Greg Rucka writes a surprisingly slashy Wolverine
So, recently, on a whim, I read the first 19 issues of Wolverine Vol. 3, Greg Rucka's run. It's pretty good - good Logan characterization, at least. Some of the plots are a little O.o, and seem to showcase some issues on Rucka's part. (Every arc is "Wolverine tries to save a woman and it ends horribly!" But, you know, he's Wolverine. This is not a surprise. Or a spoiler.)
But even more importantly, Rucka (and his artists) do not seem very averse to slashing Logan. Case in point, this cover.
What is going on there?
If anyone can find me an explanation for that cover that doesn't involve Kurt sauntering up to Logan, naked, while Logan hungrily takes in his body and waits for him, I will give you a prize. Because... my God, this cover is just foreplay. In the issue, Logan is at a bar, but there are other people there and he doesn't have his legs spread and a come-hither glare. And Kurt's in the comic, but he's not NAKED in it.
In fact, he comes in wearing an image inducer. Resulting in this scene:
Wait, what? I get it, Logan wants Kurt to be himself (it's a mutant-friendly bar). But the actual syntax of his sentence in that last panel... either Logan has unresolved touchy priest issues, or this is some kind of lover's spat. I mean, he couldn't say "don't talk to me unless you look like you?" Nope, there has to be touching.
I didn't ship this pairing before, I really didn't. But I might have to reconsider that.
But, lest you think I've given up on my True Logan Pairings, you need look no further than my confused glee at the following page from Wolverine #12, an issue (which presumably came out right after Jean's death?) that is entirely Logan's dream, and is as disconnected/metaphorical as any good dream is.
Ok, let's analyze this, shall we? First of all, this page is disconnected from anything that came before in the issue (and anything that comes after). There was an earlier bar scene, but it was a different bar full of people with Rogue as a bartender. This red and gold bird has been following Logan throughout the dream, and is, obviously, Jean (this is made explicit later in the issue).
So, ok. We've got a bar, and there's a Cyclops, and Cyclops is feeding the red and gold bird. And Logan says, "Who you gotta kill to get a drink around here?" and the Cyclops (no points if you can figure out who he represents) says, "I got here first." And, you know, that's pretty straightforward. Scott has Jean, Scott got there first, Logan can't have her. The same thing we've been seeing since the 1970s.
Except. Except. Except the Cyclops isn't a customer at the bar - he's the bartender. And Logan's next line is, "My money's as green as hers." There is no "her" in this scene other than the bird. So, basically, Logan isn't saying that he wants the bird. He's saying he wants what the bird has, what she "bought" with her money. From the bartender. He doesn't want Jean (or, at least, he doesn't in this piece of dialogue - the first one still indicates he does). He wants Scott.
But, of course, he can't have him, can't have Jean, and his subconscious knows that, no matter how much, how desperately, he wants it. And the Cyclops continues to feed the Jean bird, and Logan says "Fine" and gives up, walking away with sadness and frustration.
If you can think of a reading for this page that doesn't involve support of my OT3, I will more than welcome it. But I'm not sure anyone could convince me to abandon this reading. When I was searching desperately for an alternative explanation, I showed the scene to my brother, and he said, "Well, maybe the 'I got here first' speech bubble is supposed to be pointed at the bird, not the Cyclops?" But that would make this even slashier than it already is. So I honestly cannot think of a reading for this scene that does not involve Logan wanting Scott.
In conclusion: Greg Rucka, intentionally or not, ships my OT3. And that makes me very, very happy.
Anyone have any other good Wolverine recs? I've been on a surprisingly strong Logan kick lately, and all his current solo stuff is terrible.
But even more importantly, Rucka (and his artists) do not seem very averse to slashing Logan. Case in point, this cover.
What is going on there?
If anyone can find me an explanation for that cover that doesn't involve Kurt sauntering up to Logan, naked, while Logan hungrily takes in his body and waits for him, I will give you a prize. Because... my God, this cover is just foreplay. In the issue, Logan is at a bar, but there are other people there and he doesn't have his legs spread and a come-hither glare. And Kurt's in the comic, but he's not NAKED in it.
In fact, he comes in wearing an image inducer. Resulting in this scene:
Wait, what? I get it, Logan wants Kurt to be himself (it's a mutant-friendly bar). But the actual syntax of his sentence in that last panel... either Logan has unresolved touchy priest issues, or this is some kind of lover's spat. I mean, he couldn't say "don't talk to me unless you look like you?" Nope, there has to be touching.
I didn't ship this pairing before, I really didn't. But I might have to reconsider that.
But, lest you think I've given up on my True Logan Pairings, you need look no further than my confused glee at the following page from Wolverine #12, an issue (which presumably came out right after Jean's death?) that is entirely Logan's dream, and is as disconnected/metaphorical as any good dream is.
Ok, let's analyze this, shall we? First of all, this page is disconnected from anything that came before in the issue (and anything that comes after). There was an earlier bar scene, but it was a different bar full of people with Rogue as a bartender. This red and gold bird has been following Logan throughout the dream, and is, obviously, Jean (this is made explicit later in the issue).
So, ok. We've got a bar, and there's a Cyclops, and Cyclops is feeding the red and gold bird. And Logan says, "Who you gotta kill to get a drink around here?" and the Cyclops (no points if you can figure out who he represents) says, "I got here first." And, you know, that's pretty straightforward. Scott has Jean, Scott got there first, Logan can't have her. The same thing we've been seeing since the 1970s.
Except. Except. Except the Cyclops isn't a customer at the bar - he's the bartender. And Logan's next line is, "My money's as green as hers." There is no "her" in this scene other than the bird. So, basically, Logan isn't saying that he wants the bird. He's saying he wants what the bird has, what she "bought" with her money. From the bartender. He doesn't want Jean (or, at least, he doesn't in this piece of dialogue - the first one still indicates he does). He wants Scott.
But, of course, he can't have him, can't have Jean, and his subconscious knows that, no matter how much, how desperately, he wants it. And the Cyclops continues to feed the Jean bird, and Logan says "Fine" and gives up, walking away with sadness and frustration.
If you can think of a reading for this page that doesn't involve support of my OT3, I will more than welcome it. But I'm not sure anyone could convince me to abandon this reading. When I was searching desperately for an alternative explanation, I showed the scene to my brother, and he said, "Well, maybe the 'I got here first' speech bubble is supposed to be pointed at the bird, not the Cyclops?" But that would make this even slashier than it already is. So I honestly cannot think of a reading for this scene that does not involve Logan wanting Scott.
In conclusion: Greg Rucka, intentionally or not, ships my OT3. And that makes me very, very happy.
Anyone have any other good Wolverine recs? I've been on a surprisingly strong Logan kick lately, and all his current solo stuff is terrible.