Conskipper’s interview series with the writers of Bloomsbury Academic’s second wave of Marvel of Age of Comics books continues with Jim Rugg’s exploration of the seminal Wolverine story: “Weapon X”.
Rugg delves into the excitement and nuances of the writing, art, and cultural impact of the story and character in his entry in the Marvel Age of Comics series.
We spoke to Rugg all about his exploration of the “Weapon X” in this exclusive interview.
What was it about the “Weapon X” storyline and production that warranted an entry in the Marvel Age of Comics series?
Jim Rugg: Wolverine was one of my favorite characters when I started reading comics and obviously a very popular character. “Weapon X” is a big deal because it reveals Wolverine’s origin. Plus it’s Barry Windsor-Smith’s masterpiece. When I think of Marvel’s history, I consider “Weapon X” one of their best graphic novels. Since its original publication in 1991, it has been reprinted in a variety of formats and languages. Ultimately, its connection to multiple generations of readers and its high quality art and storytelling make it the perfect subject for the Marvel Age of Comics series.
You state in the prologue that Barry Windsor-Smith’s version of Wolverine impressed you more than any other version of the character. What was it that stood out to you as a thirteen year old and today?
Rugg: It was brutal and beautiful. Windsor-Smith’s art captured the tough, badass quality of the character but it also revealed a vulnerable, tragic side at the same time. I had not seen superhero comic art like that. I think it is still very rare in superhero comics. And it was scary and felt dangerous which wasn’t usually the case despite the extreme violence of characters like Wolverine and Punisher. I was into horror movies then and “Weapon X” had a horror vibe that wasn’t in other comics I saw at that time.
Today, I admire BWS figure art, his line work and color. I still appreciate the contrast of beauty and horror. It’s a great combination for dramatic storytelling.
Do you think the episodic nature of the storyline in Marvel Comics Presents helped create the fervor around the comics?
Rugg: I’m not sure. I think the episodic nature, specifically the eight page chapters, made the storytelling unique. Windsor-Smith talked about that in interviews at the time. He was conscious of that length, compared to a standard 20-22 page comic book, and he worked to make those eight pages effective. I think one consequence of that is that the story has a sense of urgency and a pacing that reads differently than most Marvel comics. It serves this story well. Conversely, I find the collected edition a more satisfying reading experience than I did when it was published over six months originally. “Weapon X” works very well as a graphic novel.
So the unusual length of each installment probably contributed to the overall uniqueness of the reading experience. And I think that has definitely contributed to the longevity and success of the story.
Why is this story the quintessential Wolverine story?
Rugg: It’s a great origin. The trauma that he endures in Weapon X makes the character make sense. It even makes the character sympathetic. Despite not being in control of himself for long stretches of the story, he continues to persevere and comes out the other side — more survivor than hero. His captors call him a mutant and monster, but in the end, he feels more human than either of those things. It’s an impressive feat for a tough guy anti-hero character like Wolverine and one of the main reasons this story is successful.
“Weapon X” has been presented in a number of formats and collections since its original publication. Is there one that you find most satisfying as a reader, collector, or fan?
Rugg: I like the oversized gallery edition that Marvel published in 2011. The big size flatters Windsor-Smith’s detailed art. I love the color in the original comic books. The color was designed for newsprint and in its original format, it’s one of the 3 best coloring jobs using the 64 color palette. I love it so much that I scanned several panels from my copies for the Marvel Age of Comics volume to show the original color.
What other Wolverine stories/appearances stand out in your mind?
Incredible Hulk #181 – strong debut. He didn’t beat the Hulk, but he got over with readers. Great Trimpe artwork too.
Uncanny X-Men #251 – Marc Silvestri and Chris Claremont torture and crucify Wolverine.
I’m a fan of the first 65 issues of volume one of the Wolverine ongoing series. Great art by John Buscema, Al Williams, Bill Sienkiewicz, John Byrne, Klaus Janson, Silvestri, and Mark Texeira. That was my Wolverine era and I still look at those books fondly.
Incredible Hulk #340 – McFarlane doing a gray Hulk/Wolverine fight under one of Marvel’s all-time classic covers.
Sam Keith’s “Blood Hungry” followed “Weapon X” in MCP and announced Sam Keith’s mega-talent to the world.
This is a weird one, but Kent William’s Wolverine Gallery on the back cover of Wolverine #10 is one of my all time favorite drawings of Wolverine.
Punisher (Vol. 6) #16-17 both brutal and cartoony. Punisher shoots Wolverine in the face with a shotgun. It destroys all his soft tissue and leaves his metal skull, kind Terminator like.
If you were to write another entry in the Marvel Age of Comics series, what would you like to write about?
Elektra: Assassin by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz.
No hesitation there! How about upcoming projects?
Rugg: I’m designing Stephen R. Bissette’s Tyrant Original Art Edition and Stephen R. Bissette’s Tyrant Complete Edition.
I just released a zine of my Blood Squad Seven covers. It is available from me directly jimrugg.com or from powerpulpcomics.com. Power Pulp Comics is a collective of 45 self-publishers offering our work from one convenient location. We sell wholesale to retailers at 50% off cover price as well as retail to individuals.
I work for VeeFriends as a Creative Producer. I write, draw, and edit VeeFriends comics. I’m working on 3 issues as I type this. People can read my VeeFriends comics for free at veefriends.com.
Marvel Age of Comics: Wolverine: Weapon X-An Exploration by Jim Rugg is currently available in finer comic shops and bookstores everywhere.
