All-New Wolverine #12 Preview

[Ambaryerno]

Preview up for ANW #12:





Thoughts:

So looks like we ARE getting some Wasteland stuff. And whatever went down between Logan, Gabby, and Laura in his timeline, it did NOT end well for Gabby (and if last issue's dialogue is any indication, Laura, too). I wonder if we can assume that "Gabby Zelda Kinney" is our Gabby's full name, too.

I also like how the only parts of the shattered tombstone that remain are "Gabby Lies." That's not symbolic or anything, oh no.

Also looks like Steve's got at least some part left to play in this fiasco. And that BETTER involve a colossal "WTFH" from Laura. I mean seriously, if they don't make a point of how this entire situation was CAUSED by them trying to detain Logan in the first place I'll be seriously disappointed.

Looks like it's the same colorist from last issue, so that's a definite plus. I'm still not sure about Guara's line art, but the coloring of #s 11 and 12 works FAR better than issue 10. Still missing Takara, though.

[Kurolegacy]

It is interesting that we get that flashback to the Wasteland with the pieces of the headstone landing like that. It's definitely gotta be some kind of foreshadowing that Gabby is hiding something that, in Logan's future either purposely or indirectly resulted in Laura's death. It certainly is foreboding.

On a less ominous note, between this and this week's Old Man Logan, interesting how many times it seems that Logan broke his vow of never popping his claws again before the original story happened.

[Dthirds123]

That's future gabby took Zeldas name has her middle name that's nice.

[MarvelMaster616]

Wow. That's cold, even by Old Man Logan's standard. It also raises some distressing questions about just how bad things got in his dystopian world. He made clear a few issues ago that X-23 did exist in that world. We don't know much beyond that, but if it's anything like it was just before Logan died, then it's definitely an emotional gut punch on all ends. So far, this story has been good at those, digging deep and finding the right kind of drama. It's brought out the best in X-23, Old Man Logan, and Gabby. I hope it continues with this issue.

[Ambaryerno]

It is interesting that we get that flashback to the Wasteland with the pieces of the headstone landing like that. It's definitely gotta be some kind of foreshadowing that Gabby is hiding something that, in Logan's future either purposely or indirectly resulted in Laura's death. It certainly is foreboding.

On a less ominous note, between this and this week's Old Man Logan, interesting how many times it seems that Logan broke his vow of never popping his claws again before the original story happened.

The caveat is that there IS no clear indication of when in his timeline this occurred. For all we know it happens AFTER the events of the original story (by contrast, the incident in OML is explicitly BEFORE it, since Maureen is still alive and they haven't had their kids yet).

[Beaubier]

I'm curious to find out what Gabby did in his timeline, exactly. That's a pretty severe reaction.

[Ambaryerno]

I'm curious to find out what Gabby did in his timeline, exactly. That's a pretty severe reaction.

The popular guess is that she went Heel (or was a villain from the start and playing innocent) and killed Laura in OML's timeline.

[Kurolegacy]

The popular guess is that she went Heel (or was a villain from the start and playing innocent) and killed Laura in OML's timeline.

If it was the later possibility, there's a possibility that that portion of the timeline (or at least the severity) has already been prevented. The fact that Logan hadn't died in that timeline and went on to raise Laura should mean that Laura never became Wolverine and as a result, while the sisters did exist, the first arc of ANW never happened allowing Laura to be a good influence on Gabby. That much alone could make all of the difference especially given Gabby's speech back at the end of the first arc about the restraint Laura shows being something impressive to her and that she wants to be a good person.

[Ambaryerno]

If it was the later possibility, there's a possibility that that portion of the timeline (or at least the severity) has already been prevented. The fact that Logan hadn't died in that timeline and went on to raise Laura should mean that Laura never became Wolverine and as a result, while the sisters did exist, the first arc of ANW never happened allowing Laura to be a good influence on Gabby. That much alone could make all of the difference especially given Gabby's speech back at the end of the first arc about the restraint Laura shows being something impressive to her and that she wants to be a good person.

Makes sense, and could certainly explain how the Gabby of THIS timeline could turn out so differently. It could also be an example of what Laura herself could have been without Sarah's influence and sacrifice.

[Hulkout42]

I just want this event to end, i mean it has been one car wreck after another, how many examples of self fufilling prophecies must they have before tehy realize they aren't stopping the future but accelerating its arrival?

[Ambaryerno]

I just want this event to end, i mean it has been one car wreck after another, how many examples of self fufilling prophecies must they have before tehy realize they aren't stopping the future but accelerating its arrival?

That's a bit unfair considering this was one of the first tie-ins to make use of the trope with this event.

But blame it on Editorial's apparent lack of oversight of what its writers are doing. Maybe if they kept a tighter grip on the reigns the stories would be better coordinated.

[MikaelNovasun]

I just want this event to end, i mean it has been one car wreck after another, how many examples of self fufilling prophecies must they have before tehy realize they aren't stopping the future but accelerating its arrival?

How many have there been? I was only aware of the one in ANW. You could argue the prophecy in Amazing Spider-Man either way.

[Jackraow21]

Very good issue IMO. Laura clearly lays out how different this version of Logan is from the man she knew and loved, and doesn't hold anything back. He is damaged badly, possibly beyond repair. And very, very dangerous. She also tells off Captain Hydra and it is glorious. Almost as glorious as Cable beating his ass over in Uncanny Avengers last week...

...almost.

[Ambaryerno]

spoilers:

So Gabby does indeed have a healing factor. Still makes me wonder about the scars, but perhaps the nanites are preventing it from working 100%? We also still don't know if she only has the one claw in each hand or not. Or even if she has claws in BOTH hands, as another possibility is that her mutation is flawed; she only has one claw and her healing factor keeps her alive, but isn't as powerful as Laura's and Logan's (sans adamantium). Also, it's so ridiculously adorable how Gabby can switch from threatening to treat Logan like a rabid dog if he hurts Laura again, to giving him a pleasant "good bye!"

end of spoilers

And woof, Laura can be downright CRUEL when she wants to be. My first thought was it reminded me of how she shut down Hellion in the Liu series, but Taylor did it much more effectively, and in a way that Laura remained sympathetic with it being understandable why she reacted so harshly. And I said it in the X-23 appreciation thread, but more heroes seriously need to look at her as an example. ESPECIALLY now that (we know, but the heroes don't) Cap has been compromised by Red Skull, and lost his moral authority.

If there was one missed opportunity, it's that we didn't get much more context on what happened between Logan, Laura, and Gabby in his original timeline spoilers:

other than Laura and Gabby killing each other, and it being implied by Logan's reaction to Gabby's grave that she must have been the Heel in the confrontation

end of spoilers. I've mentioned this before, but I think a LOT could have been done as a crossover with Old Man Logan; have Taylor do the present day story as we already got, but then have the Old Man Logan issues show us Logan and Laura's relationship in his timeline, how Gabby fit into the picture, and what led to spoilers:

their deaths

end of spoilers. I feel that some of the poignancy of Laura shutting off contact with Logan was lost by not getting a chance to SEE their relationship, and how it differed. The implication was Old Man Logan was a much more attentive father figure than 616!Logan, but it's a shame we didn't get to SEE it, as that would have made their falling out even more profound.

[MikaelNovasun]

I loved this issue. What Laura says about the whole CW2 conflict and Ulysses was great.