2002 was an exciting year. X-Men the movie had just come out the summer before. Wolverine was a hot property. Plus the yellow spandex was ditched for the black leather jacket. This three story issue arch was called Stay Alive. This story was not the best Wolverine story ever, but I’ve never heard of the writer, Frank Tieri. That doesn’t mean much in the comic world. Writers come and go in the comic industry. This story is a nice little adventure in Canada. Wolverine is looking for a bad guy who messed him up in previously. Instead he stops in a diner and sees some crazy guy eat all these people on a live reality show. The guy turns out to be Mauvais, an immortal French wizard who happens to be a cannibal too. Mauvais is going all crazy to unleash a Wendigo. Wolverine has to fight Mauvais and the Wendigo in issue 171. He’s beat pretty good and then in issue 172 Alpha Flight shows up. Nothing like Canada’s premier superhero team showing up.So let’s get into what makes this story arch good.
The Good: Wolverine in black leather. I love this era. Grant Morrison run on New X-Men was one of my favorite. I love the old look now. I liked that the X-Men were all out of spandex and into leather jackets. They seemed cooler and who’s the coolest X-Men, Wolverine. The second issue in the arch is a “Nuff Said” issue. It was a challenge Marvel did with its comics for one month in 2002. No words were used in the comic, just pictures to tell the story. In issue 172 Sasquatch preforms a fast ball special. I don’t know about you, but I love seeing Wolverine doing a fastball special anytime I can get it. Also Tieri is setting up future stories with Sabertooth watching Omega Red and Lady Deathstrike. You see both of these characters for a second, but no explanation of what is going on with them. I like Omega Red and wish he was the main villain in the story. Also Wolverine has to fight some Polar Bears.
The Bad: Wolverine seems a little depowered in this arch. Mauvais seems like lame villain. He’s a French wizard. Not really that cool in my book. Wolverine has to fight and kill some polar bears. Doesn’t he know they are already in trouble with global warming? Come on Wolverine. Also the story plot from the first issue is just dropped. What ever happened to the guy who wanted to show everyone dying on TV. The TV producer never gets mentioned after he decides to air his reality show as his contestants are being eaten.
Stay Alive was an okay arch, not the best. I liked a lot of things about it, but it was lacking a real villain. French wizards just seem silly to me. Plus the fact that I spent $1.50 for it I would say it was worth it. I had fun seeing Wolverine in his leather jacket. Plus there was a fast ball special in it!
3.5 stars out of 5
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