Old Man Logan #5 Review

After spending some time with the X-Men, Logan departs to handle some personal business. Does he still have the chance to prevent other future tragedies? Find out in your Major Spoilers review of Old Man Logan #5!

Old Man Logan #5
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in Old Man Logan: After unsuccessfully hunting down several key members of the villain uprising, Logan encountered Steve Rogers who showed him that this timeline’s Logan is dead, and that it may not be his past after all. While coming to grips with this revelation, he encounters some very old friends.

VACATION’S OVER

An undetermined amount of time has passed since Old Logan joined up with the X-Men. Before growing too comfortable, he heads out and far north on a personal mission. In Killhorn Falls in the Northwest Territory, Logan settles into a small community and takes up a job. His mission is revealed when he meets a young Maureen, his wife from the far flung future. In a flashback, we learn how Old Logan met Maureen in his timeline, and that she had a rather troubled past. Though he won’t marry her here, he has a chance to prevent her pain. Matters become complicated when a group of baddies show up, looking to hunt the Wolverine.

First of all, I would like to apologize for missing reviewing a few issues of this book, I had a lot to say. I won’t get too much into it, but I will say that the ending of the first arc was rather disappointing for me. I like the X-Men, but I don’t read many X-Men books, and it was frustrating to discover that a story I was so invested in was essentially a prologue to another book I have no interest in reading. While the story was overall strong, it felt like a waste of time. Picking up this issue, I have enough faith in Lemire and co. to continue telling me a good story, but there is still trepidation. I am glad to see that it remains a solo adventure, but they’ve already presented the Chekov’s Gun that will be used to draw other X-Men into the fray.

Unlike previous issues, there is not a lot of action here. It is hard to tell if this is still the savage beast that we have been following thus far, or a much tamer animal. There does feel like there has been some growth in that area, but it will be disappointing if that took place in another book. Regardless, the story does set up for there to be a lot of action coming, with a very 30 Days of Night feel. Everything here is presented very clean and straightforward, setting up the rest of the story as a good first issue should do, but that doesn’t stop it from feeling a little by the numbers. It is as if Lemire had a checklist of things to accomplish in this first issue, and made sure to check them off as he went along. The biggest strength here is the deepening of the original Old Man Logan world. They did it a bit in the first few issues, but they really seem like they’re going to be exploring it quite a bit more. After the reveal of the last issue, I will be interested to see how they can keep this from feeling like just a side story to Extraordinary X-Men.

WHAT THEY DO BEST

Sorrentino and Maiolo continue to do what they do best in this issue, their aesthetic continually adapting to the story as needed. There are some weaker moments, especially at the beginning where Maiolo’s use of browns and reds make X-Haven seem like a dirty and dingy place instead of a realm of safety and security. While this may be a quieter story, there isn’t the usual amount of creativity in panel layout and design that we have seen in other previous ones, making the art feel as par for the course as the writing in places. This is not to say that it is bad. Sorrentino has a consistency to his art that keeps each issue looking great, everything feels purposeful and nothing is out of place. Maiolo uses a broader range of colors to the issue, bringing icy blues and bleak greys that serve as a good backdrop when a girl in a purple coat shows up and needs to stand out. When those few moments of brutality do come out, they splash on the page in only a way these two know how to do. If only every artist and colorist in the business could work with this level of consistency.

THE BOTTOM LINE: CAUTIOUS BUT CURIOUS

I am not happy with the way that the first arc ended, but there was enough good there to keep me from burning the bridge with this book yet. While this issue does not have the big, bombastic flare that the book came on the scene with, there are some really great seeds planted for the possibility of world growth. They have a really great opportunity to explore the world of Old Man Logan beyond what we got all those years ago, and it seems like that might be finally paying off. I am beginning to worry that this won’t remain a solo Logan book, but only time will tell. If you’re a big X-Men fan, then this book will likely delight you and have you looking for more.

[taq_review]

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