Wolverine (2003) #45

I am starting to understand why Marvel's recent output has faced so much criticism. I have read material from several decades now and it seems that anything I read that was published in the current millennium is largely crap. That applies to Wolverine #45 though it does have one redeeming quality.

Humberto Ramos' art is not it. I'm sure he has his fans, and he's certainly built a solid career for himself, but his exaggerated facial expressions and physiques is not to my personal taste.

Let's catch up here.

It bears pointing out that Namorita, Namor's cousin, is believed to be among the dead. Otherwise, while the hell would anyone in Atlantis care? I spent half the issue asking myself that very question until Namor blurted it out.

We go through Wolverine's tedious "I'm the best at what I do" routine just in time for him to get punched in the face.

Is he naked again? Why is he naked so damn often? Is that what he does best?

Wolverine takes the first round by sticking all six of his claws through Namor's chest. If Logan weren't so clueless about Atlantean anatomy, Namor would be dead because apparently Wolverine managed to miss all major organs. Six times. The best at what he does. We'll just assume he knew that and that it was NOT attempted homicide then. Or regicide, for that matter.

While Wolverine is dispatching the Atlantean sleeper agents, Namor recovers and ends the fight with a well-placed punch. Nitro is taken to Atlantis. Wolverine still feels responsible for protecting him though so he calls in some help and follows.

That is Wolverine is an one-size-fits-all borrowed Iron Man armour. He's able to pop his claws from that thing and everything.

And here we have the shining moment in this book. When Iron-Wolverine threatens to kill an Atlantean woman to recover Nitro and stay true to his word to protect that villain, Namor pretty much spells out his idiocy to him.

Wolverine actually concedes to this reasoning and leaves the Atlanteans to deal with Nitro. Namor catches up with Logan later in some pub to share the results of their interrogation of Nitro.

There are so many nonsensical decisions made here that it's difficult to get into the book. Each side should easily be able to grasp why the other has an interest in Nitro. Neither guy is known for level-headedness, granted, but the whole thing could, and should, have been talked out. This book feels like editorially-forced filler.