Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here…This week we have the next chapter of the Deathloks in ‘Wolverine: Weapon X’.  Hope you enjoy it.

Wolverine Weapon X #12 (preview)
Writer: Jason Aaron
Penciler: Ron Garney

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with resistance members entering their base in the future. They are led by Commander Miranda Bayer. The squad reports that they were too late and another hero has fallen, this time the Punisher. There is no time to rest, however, as there is an indication that the corporation is making a time jump and the team needs to be there. Their general will not go but the future version of Logan is going to go along despite being without hands.

Back in the present, Wolverine is confronting the young Miranda who reveals she is having visions of the future and knows the Deathloks’ next target. It is Captain America, but not Steve Rogers. Meanwhile, Bucky is enjoying a quiet drink when he is attacked by the cyborgs. They blast the entire area but the new Cap manages to escape through the floor and into the subway tunnels.

Back in the future, Logan and Miranda breech the perimeter of the base. In the present, Logan finds where Bucky is and joins the fight just in time to keep Cap from being shot. The cyborg Logan cuts, heals and blasts through Wolverine’s torso. Another one confronts Miranda but is not able to kill her with its current programming. In fact it acts very strangely until she is pulled away by a young boy who is one of her soldiers in the future. Bucky shoots one of the Deathloks in the head and it stays down giving the group a moment to recover.

In the future, the squad makes it to the portal but it is well guarded. Logan attacks it alone and is taken out, his flesh burned from his bones with acid. His sacrifice buys time though and Miranda readies the explosives and they charge the Deathloks to take out the machine.

MY TAKE: I mostly enjoyed this issue, it is nice to have at least one comic every month where Wolverine is showed some respect  and that actually feels like an accurate portrayal. I have never really been a fan of Deathlok and there is not too much here to change my mind, but it is still an interesting take. If nothing else, I like the fact that Logan and Bucky have a strong and legitimate threat to face that is not the same old villains we have seen a hundred times before.

The plot, however, is not very original. The assassin from the future is a very overdone story as is the girl that knows everything. Still that does not mean it is not entertaining. The plot is well written and there are enough interesting twists to keep things from being too cliche. Having Bucky be the Captain America that is at risk was very surprising after last issue. Everything pointed to Steve Rogers but I think that Bucky actually works better for this type of story.

The characters are well done, as usual, but there is not a lot of development with the exception of the new character, Miranda. I would have preferred to see some different established characters in the future rather then another new creation but I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. I am very tired of seeing alternate versions of Wolverine, however, and the death of Logan has been done so many times that it is starting to annoy me. Especially in this case, as no explanation is given as to how or why Wolverine lost his hands and he is killed very quickly. There are very few things that can destroy adamantium, certainly not lasers or the acid that the Deathloks wield. Also, not having hands  seems basically as if it is pandering to the Age of Apocalypse.

Overall the issue was very good though. I generally enjoy alternate universes and and bleak futures are normally fun to explore. The idea of a corporation running everything is not too far fetched and it is nice to see ordinary people standing up to those in power and trying to help the heroes. I am still not quite sure where the plot is going, but if nothing else it has enough action to be a fast paced and exciting read. I would just prefer to see a more established supporting cast. There are so many great characters languishing in limbo that I find it hard to care about new ones. Yet I am enjoying the arc and looking forward to seeing how it all plays out in the remaining issues.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.