Marvel’s Wolverine Joins The Nova Corps

The intergalactic Nova Corps can now add Wolverine to its list of esteemed members. While Logan is famously known as one of the most popular members of the X-Men, he’s also been an Avenger alongside Spider-Man when Brian Michael Bendis rebooted Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. As for Nova, some of the mantle’s most popular characters are Richard Rider and Sam Alexander. But one good thing about alternate timelines is they allow creators to examine characters under a different lens, and that’s what is taking place with Marvel’s 2099 future timeline. The latest event brings back the Annihilation title while also giving Wolverine a new moniker and mission statement.

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Annihilation 2099 #1. Continue reading at your own risk.

Annihilation 2099 #1 comes from the creative team of Steve Orlando, Ibraim Roberson, Neeraj Menon, Dale Eaglesham, Raúl Angulo, and VC’s Cory Petit. The issue doesn’t really hide the fact that Wolverine is playing the part of Nova 2099, with his internal dialogue referencing a healing factor and his general physical appearance. Logan is the last Nova Corpsman in the cosmos, with the full power of the Nova Force at his disposal. And he is forced to use it against a gang of Knull followers. 

The outlaws ride into a city feasting on the innocent citizens until Wolverine steps in. Just as it looks like they’d killed Wolverine, his healing factor kicks in and he uses his Adamantium claws to slice the head off the Knull set’s leader, Murk. Logan then uses the Nova Force to obliterate the remaining symbiotes. Instead of sticking around for congratulations from one of the local bartenders, Wolverine as Nova flies off to continue roaming the stars.

How did Wolverine become Nova?

While the logistics of why Wolverine ended up on Xandar are blurry, we do know it involved losing an eye and an arm in a fight with Hulks. The wounds Wolverine suffered weren’t healing, and the Nova Corps said they’d help. The galactic police force was starting a new program that infused living cells with the Nova Force, and Logan was their first lab rat. Instead of merely having 37 trillion cells in his body, Wolverine had 37 trillion tiny suns under his skin.

Before they could get to Phase Two, exo-parasites attacked Xandar looking to feast on the Nova Force. The exo-parasites infected every single person on Xandar except for Wolverine, who was forced to kill them before the alien infection spread across the galaxy. Wolverine carries the weight of his actions, and it’s reminiscent of how Old Man Logan mistakenly murdered the X-Men due to the machinations of Mysterio.

Wolverine teams up with Deadpool on the big screen this summer

In Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film also stars Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox, and Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, with the return of Deadpool alums Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Rob Delaney as Peter, and Lewis Tan as Shatterstar. Aaron Stanford is returning as Pyro from the X-Men film series, with Jennifer Garner rumored to return as Elektra Natchios. 

Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey and Simon Kinberg serving as executive producers. Deadpool & Wolverine is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy. Deadpool & Wolverine will be released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.