This is the book every Wolverine fan should be reading. Jason Aaron has been hitting the bullseye with nearly every issue of this title, and this one is by no means an exception. In fact, it may be the best one yet.

Some fanboys have moaned about another future Logan story following so closely after Old Man Logan, but the two are worlds apart in terms of plot. For starters, this one isn't a blatant ripoff of Unforgiven. Secondly the even split between the bleak Deathlok future and present day accelerates the pacing more with each issue, raising the stakes in the process. The opening sequence with the future Peter Parker is beautifully handled, and even though he's only in it for three pages, this badass Spidey blows almost every other future version out of the water. His last words are wonderfully appropriate, and they're only made more befitting by the flawless segue into next scene with the present-day blabbermouth wall crawler.

Aaron cunningly mixes high stakes action with hilarious dialogue. Every one of Spider-Man's lines in this issue just keeps topping the one before, the bickering with Thing becoming the icing on the cake. More importantly, Aaron seems to understand Logan's character inside and out. At first glance, Wolverine may appear to be a simple character to write. He's the cool guy. He walks around with a cigar in his mouth, shreds up the bad guys, and says "bub" a lot. Easy peezy. But cool is not easy, especially when the cool guy's been around for decades and in more titles than any other Marvel character save Spidey. Yet every time he utters a line it registers as precisely what Logan would say in that moment. As if there was nothing else he could say. The moment in this issue where he uses a subway train to behead a Deathlok, and then mumbles to the shocked bystanders "Nobody touch that. I'll be back for it in a minute." is perhaps the best example. We all read characters slightly differently and with different tastes, but every character has an essence that makes them universally unique. Somehow Aaron has the rare ability to tap into that essence, and it makes the read an extremely comfortable and satisfying one. This issue is packed with cameos, and Aaron handles each of the characters with care. This demonstrates that, like much of Geoff Johns' work across the shelf, once you have the character work handled, things like plot loopholes and oversights in continuity become easier to swallow.

The story here is a simple one, but the pace at which Aaron moves it forward is unrelenting, and keeps the reader interested. Aaron makes the Deathloks slightly ridiculous, but at the same time he makes sure they are a force to be reckoned with. The cliffhanger with the upgraded Deathlok at the end of this issue may be the weakest part, but it's enough to keep our heroes on their toes, and (more importantly) enough for us to tune in next time.

Equally deserving of much praise is Ron Garney. His solid pencils make for nearly flawless anatomy and panel to panel transition. His action sequences reminds one of early Frank Miller, showing us different moments of a confrontation with the sense of long intervals in the white spaces between, rather than a step-by-step fight breakdown. This is an effective space saver, and it gives the reader the opportunity to use their imagination and fill in the blanks. Garney's Logan is reminiscent of the Claremont era. Some younger readers may not remember, but there was a time in comics before the X-Films when Wolverine was not a tall, lean, hunky stud, but a rather ugly, beefy, little runt covered in hair. Garney and Aaron both clearly have a fondness for the Canuck of yesteryear. Jason Keith's coloring is also worth mentioning. He utilizes a nice mix of bright, primary colored superhero tones with muted grays and browns for the background, making a clear distinction between the larger than life heroes and the blandness of the "real world".

If this review sounds overly sycophantic, it's because I feel that Wolverine has slowly become stale and somewhat dull over the years. Whether it's because he's outgrown his usefulness, or due to overexposure, the old killer just hasn't excited like he used to. Aaron changes all that with his obvious love for the best there is. This title has breathed new life into a tired formula, and surprisingly you don't hear much about it. The action is there, the humor is there, and the balls are there. Weapon X may not be Shakespeare, but it is most certainly Wolverine.