The latest installment of ‘Nightcrawler’ doesn’t actually pick up where the last issue stands off but is instead a stand-alone issue that is a tribute to the ‘Death of Wolverine’ story line. Technically Logan hasn’t even been in the ground yet as he’s actually shaking off his mortal coil next week, but I’m sure this all boils down to timing as the fourth issue of ‘Death of Wolverine’ was supposed to be released this week. Oops.
No need to worry on spoilers though! This comic is about Kurt dealing with the loss of his best friend who literally broke into heaven to bring him back to the land of the living. This isn’t about how Wolverine died, but how he lived and will be remembered by his best friend.
Still, Chris Claremont is the perfect author to tackle the impact of Logan’s death on others and there is no better friend to have used than Nightcrawler. Marguerite Bennett helped out on the issue but the script was pure Claremont and it shows, in a great way!
If anything is going to get you sentimental about Wolverine’s death I’m going to say it is this issue. No matter how strong Storm’s issue that reflects on Logan’s death is, I just can’t see it surpassing Claremont’s writing here. This is how I remember the X-Men and the fact that he was able to draw all of the past into the present was just moving.
The scene that has Kurt and all of their friends gathered in one spot, happy again, and what we all know it actually is was heart wrenching. Kurt wants the X-Men to be exactly what so many of us want them to be, friends and family. Not the dysfunctional mess Marvel has turned them into, but the X-Men of the good old days that we could probably never see come to fruition once again.
Art wise we got a great mix of present and even quite a bit of the past. Todd Nauck puts quite a few of our mutants on page in current look and uniform but also gives a ton of tribute to the past in form of memories and danger room simulations. For the flashback scenes he uses a creative way to give all of the original artists credit as well.
‘Nightcrawler’ #7 isn’t moving forward his own comic at all but is purely a ‘Death of Wolverine’ tie-in that you don’t have to be following the main event for. Yes, it is out a week prior to Logan’s death due to scheduling issues but if you are going to pick up any of the comics celebrating the life of Marvel’s most used mutant, this is the comic! This will give every old school X-Men fan a taste of days gone by. The nostalgia is strong in this work and works perfectly, Claremont, I have to thank you for putting together such a perfect send off to Wolverine. I can’t imagine anyone else doing it better.
NIGHTCRAWLER #7
Writer: Chris Claremont, Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Todd Nauck
