Wolverine was initially introduced while battling against the Hulk so it should be no surprise that the time-displaced Maestro will be butting heads with ‘Old Man Logan’ in the upcoming 25th issue. With both the real Hulk and Wolverine dead, though not for long in Logan’s case (possibly prior to June’s Edge of Venomverse event, it is fun to see how writer Ed Brisson is going to weave their future selves into battle with one another. This is a showdown that anyone who had been following Maestro’s continued existence from ‘Hulk: Future Imperfect’ and the inclusion of Old Man Logan on Earth-616 had wanted to happen.
The introduction of Maestro into the book makes Old Man Logan have one very important thought which will easily be a driving motivation for his character:
What makes it immediately interesting for me is that you have these two future versions of big Marvel characters who’ve both seen the world go to pot in similar ways, but have adapted to those changes very differently. For one, the future is nothing but pain and loss; the other, the future is his playground.
Now, they’re both here in the present and about to come face-to-face.
Because Maestro appears to be rolling with his own Hulk Gang, including at least one member that Logan has dealt with before, Logan’s chief concern is that the future that he thought he had been prevented—his own future—may be coming to fruition. Once we learn of Maestro’s plans, it becomes clear that he might not be wrong. It soon becomes a battle between them: one man trying to prevent his future, while another tries to bring his into being.
Maestro has been missing since the ‘Contest of Champions’ so it is hard to wager a guess as to what he might be up to now. However, there are some hints:
When Maestro shows up, he’s a man with a plan. He’s been displaced from his own future and timeline and, for reasons to be explained, can’t go back. He’s now in the mainstream Marvel Universe, present day, but has 100 years of baggage and memories regarding humanity and how they treated him and how they eventually undid themselves. To him, man doesn’t deserve this planet. He’s ruled it—in his timeline anyway—for years just fine and doesn’t see any reason why he can’t do the same again.
So, that’s his goal here. But, he’s not going to come in guns-a-blazing. He’s looking to do this on the low. He’s trying to stay off the radar and play the chess pieces so that man, once again, undoes himself.
This isn’t just setting up a battle between two titans but possibly setting up Maestro as a long term villain in modern continuity. Depending on how this story arc plays out that is. Outside of Maestro though the future he has been fighting to prevent isn’t exactly done with him.
Aside from Maestro being here, we’re going to see a lot of echoes from Logan’s time in the Wasteland. A few familiar faces will be popping up.
I’m curious as to who exactly they have in mind and more importantly, how they’ll end up in the present?
Are you looking forward to an elderly Wolverine going up against Maestro? Share your thoughts below True Believers!
‘Old Man Logan’ #35 will sneak its way into comic shops this June!
Source: Marvel.
Stuart Conover is an author, blogger, and all around geek. When not busy being a father and husband he tries to spend as much time as possible immersed in comic books, science fiction, and horror! Would you like to know more? Follow him on Twitter!
