Old Man Logan #32

SCARLET SAMURAI pt II

Written by Ed Brisson
Penciled by Mike Deodato Jr
Cover by Mike Deodato Jr
Published Dec 20, 2017

   Sometime in the past, Gorgon performs a Hand ritual on a recovered body. As commanded, she rises from the slab, ready for war. Meanwhile in modern day Tokyo, Logan approaches the widow of the scientist who'd been engineering Reginix for the Yashida Corporation. They arrange to meet later discuss. 

I know you've been through a lot, but why not take a moment to meet up with this total stranger.

   Back at the Yashida building, Gorgon and his lackeys walk in and send the engineers home. The keep one on hand though, and order him to fetch the Reginix. He injects one of the Hand soldiers, with Gorgon later slicing him with a katana and noting the body regenerates. With demands he inject the rest of the soldiers, the boss is approached with news of a problem.

Houston, we have a Wolverine problem.

   At the Paris Bar, Logan meets with Asami and she gives him the story of how her husband had been conned into stealing Regenix from Shingen and selling it to the Crazy Thunder Clan. Her story is interrupted though by Gorgon and a horde of Hand soldiers. As they stab the widow, Logan charges but is sliced by Gorgon's newest initiate, the Scarlet Samarai. He notices a smell though. Death, dirt, decay... but cherry blossoms, rosewater. Who is this mystery ninja at Gorgon's disposal?

There's just something about this ninja... I can't quite place it.

   As the fight intensifies, Logan realizes that the Hand is using Regenix. She slices his hand off like his adamantium bones are nothing and he slowly begins to understand this is no ordinary fight. Meanwhile Shingen wakes up in a garbage compactor. He armors up into the Silver Samurai and kills a janitor. But speaking of Samurai's, Gorgon demands his soldier remove her helmet. Logan braces. He knows who's under the cowl. But there before him stands his long lost love Mariko, with sword drawn and ready to strike. How will he retaliate against one of his longest enemies armed against the woman he loves? We'll have to wait as this issue is left to be continued.

SURPRISE!!!

   As I mentioned a few days ago, Ed Brisson has been doing some outstanding work lately... not only in the pages of Cable, but especially in this book. As I mentioned then, he's also been working on Iron Fist, and if these two books can get any better, I may have to include that one in the books I review. As usual, these characters are layered and complex, built to show off not only where Brisson can take them, but proof he obviously knows where they came from. I give this one an 8/10.

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Old Man Logan #31

SCARLET SAMURAI pt I

Written by Ed Brisson
Penciled by Mike Deodato Jr.
Cover by Mukesh Singh
Published Nov 29, 2017

   Old Man Logan walks the streets of Tokyo when he stumbles upon a gang throwing someone through a bar window. He offers to buy a round if they let him go but instead they attack him, resulting in him slicing one of their arms off. If that wasn't alarming enough, the limb regenerates. Realizing it's gonna take some elbow grease, he knocks one of them out and persuades another to spill his guts.

Just need some extra coaching.

   Across town, a technician rebuffs the others from trying to get him to take a break. Once they're gone he steals some vials, but only makes it to the parking garage before his boss confronts him. He demands to know who the stolen goods are for. As the Silver Samurai holds him over the ledge, he confesses it was for Kenji Alzone of the Crazy Thunder Clan, before falling to his death.
   Logan walks towards the Clan's warehouse. As Kenji loudly complains that the vials of the experimental drugs aren't showing up, the future X-Man walks in and tells him that these substances don't need to be on the streets. Obviously this news is not well received, and as Logan tears into them, he realizes that being they're in a freezer, their limbs seem to not be regenerating as quickly. 

These guys clearly don't see things Logan's way.

Finally he gets the upperhand, and with claws to Kenji's neck learns that it's from a man called Touko Kenmochi.
   Meanwhile at the Yashida Corp, Touko is disturbed from a business call as the Hand scale his tower. They attack and he arrogantly takes them out while talking about how easy it is. This time though, he's joined by Gorgon, the Hand's leader. The Silver Samurai uses his powers to defeat all of them, but fails to realize one more still waits in the shadows. 

Was that so hard?!

Their invasion was all meant as a distraction, as he's impaled through the back. The Scarlet Samurai tells the dying Touku that Clan Yahsida is now in her capable hands. What will happen next? We'll have to wait to find out as this issue is left to be continued.
   So finally, Old Man Logan get's his own taste of the Legacy treatment, and it's of course, a doozy. Ed Brisson shows us that he knows how to mold an old character in new and interesting ways, bringing Wolverine back to his Frank Miller inspired Japanese past. I've always been a fan of this characters past exploits there, and this new tale looks to have all the layers and weaponry it needs to be another great story. I've also read interviews alluding to the Scarlet Samurai being someone important from Logan's past. I can't wait to see who it could be. For this one, I give it a 9/10.

If you like this review, check out my video of it HERE.

You can also buy my physical copy of this book HERE.

Like comics? Check out my ebay wares HERE

Follow me at facebook, twitter, or instagram as well.