Marvel’s Wolverineis still mostly a mystery at this point, which means its plot - and any subplots - are still unknown too. Aside from an announcement trailer in 2021, nothing official has been shown off. Even the leaks from a massive data breach at Insomniac only added to speculation aroundMarvel’s Wolverine’s story and settings. Now, the newest issue from the current comics run provides an interesting approach to how Insomniac could show off Logan’s backstory without having a full-on flashback.
Despite so many mysteries up in the air regarding theWolverinegame, one thing is certain - Insomniac will be borrowing from the comics. That means characters important to Logan’s past and present like Sabretooth are pretty much shoe-ins despite no official gameplay or trailers showing them off yet. It’s also been heavily speculated that the game will follow the Madripoor Nights storyline, meaning characters like Bloodsport, Roughouse, and Viper could all appear too. And since Insomniac has confirmedWolverineis set in thesame universe as itsSpider-Mangames, it’s reasonable to expect a few crossover characters as well.
Marvel’s Wolverine Will Assuredly Borrow From The Comics
Madripoor Nights Can’t Be All It’ll Use
Madripoor Nights is a great arc from the earliest issues of Wolverine’s solo run of comics, but it’s unlikely this will be the only plotlines and characters Insomniac borrows from. In the 400+ issues since, there have been plenty of memorable moments and iconic characters introduced (including Logan’s children). IfMarvel’s Wolverineis set in Madripoor, then it means we’ll see him after he’s already Wolverine, a member of the X-Men and a hero. But that means important elements of Logan’s past will have to be worked in by other means.
Marvel’s Spider-Mangames, includingMiles Morales, didn’t shy away from flashbacks, but they weren’t overused. Likewise, the games weren’t afraid to have their surreal moments - like when Peter Parker is chasing Scorpion around a ruined New York in the first game or pretty much theentire Mysterio Mysterium questlineinSpider-Man 2. And this is where the latestWolverinecomic comes into play, since it could combine a kind of flashback with those surreal moments - all while giving players insight into Logan’s past.
Logan’s Father(s) Returns In Wolverine #10
An Interesting Delve Into Wolverine’s Past
InWolverine#10, Logan goes back to the Howlett Estate where he confronts thespirits of John Howlett and Thomas Logan. Having both Logan fight off his biological father and the man he grew up thinking was his father gives a surreal retread of Logan’s past - and shows how much his traumatic childhood is still a part of him. Although this storyline isn’t completely resolved yet, it offers a great way for Insomniac to shed light into Logan’s past without having purely cinematic flashbacks.
Consider theHalloween section ofMarvel’s Spider-Manor the Coney Island part ofSpider-Man 2. Both were parts of the main story, but they limited Peter’s movement in different ways. A section like this inMarvel’s Wolverine, where Logan is walking through his past and attacked by his fathers, would handle that well. Even if it’s not a part of the main story, it could exist as something like the Mysterium inSpider-Man 2, where Miles got to enjoy some of the weirder elements the game had to offer.
Marvel’s Wolverine Will Need To Show More Of Logan’s Past
The Latest Wolverine Comic Is A Great Example Of This
Insomniac has never shied away from having surreal moments in itsSpider-Mangames, and the studio is unlikely to avoid it now withWolverine. The latestWolverine#10 issue is a great example of how surrealism can be used to great effect - all while giving fans a glimpse into Logan’s soul.Marvel’s Wolverinewould be making a huge mistake if it avoided these kinds of moments.
The same could be said for other moments in Logan’s past - his tragic romance with Silver Fox, for example. These kinds of stories are a part of who Logan is, and Insomniac will need to include them in some way. It ensures that the game’s story is just as memorable as any gameplay, and even fans who know these stories already should enjoy seeing them through the video game lens. Hopefully,Marvel’s Wolverinewon’t just borrow from older comics, but will take away some important lessons from the newer ones too.
