Wolverine has always been one of Marvel’s grittier heroes. In fact, the darker, edgier tone of Logan’s character may be why he is so beloved by the masses... but it's also what makes him very misunderstood by the very comic and movie fans who adore him.
Wolverine: Black, White, and Blood is a new series from Marvel by various writers, including Matthew Rosenberg, Chris Claremont, and Oscar winner John Ridley. Each issue contains three separate stories, linked only by Logan as the protagonist. True to its title, the series is drawn in black and white - save for the blood, which is scarlet red. This illustration style visually emphasizes just how bloody Wolverine’s battles can get, connecting to a long-standing misconception that deep down, Logan is no more than a savage animal. However, Wolverine: Black, White, and Blood #2 shows Logan is capable of putting his rage aside to help others.
In the first story of the issue, Wolverine lets his bloodthirsty archnemesis Sabretooth escape, instead choosing to save the life of a doctor researching a “cure” for the mutant x-gene. Logan knows the doctor has no love for his kind, and his work could cause trouble for mutants. Still, his moral com urges him to save the doctor's life. In the issue's second story, Logan is captured by longtime X-Men villain Arcade, who also holds another hostage. To save the captive, Wolverine needs to ascend a gauntlet of fighting robots before molten liquid is poured into the hostage’s cage. However, every time Wolverine kills one of the robots, the timer counts down slightly faster
“Maybe you can make it... without leaving a trail of bodies,” Arcade its, “but I wouldn’t put my money on it. You’re an animal.” Arcade banks on Logan giving into rage and brute-forcing his way up, and he nearly does. “Without even meaning to, I smash two of the things,” Logan says, "Cause when I’m up against the wall, the animal comes right out.” However, Wolverine knows an innocent man’s life is at stake, so he keeps on. But it isn't an animalistic drive that fuels him.
The third and final story of the issue pits Logan and the Wolverine's powers, Logan faces Soulscream in hand to hand combat, showing off his martial arts skills. The finesse with which Logan handles his opponent goes against how most people view his character. Rather than fly into a rage and slice Soulscream to pieces, Wolverine gracefully dodges his attacks and delivers a single killing blow.
Logan often says, “I’m the best there is at what I do, but what I do isn’t very nice.” After all, Weapon X kept Wolverine prisoner and turned him into the most efficient killer on Earth. To an extent, fans love seeing Wolverine go berserk, but it’s his restraint that makes him interesting. In the first story of the issue, Sabretooth calls Logan a dog for doing Xavier’s bidding, when in reality, Sabretooth is the animal, driven only by bloodlust and vengeance. Wolverine, on the other hand, has much more humanity than people give him credit for.
