Wolverine has become one of the most popular characters in comics, and it’s all because of the 1980s. No one who saw his 1974 debut in The Incredible Hulk #181 would have figured that he’d vault over characters like Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk himself, and DC’s legends in popularity, but because of the ’80s, he became more popular than nearly every other hero and villain out there. Logan’s first full decade in existence changed the character forever; there’s a huge difference between the Wolverine of January 1980 and the one at the end of the decade. The ’80s fashioned the character into the star he is today.
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Looking back over the decade of excess, there are lots of amazing moments starring the ol’Canucklehead. However, some of those moments are more important than others and would become the events that helped define who the hero would be. These five ’80s Wolverine moments defined who the hero was, leading to him becoming the superstar he is today.
5) Wolverine (Vol. 2) #10
Wolverine has starred in amazing comics, and one of the best of them was Wolverine (Vol. 2) #10, by Chris Claremont, John Buscema, and Bill Sienkiewicz. This story was set in the modern day and the past, both time periods concentrating on Wolverine’s birthday, telling the story of Logan and Victor Creed’s first fight. This was one of the biggest reveals of the hero’s history, showing us his life in what looks 19th century Canada. People had wanted to learn more about the history of Wolverine, and this issue was a huge step in that direction. Plus, the battle between the two, lovingly rendered by Buscema and Sienkiewicz, is one of the coolest Wolverine fights of all time.
4) First Fight with Sabretooth
Wolverine is known for his brutal fights, and those with Sabretooth have always been some of his best. The two of them have become one of Marvel’s greatest rivalries, and all of that started with Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #212-213. Sabretooth was a member of the Marauders during “Mutant Massacre” and followed a wounded Psylocke back to the X-Mansion with Wolverine in pursuit, leading to the first fight between Logan and Victor that readers ever saw. It’s one of those seminal moments in Marvel history, one that changed the trajectory of Wolverine in the years to come. Plus, issue #213 is drawn by Alan Davis, an artist who would put out some of the best-looking Wolverine comics ever like Wolverine: Bloodlust, and as the main artist of Wolverine (Vol. 5) #1-13.
3) Wolverine (Vol. 2) #1
The ’80s saw Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont craft Wolverine into the most popular character of the decade, and all of that came to a culmination with 1988’s Wolverine (Vol. 2) #1. This was the hero’s first ongoing series, with Claremont and John Buscema as the creative team for nine of the first ten issues. This book introduced fans to Madripoor, fleshing out more of Logan’s past than ever, and would begin a story that introduced the Murasama Blade to the character’s mythos. For 38 years now, the ol’Canucklehead has had been having regular solo adventures all because of this amazing issue. It changed the character’s place in the comic industry forever.
2) Wolverine and Mariko Yashida’s Wedding
Wolverine met Mariko Yashida in 1979’s X-Men (Vol. 1) #118. The two of them started a relationship, one that softened the hero immensely and led, inexorably, to one of the most tragic occasions in Wolverine’s existence at the time. Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #172, by Chris Claremont and Paul Smith, saw the couple inviting the team to Japan for their wedding, one which is ruined by the machinations of Viper, Silver Samurai, and Mastermind, with the mind-controlling mutant forcing Mariko to end the engagement. This was a huge moment in the history of the ol’Canucklehead and changed him for years to come.
1) Wolverine (Vol. 1) #1-4
Wolverine kept becoming more and more popular as the ’70s ended and the ’80s dawned, and the most important moment of the decade for the hero would come in 1982. Chris Claremont and Frank Miller teamed together to give the mutant his first solo outing in Wolverine (Vol. 1) #1-4, which saw the mutant go to Japan to save his girlfriend, Mariko, from the abusive husband her Yakuza boss father made her marry. This series isn’t just one of the best Wolverine stories ever; it’s one of the best Marvel series of the ’80s. Its success meant that the publisher would give the character more solo adventures in miniseries, one-shots, and Uncanny X-Men. Wolverine is a star because of this miniseries.
What are your favorite ’80s Wolverine moments? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
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