Wolverine is the best there is at what he does. What he does is up to interpretation, of course, as he’s done just about everything the Marvel Universe has to offer since his 1974 debut. Wolverine has had a storied history, one that saw him rise from obscurity to the very heights of the comic industry, becoming one of the most popular and well-known comic characters on the planet.
One of the great things about Wolverine is that he’s been allowed to change much more than almost any other big-name comic character. Over the years, many great Wolverine stories have come out and redefined the character, making the best there is that much better.
10 Giant-Size X-Men #1 Put Him On The Road To Stardom
An argument can be made that Giant-Size X-Men #1, by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, is the most important Marvel comic ever. It introduced the incarnation of the X-Men that would soon basically run the comic industry and saved the team from obscurity. It also set Wolverine on his road to mega-stardom.
Wolverine’s role in the X-Men has become synonymous with the character. Even when he’s a member of other teams- which is often- he’s still an X-Man to his core. His inaugural outing with the team is a pivotal moment in his existence.
9 New Avengers #5 Finally Saw Him Join The Avengers
Wolverine was always the most well-connected member of the X-Men but his relationships with some of Marvel’s bigger heroes weren’t always the best. His proclivity for violence and surly nature made many heroes not want to associate closely with him and no one ever thought he’d ever join the Avengers. Until New Avengers #5, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Finch, came along.
In the Savage Land to investigate strange goings-on there at the same time as the Avengers, Wolverine is captured along with the team and helps them break out. Later, Iron Man talks Cap into inviting Wolverine to the team in order to take care of things in ways the Avengers traditionally wouldn’t. Wolverine would serve with the Avengers for years, further cementing his place at the center of the Marvel Universe.
8 Wolverine #1 (2019) Introduced Readers To A Happy Wolverine
The Krakoa era of X-Men titles has seen a lot of changes and Wolverine himself went through a profound one. Mutants had a home, power, and security like they never had before. Wolverine was happy finally for the first time in years and that’s where readers found him in Wolverine #1 (2019), by writer Benjamin Percy and artists Adam Kubert and Victor Bogdanovic.
Instead of fighting for an ideal, Wolverine was finally fighting for something material and his people, after years of tribulations, finally had what they’d always needed. After years of anxiety over what seemed like the forthcoming death of mutantkind, Wolverine could stop worrying and fight for a tangible future.
7 Wolverine And The X-Men #1 Saw Him Taking On More Responsibility Than Ever
Wolverine was the ultimate loner. While that changed over the years, it was hard to see him as the leader type but that too would shift as the years went by. In the Utopia era of the X-Men, he was given control of X-Force and excelled as the black ops group’s leader. Eventually, he and Cyclops had a violent falling out and he left the mutant island to form his own school.
Wolverine And The X-Men #1, by writer Jason Aaron and artist Chris Bachalo, introduced Wolverine as a leader, as he was not only headmaster of his own mutant school but also the leader of the X-Men. He had always been one of the team’s most important members but becoming a leader took him to the next level.
6 Wolverine Origins #10 Introduced Daken
Wolverine has lived a long life and fans always figured he had children out there somewhere. However, they never thought they’d be introduced to one the way they were in Wolverine: Origins #10, by writer Daniel Way and artist Steve Dillon. This was Akihiro’s, the man known as Daken, first appearance, showing up to slit his trapped father’s throat.
Akihiro became an important part of his father’s life, taking his place among Wolverine’s fiercest enemies. Their fierce battles changed both men forever, with Wolverine eventually drowning his son. Daken’s since come back to life and they’ve reconciled.
5 Uncanny X-Men #212 Began Wolverine’s Rivalry With Sabretooth In Earnest
Wolverine’s most iconic rivalry is with Sabretooth. They’ve had many bloody clashes over the years and their history together is long, complex, and painful. All of it started with Uncanny X-Men #212, by writer Chris Claremont and artist Rick Leonardi. It was the first time the two ever battled and fans loved it, leading to the two’s storied conflict.
One can argue that Wolverine wasn’t truly Wolverine until this first battle with Sabretooth. He went from a character who fought the X-Men’s enemies to someone with his own foes. This helped him reach the next level and led to years of stories starring the two.
4 Wolverine #100 Transformed Him Into An Animal
Wolverine has been through a lot of changes over the years but one of the biggest came in Wolverine #100, by writer Larry Hama and artist Adam Kubert. In the run-up to the issue, it was revealed that Wolverine’s recently-removed adamantium had been holding back his mutation and he was becoming more feral. This issue saw him make that transition, as he resisted an attempt by Genesis to have his adamantium restored at the cost of his free will.
This issue introduced the noseless bestial Wolverine. It lasted a few years but Marvel never really seemed to want to commit to the storyline long-term, so it ended before it really got going.
3 Wolverine #75 Kicked Off The Bone Claw Years
The loss of Wolverine’s adamantium in X-Men #25 was a huge change but the best was yet to come. Wolverine #75, by writer Larry Hama and artist Adam Kubert, saw the aftermath of that event and revealed that Wolverine’s claws were bone and part of his mutation, not given to him by Weapon X.
This kicked off Wolverine’s bone claw years, an interesting era in the character’s development. His healing factor was weakened and his claws could no longer cut through anything. He had to relearn how to fight and his stories actually improved as a result.
2 Origin Finally Told The Story Of Wolverine’s Early Years
Everyone knew Wolverine was one of the most dangerous mutants on the planet but no one knew where he came from. His origin was obfuscated in many ways over the years, with revelations explained away as memory implants or various mental manipulations. All of that would change with Origin, by writer Paul Jenkins and artist Andy Kubert.
Origin finally told readers the truth, introducing them to sickly James Howlett, his nurse Rose, and Dog, the son of the Howlett family groundskeeper. What followed was a tragic tale that would clue readers in on facets of Wolverine they’d always wondered about.
1 Weapon X Told The Story Of Wolverine’s Adamantium
Wolverine’s adamantium is his most iconic feature and for years, fans wondered how he got it. That was answered in Weapon X, by writer/artist Barry Windsor-Smith. For years, it was the clearest glimpse into Wolverine’s origin and is still a highpoint of the character’s publication history, a story every fan should read.
It opened up massive story potential, introducing the organization that would play a huge role in Wolverine’s future. It has an indelible place in Wolverine’s history and changed the way fans looked at him forever.
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