Wolverine #304 (2012) - Return of an Alpha Flight member

[EccentricSage]

I always found that version - the original and best - to be unique and interesting; a wild, Wolverine-style character with claws and presumably a healing factor, who looked different, but in a real-world plausible way; and most of all who, despite all this, was eloquent and verbose.
Everyone since has ignored all that and made him just another of those Wolverine clones that cropped up all over the place in the 90s. (I mean that in terms of how he was written, not a literal clone).

I'll agree with you on that wholeheartedly. I think any writer who cares about his craft could easily bring back Byrne's Wildchild and simply amalgamate most of the different personas he's had into aspects of who he is. They could easily go sympathetic villain or redeem him into a hero. He's naturally have a lot of the type of rebelliousness, edginess, snark, and wit that people like as a result of his history, without it being forced. (unlike Marina)



I really need to do a FINISHED drawing of him. But boy is he fun to doodle.

[Phil]

Without the Age of Apocalypse appearances though he'd never have become a part of X-Factor so I think they worked out well.

[EccentricSage]

Without the Age of Apocalypse appearances though he'd never have become a part of X-Factor so I think they worked out well.

Shame how it turned out though. I loved him when he first joined, regardless of identity crisis issues. But boy did they **** things up as soon as the creative team changed. His look was perfect at that time, too... he LOOKED like Weapon Omega, slowly reverting to the way Wildchild originally looked. I just wish the writer had focused more on the trauma of slowly turning back into the insane monster who killed people and the horror of what was done to him instead of making it a superficial thing about not wanting to be ugly.

Interesting thing I noticed; for Wildchild's last appearance in X-Factor, the Editor who had brought him to that book was the editor again, just for that one issue, not the idiot who said he's 16. At least someone loved him.

[Phil]

I'm not ignoring everything between Byrne and M-Day, I just mean that to me the Loeb/Way/Aaron version that's slightly feral yet smart, cunning and intelligent enough to beat Wolverine in a fight (cos let's not forget that in Wolverine:Evolution and Wolverine Origins #38 Wildchild beats Wolverine. It's Omega Red that kills him in #39.) is more in line with Byrne's version than Lobdell's heroic and handsome Weapon Omega was.

[EccentricSage]

The feral but smart part is in line with Byrne's Wildchild, I'll agree to that. His skill is actually in line with Weapon Omega/Wild Heart, technically.

I miss all the character development that made him a deeply conflicted and interesting character who fans could sympathise with, though. I took Romulus' henchman Wildchild as being more manipulation and mind control techniques at work. I have to at least credit Tieri with establishing that Wildchild is so damaged that others can shape his identity easily. (yes, I just said Tieri did something right. Hell hath frozen over.) Though that is tragic as ****. At least that leaves an out for anyone who wants to redeem him.

[Flightpath07]

not a literal clone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-aWMQuoS4

[Flightpath07]

Hey! Nice art!

[Flightpath07]

ES, you got some real skills there! Not only do you need to finish a drawing of Wild Child, but you should do so SOON, and then post it here immediately, if not send it directly to Marvel with your job application. I'd buy a one-shot Wild Child Special with you as artist!

[EccentricSage]

Aw, thank you! I'm still working on things like anatomy, drawing people from different angles, interactions of anatomy in scenes, page layout... I've got a ways to go before I could pencil professionally. I might apply for an inking position, though... I've gotten pretty fast at that.


BTW, what became of Romulus? Did Wolverine kill him or is he still lurking in the shadows? I mean, when Wildchild came back into the picture as his henchman, his identity seemed pretty defined by his status as Romulus' favorite, or at least it seemed that way from what I could find online in blogs and on 4chan. Weather or not Romulus is still in the picture could effect a lot now that Wildchild isn't dead (with no explanation).

[Phil]

BTW, what became of Romulus? Did Wolverine kill him or is he still lurking in the shadows? I mean, when Wildchild came back into the picture as his henchman, his identity seemed pretty defined by his status as Romulus' favorite, or at least it seemed that way from what I could find online in blogs and on 4chan. Weather or not Romulus is still in the picture could effect a lot now that Wildchild isn't dead (with no explanation).

Romulus is currently in a shadow-dimension (or something) via Cloak (of Cloak & Dagger) and chances are he'll be back in Loeb's follow up arc.
Wildchild was never shown as dead, it was just assumed, so him being back doesn't need explaining and there's a chance that Aaron put him in the background in Sabretooth's party because Loeb plans on using him, so wanted to remind people he was still about/show he was alive.

[Le Messor]

This thread has made me go back and re-read Amazing Heroes #76 and the article bout the Byrne/Mantlo switch...

I've not read it, but it sounds interesting!

Romulus is currently in a shadow-dimension (or something) via Cloak (of Cloak & Dagger)

Cloak accesses the Dark Force dimension (like a lot of Marvel characters - there was even a crossover based on it), so that's probably it.

Wildchild was never shown as dead, it was just assumed, so him being back doesn't need explaining

Wasn't he dumped in molten steel?
That's not the kind of thing you walk away from, and Lord knows I've tried.

- Le Messor
"I have opinions of my own - strong opinions - but I don't always agree with them."
~ George Bush

[Phil]

Wasn't he dumped in molten steel?
That's not the kind of thing you walk away from, and Lord knows I've tried.

Yeah, but at this point in time he had an artificial modified healing factor that rivalled Wolverine's and we've seen him heal from worse.

[EccentricSage]

Romulus is currently in a shadow-dimension (or something) via Cloak (of Cloak & Dagger) and chances are he'll be back in Loeb's follow up arc.
Wildchild was never shown as dead, it was just assumed, so him being back doesn't need explaining and there's a chance that Aaron put him in the background in Sabretooth's party because Loeb plans on using him, so wanted to remind people he was still about/show he was alive.

Ugh. More of that tripe, huh? Great.

Wildchild was shown being engulfed by molten metal. He has never had a healing factor on par with Wolverine or Sabretooth. That's on-pannel death. Damn skippy I want a better explanation than 'lol power up' and 'he never died'. These writers are terrible.

[Phil]

He has never had a healing factor on par with Wolverine or Sabretooth.

In his original incarnation, no.
As of Wolverine #53 after being artifically powered by Romulus, yes.

Wolverine #53 being after M-Day where he lost his powers and was completely human(New Excalibur #9).

[EccentricSage]

Double post. sorry. The website likes to log me out every time I try to submit a post, an image, etc.