When did Wolverine really become popular?? 2 2

[VintageComics]

Since Marvel gave that story to Miller to draw (who was at the top of his game)

 

nah, that was not Miller's peak.

 

If by the top, you mean artistically, that period would really begin with DKR and end with 300, so roughly 87-2000 (damn my horrible memory).

 

if by the top, you mean in terms of clout, that would be roughly the same time period.

 

When Miller did Wolverine LS, his star was still rising.

 

Well I didn't mean he'd peaked but he was definately at the top of his game. He was doing covers for Marvel and I was all gaga for anything Miller so he had a strong following already.

 

GCD is down for me so I can't check.

 

Does anyone remember the time line of DD #158-191, Wolverine Mini #1-4 and X-men #108-141?

 

R.

 

 

[MR.COMICBOOK]

Since Marvel gave that story to Miller to draw (who was at the top of his game)

 

nah, that was not Miller's peak.

 

If by the top, you mean artistically, that period would really begin with DKR and end with 300, so roughly 87-2000 (damn my horrible memory).

 

if by the top, you mean in terms of clout, that would be roughly the same time period.

 

When Miller did Wolverine LS, his star was still rising.

 

Well I didn't mean he'd peaked but he was definately at the top of his game. He was doing covers for Marvel and I was all gaga for anything Miller so he had a strong following already.

 

GCD is down for me so I can't check.

 

Does anyone remember the time line of DD #158-191, Wolverine Mini #1-4 and X-men #108-141?

 

R.

 

late 1970`s to early 1982 or 1983.I was a kid reading that stuff,saying to myself this is better than cable tv. .

[Ogami]

Since Marvel gave that story to Miller to draw (who was at the top of his game)

 

nah, that was not Miller's peak.

 

If by the top, you mean artistically, that period would really begin with DKR and end with 300, so roughly 87-2000 (damn my horrible memory).

 

if by the top, you mean in terms of clout, that would be roughly the same time period.

 

When Miller did Wolverine LS, his star was still rising.

 

Well I didn't mean he'd peaked but he was definately at the top of his game. He was doing covers for Marvel and I was all gaga for anything Miller so he had a strong following already.

 

GCD is down for me so I can't check.

 

Does anyone remember the time line of DD #158-191, Wolverine Mini #1-4 and X-men #108-141?

 

R.

 

 

well, when I think, "top of his game", I think peak prowess, and he was still definitely developing his artisitc style.

 

IIRC, Wovlerine followed his DD run and his PPSSM run.

 

I think he hit stride around 85-88 with what most would call his classic linework.

 

I think he complely revamped himself with his use of black and white imagery in the early nineties.

 

Miller has three distinct artistic phases.

 

70's-81 (roughly) Clasic Marvel bullpen style His early DC work as well, is a nice thin line, but nothing to have him as a stand out.

 

82-91 (roughly) The definitive Miller for most people. Agressive line work, dynamic poses, desing oriented panel placement (he was studying design, graphic artists, and reviewing Eisner's use of panel placement during this period). He completely breathed new life into DD and his earliest issues are a dramatic departure from what had been done before.

 

91-now. His use of black ink and of positive and negative space, his willingness to give away realism for symbolism and and emotional response, are what mark this period. Like Tiger Woods shanging up his grip after winning 5 Majors (numbers made up, I follow Woods tangentialy), Miller changed up his style, after being wildly successful for a good solid decade.

 

(my avatar, in my humble opinion, shows Miller mid peak of his second phase-his twelve covers to LW&C).

 

 

this isn't really a disagreement, Roy. We're just hammering out usage of terms.

[Ogami]

sorry for all the spelling errors. typing with passion!!!

[VintageComics]

I agree in that we're not disagreeing.

 

In fact I agree in everything that you've said.

 

I just want to point out that by the time 1982 rolled around he was like a steam roller in the industry...he had the midas touch and most believed evreything he touched turned to gold...so to get back on track, yes he definately put Wolverine on the map.

 

 

R.

 

 

[joe_collector]

Earlier than all of these responses.

 

Incredible Hulk 181 was a "key" book that was not available from back issue stores as early as 1978, so there's that as well.

 

The first time I took notice of Wolverine was in 1977, in Iron Fist 15 - that book was killer and one of the great Wolverine fights to date. That and X-Men 109, with a bit of his past being revealed, was also a nice touch, as were X-Men 120-121 with his return to Canada.

 

But if we're talking about the mass market, then it's later than that.

[FlyingDonut]

Earlier than all of these responses.

 

Incredible Hulk 181 was a "key" book that was not available from back issue stores as early as 1978, so there's that as well.

 

The first time I took notice of Wolverine was in 1977, in Iron Fist 15 - that book was killer and one of the great Wolverine fights to date. That and X-Men 109, with a bit of his past being revealed, was also a nice touch, as were X-Men 120-121 with his return to Canada.

 

But if we're talking about the mass market, then it's later than that.

 

I think the Sauron issues, the Savage Land storyline, is where he really took off. I'd love to get the Comic Reader or other "fan favorite" things from the late 70s/early 80s lists.

[valiantman]

According to some, Wolverine became popular immediately after Hulk #180.

 

http://thatsmyskull.blogspot.com/2006/06/wolverine-conspiracy.html

[the blob]

wolvie was already big by the time the mini came out. we were all eagerly anticipating it. miller isn't the only reasons a zillion of them were pritned.

 

i'd say the hellfire club issues in the 130s might have put him over the top popularity-wise as has been pointed out with his solo splice and dice act. of course, that's from the perspective of a kid, but me and my friends and my older brother thought he was pretty cool by then.....and obviously he was cool enough to be the star in the "future past" books a few issues later

 

as for miller, at the time of the DD Mini and I guess Ronin came out like a year later? he was the sh*t, maybe even surpassing Byrne in terms of popularity at the time. actually, around then it seemed like Byrne was getting a little tired ... doing 800 issues of FF probably didn't help.

 

 

[VintageComics]

So when did X-men #133 and Wolverine Mini #1 come out in relation to one another? That is a big factor in decided who made who.

 

R.

 

 

[chromium]

The two most important issues in Wolverine's growth in popularity were X-Men 133 and the Wolverine Mini Series.

 

As many of you probably know, Wolverine was an also-ran in the early X-Men run, and the writers were decided which of the duplicate anti-social wild-child characters to kill off in X-Men 95 - Thunderbird or Wolverine.

 

Didn't you have an article on your website about the issue where it became clear that Wolverine's claws came from inside his hand and not from inside his glove ? I seem to remember you talking about that being a watershed moment where he took off...

[joe_collector]

So when did X-men #133 and Wolverine Mini #1 come out in relation to one another? That is a big factor in decided who made who.

 

X-Men 133 was obviously first, but they all led to the same outcome, Wolverine Mini #1, which put a semi-popular character way over the top.

[Ogami]

personally, I think it was a culmination of Miller's work that "almost" made him. PPSSM, DD, WLS.....

 

but that Ronin "made" him.

 

 

this is fairly subjective. for many, his DD run was enough.

 

 

edited- I thought Roy was asking about Miller being made, but now, i realise that the orginal question, Wolverine being made is being asked.

 

ignore the Miller stalker in the corner.

Edited January 27, 2009 by noljoner

[joe_collector]

The two most important issues in Wolverine's growth in popularity were X-Men 133 and the Wolverine Mini Series.

 

As many of you probably know, Wolverine was an also-ran in the early X-Men run, and the writers were decided which of the duplicate anti-social wild-child characters to kill off in X-Men 95 - Thunderbird or Wolverine.

 

Didn't you have an article on your website about the issue where it became clear that Wolverine's claws came from inside his hand and not from inside his glove ? I seem to remember you talking about that being a watershed moment where he took off...

 

Yes, that was a "whoa!" moment in the life of Wolverine.

 

Here's some that I remember being watershed moments, and I posted these before in another Wolvie thread:

[joe_collector]

Some more:

[joe_collector]

Even more:

[THE_BEYONDER]

So when did X-men #133 and Wolverine Mini #1 come out in relation to one another? That is a big factor in decided who made who.

 

R.

 

 

If not for Byrne....Wolvy would have been killed off by Cockrum & Claremont. Both of them viewed Wolverine as 'comedy relief' (as witnessed in X-Men 108 when he got punched into orbit )

 

Wolverine is popular today because John Byrne took a liking to the character.

[joe_collector]

And the infamous X-Men 133:

[Sir Ped of Ro]

 

Wow, great to "re'live" those stories/panels...indeed those were the days!

Feeling old looking at those...how marvel has gone down the drain in the "new century".

 

regards

[Ogami]

man, seeing all those clips in one place, makes you remember why Wolvie was such the man.

 

He really is one of the first Marvel Mary Sues. (DC had Supes decades earlier). And I mean that with all due affection.

 

What kid wouldn't like a guy with little in the way of social graces, a cigar smoker, who can have unbreakable metal claws extend from his hands, read Japanese, talk with cats, tear apart damned near anything and anybody?