassara. Cassara’s take on the character leaned into his brutality, as well as his hairiness, two aspects that tend to be lost in the live-action adaptations, which famously cast Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman in the role. Despite his popularity, Jackman is far from Percy’s picture-perfect Wolverine, stating, “I love Hugh Jackman, but he’s cuddly!”
Additionally, another underrated aspect of Wolverine is his short stature, another element lost in the 6-foot-2 Jackman portrayal. When asked about Logan’s height, Percy responded that it leads to his underestimation, giving him an advantage against enemies before his powers are revealed, as well as adding to the chip on his shoulder, especially when surrounded by physically large characters such as Colossus.
This rough and tumble vision on Wolverine further informs Percy’s belief that he is a tragic character, viewing his immortality as a curse and comparing him to a vampire. Said Percy, “The scars that don’t decorate his skin decorate his heart…he can never heal all that pain.” This led to the narrative question throughout the Krakoa era, can Wolverine ever be happy, to which Percy’s answer was “no,” because he is too defined by his pain.
Percy’s perfect Wolverine stories
When discussing which Wolverine stories he was most excited to tell, Percy responded, “I wanted to write the moment when Wolverine fell in love with Kentucky Bourbon,” a favorite drink of Percy’s. Percy eventually depicted the beginning of this love affair in brutal, dramatic fashion in his story “First Kiss,” in 2026‘sLogan: Black, White, and Blood #2.
Next, Percy listed some Wolverine stories he’s yet to tell but is dying to tackle. In contrast to his take on Wolverine vs. Predator, which saw the iconic duo fighting throughout all of time, Percy hopes to someday take Logan back to the beginning of time. Additionally, he would love to set a Wolverine chapter in the Savage Land, as well as an old west-themed Marvel adventure.
Logan vs. Wolverine
Percy also discussed if Wolverine and Logan, his civilian identity, are two different characters or one and the same. Percy clarified that “Wolverine is when the claws come out,” implying that he loses part of his humanity when amid his most brutal battles.
Perhaps this disconnect is part of why Percy, as well as several other Wolverine storytellers, are drawn to stories involving Wolverine as a father figure. His reluctance to let others into Logan’s life out of fear he’ll lose them (once again tying into the vampire comparison) means that he often needs to pull away, and since he’s a magnet for trouble, he will often separate himself to spare others. Said Percy, “You reach for his hand and he’ll pull it away.”
This allows for storytelling opportunities to deconstruct Logan’s toxic masculinity, giving him someone to actually care for and unite his Wolverine side with his Logan side. Beginning with his relationship with Kitty Pryde, Wolverine has often taken on the role of the mentor figure to younger mutants, eventually teaming up with other characters such as Jubilee and Laura Kinney/X-23/Wolverine. Logan’s relationship with Laura acts as the focus of the film Logan,which Percy and Aliva both stated is their favorite cinematic take on the character.
Towards the end of the panel, Percy stated that “Logan is the greatest superhero ever.” Notably, he refers to “Logan” instead of “Wolverine” as a “superhero,” which, based on his earlier statement, implies that some of the character’s most heroic acts take place without bringing out the claws. This incredible contrast has helped the iconic character endure since the 1970s, with talented writers and artists adding more incredible stories to his canon to this day.
