The X-Men’s toughest member Wolverine manifested his mutant powers, he was a frail boy... and his life was tormented by a man named Cookie.
Born in the late nineteenth century, James Howlett was forced to flee his home with his friend Rose, after he accidentally killed his birth father with his newly-formed claws. Finding their way to a Canadian rock quarry camp, James soon encountered his first real nemesis: the camp’s sadistic cook, Cookie Malone. And despite not having any superhuman powers, Cookie managed to hurt James (now calling himself “Logan” to hide his true identity) in a way no other villain has ever been able to harm the mutant.
Like all bullies, Cookie gained power over the young Logan by attacking him emotionally – leaving a scar even Wolverine’s mutant healing couldn’t erase.
How a Regular Bully Managed to Terrify Wolverine
Considering Logan had already gained his mutant abilities when he first met Cookie, it seems strange that the man could hold any real power over a young Wolverine. In fact, Cookie was physically weaker than the other men in the camp, who regularly beat him up. This motivated Cookie to target Logan, whom he saw as a weak child he could take advantage of. Unfortunately, Logan, still in shock over the death of his family, submitted to this same belief, and allowed Cookie to torment him for years.
Cookie’s bullying took many forms. Initially, he pretended to be Logan’s friend, helping the boy steady a barrow full of heavy rocks from the quarry, before dumping the barrow over a ledge and making Logan chase after it. Later, he offered a hungry Logan some food but savagely beat him up when Logan tried to take it. Over the years, Logan grew physically stronger – but he remained terrified of Cookie due to the cook’s emotional abuse and kept letting the obese man beat him up. Logan finally managed to stand up to Cookie when the bully sabotaged the quarry, killing several men in a rock slide. Furious, Logan tracked down Cookie and found him ransacking the dead men’s rooms for valuables. Finally overcoming his fear, Logan easily beat up the cook. But that only made Cookie attack Logan in a different way...
How Cookie Left a Lasting Scar on Logan
During her entire time with Logan, his friend Rose had been keeping a diary of their experiences. Realizing that his trauma was making Logan block out many of his painful memories, Rose kept her diary as much for Logan as for herself – hoping he would some day read it and learn about his past. At the story’s climax, however, Rose got caught in a fight between Logan and Dog, another old enemy who had tracked them down to the camp. In the process, Logan accidentally stabbed Rose with his claws. Horrified by what he had done, Logan ran away, his mutant healing power erasing these traumatic memories until he was completely amnesic.
In the aftermath, Cookie ransacked Logan and Rose’s cabin. When he found Rose’s diary containing Logan’s entire history, he callously threw it into the fire – destroying any hope Logan had of recovering his lost years. Although Wolverine would recover his memories a century later after House of M, Cookie’s final act doomed Logan to decades of not knowing who he was or where he came from.
How Cookie Shaped Wolverine’s Stance Against Bullies
While Logan may have been unable to the actual events of his past, his experiences still influenced his personality. The hardship he experienced at the camp gave him a rough demeanor. His affection for his red haired first love Rose gave him a preference for similarly redheaded women like Jean Grey. And the trauma he endured from being tormented by Cookie gave him a very firm stance against bullies.
Despite Wolverine’s reputation as a dangerous killer, he consistently shows a soft spot for victims of bullying and children. Comic book and movie storylines regularly show Wolverine being a protector and mentor for young mutants like Rogue, Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, and his own daughter Laura, who feel as lost as young James Howlett did during his formative years. He may have not had clear memories for most of his life, but Wolverine’s experiences with Cookie still left him with an instinctive hatred for bullies – and a need to protect their victims.
