Hot Toys MMS 241 - The Winter Soldier.

How shallow to presume war exists only within the physical world. Battles are waged for mind and soul, where things far from comprehension are confronted.

- Christopher Hawke, Unnatural Truth.   

We can be redeemed only to the extent to which we see ourselves.

- Martin Buber.

A (mis) interpretation:

Name: James Buchanan Barnes.

Alias: Bucky.

Age: 93 years old (as of 2010).

Codename: The Winter Soldier (Зимний Солдат / Zimnij Soldát).

Designation: Weapon II.

Affiliation: New York Army National Guard - 107th Infantry Regiment (former); US Army - The Howling Commandos (former); 1st Special Service Force "The Devil's Brigade" (former); NKVD (Narodnyy Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del) / KGB (Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti) - The Winter Guards (Zimnij Gvardiya) (former); HYDRA (former); S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) - The Avengers Initiative (current); S.T.R.I.K.E. (Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies) - Team Alpha (current).

Abilities: Artificially enhanced physiology; high intelligence; slowed aging; fast healing; master hand to hand combatant; weapons expert; master tactician and strategist; expert marksmanship.

Std. armaments: Type II vibranium reinforced cybernetic arm x 1; Auspex sensorium google and mask x 1; carbon nanotube reinforced Kevlar/Nomex combat suit; Colt M4A1 assault rifle x 1 w. RM Equipment M203PI grenade launcher x 1; modified Fn Mk 13 grenade launcher x 1; CZ Vz. 61 E Skorpion machine pistol x 1; SIG-Sauer P220ST semi-automatic pistol x 1; COP 357 Derringer pistol x 1; Intratec TEC 39 pistol x 1; tactical spike x 1; tactical daggers x 2; various weaponries.

The Winter Soldier is one of the most dangerous and deadly covert operatives in existence. Currently under the service of S.H.I.E.L.D., he has been officially credited with 90 assassinations with a 100% kill rate throughout his career. The most feared assassin since the Cold War Era, the Winter Soldier suffered from psychological trauma with borderline personality behaviour, merciless with almost zero empathy as a member and commander of Soviet Union's The Winter Guards clandestine elite paramilitary group. His existence was once disputed due to the clandestine subterfuge nature of his mission. Colonel Nicholas "Nick" Fury refers to him as "The Last Choice". Fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. meta-human covert operator Wade Wilson jokingly calls him "The Terminator". The Winter Soldier seems to harbour a death wish, carries out his duty with suicidal tendency, with utter disregard to his own safety. He would relentlessly tracks down his target or complete any mission objective with cold efficiency and effectiveness. The Winter Soldier's skills and abilities are widely acknowledged to be at least equal to Steve Rogers. Due to his mental condition, The Winter Soldier is kept under maximum security and surveillance at all times. Although officially a member of the Avengers Initiative and S.T.R.I.K.E.'s Team Alpha, he is hardly deployed unless there is a dire requirement to do so, often assigned mission as a "lone wolf" operative, involving jobs which mostly involve sanctioned assassinations and neutralisation of targets with extreme prejudice. Even when on assignment, he would be implanted with a neural tracking device by S.H.I.E.L.D., and a micro remote detonator which is removed upon protest by Steve Rogers. The Winter Soldier was not always an antagonistic persona. In fact the opposite is true. Circumstances could be cruel to a man's fate. 

He is born James Buchanan Barnes in 1917, Brooklyn, New York. More popularly known as Bucky, he was an all-star athlete, above average student and popular amongst his peers and girls. Barnes came to know Steve Rogers, a scrawny, five foot four sickly fellow student when he intervened and stopped a bunch of boys bullying, and beating Rogers up at the school yard. They would became best of friends thereafter. In late 1929, the Great Depression struck American economy, causing unprecedented high unemployment and lost of wealth, which gradually spread globally. Barnes and Rogers underwent tremendous hardship during those times. After the death of Rogers' mother, Sarah from tuberculosis, it was Barnes whom was there to console him. They survived by a hand to mouth existence and struggled for any odd jobs that came along. Severe drought and failure to apply dryland farming methods to prevent wind erosion caused the Dust Bowl, massive dust storms which swept across the Great Plains, one of which severely hit New York in mid 1934. As the economy gradually recovered, Barnes joined the New York Army National Guard 107th Infantry Regiment where he received military training and practise. Rogers however was rejected on the grounds of his medical condition. As diplomatic relationship with Japan became increasingly hostile, followed by the military strike on US naval base at Pearl Harbour in 1941 by the Imperial Japanese Navy, America officially entered World War Two. In 1943, he informed Rogers that he had been reassigned to the 42nd Infantry Division and would depart for North Africa in two days time. Rogers told Barnes to survive and come back safely no matter what. The night before departure, Barnes arranged a double date with Rogers in an attempt to cheer his best pal up due to Rogers failure to get enlisted for the war for the fifth time. They went to the Stark Expo, an extravagant exhibition of future technologies, of which the organiser, Howard Stark, owner, founder of the Stark Industries and whose son, Tony Stark, would later become one of the core members of The Avengers Initiative, called it The World Exposition of Tomorrow. It was on that faithful night, whereby Rogers' date ditched him after he attempted to get enlisted once more, which would lead to his chance meeting with Dr. Abraham Erskine and became the first individual to be artificially enhanced genetically with the Super Soldier Serum under the Weapon Programme. Barnes tried to dissuade Rogers from enlisting but to no avail. After a heartfelt goodbye, Rogers told Barnes not to win the war until he gets there. The next morning, Barnes and several thousands of men departed to reinforce the Allied forces in the Battle of Tunisia during the North Africa Campaign.

In the Battle of Kasserine Pass, the relatively untested and poorly led American troops suffered heavy casualties against the Axis forces led by the Desert Fox, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Despite the early defeats and with reinforcement by British troops, the US corps rallied and held off the Axis offensive plans. Sweeping changes and reorganisation were made throughout the entire US corps. After the Axis forces surrender in North Africa, Barnes then participated in the Italian Campaign, beginning with the invasion of Sicily, followed by advancement across Italy which were met with fierce defensive German positions. Later Barnes and the battalion he was attached to were ambushed at Battle of Azzano, with intense bombardment from super heavy tanks, Landkreuzer P.1500 Monster's 800mm shells. The less than a hundred survivors, including Barnes, were captured by the Waffen-SS and HYDRA. After the assassination of Dr. Erskine, and with the Super Soldier Serum formula presumed lost, Rogers was made redundant but was given a new role under the USO by Senator Brandt to sell war bonds. As "Captain America", Rogers was positively received in US itself but when he travelled to Italy, the war-weary troops heckled and ridiculed him on stage. Demotivated, Rogers met British Agent Peggy Carter of SSR once more whom explained to him that his audience of about fifty were the only ones whom made it back from Azzano. Unperturbed by the risk of being court-martialled and warned by Col. Phillips not to interfere earlier, Rogers proceed to rescue Barnes and the POWs after learning he was alive from one of the soldiers. With Carter on board, Rogers flew to the prison camp behind enemy line near Austria with a prototype plane coated with stealth and anti-radar device innovated by Howard Stark whom piloted his creation. He succeed in rescuing not only all the POWs whom were about to be liquidated by HYDRA, but also managed to rally the troops to destroy the enemies and their base. Barnes couldn't believe himself when Rogers revealed his identity to him, amazed by his physical and mental transformation. Rogers, Barnes and the surviving POWs walked back to the base. Impressed by his feat, Col. Phillips was given the green light from Office of Strategic Services (OSS) to form a elite team known as The Howling Commandos. Rogers was formally assigned the rank of Captain with Barnes as second in command. Barnes was happy to see Rogers but was feeling conflicted because their friendship role had been perceived as reversed. It used to be Barnes whom always looked after Rogers. Though he harboured no ill-will towards Rogers, there was slight envy that the squad's leadership was assigned to Rogers, whom had almost zero combat experience. All these changes when The Howling Commandos, comprising twelve hand selected unique soldiers with their own speciality in total, achieved numerous successful operations against HYDRA bases across Europe. Barnes was noted as a skilled sniper, capable of killing a target at a recorded 2000 yards away. In 1944, the Alsos Mission team informed the OSS and SSR that Johann Schmidt aka The Red Skull, overall commander of HYDRA had succeed in the creation of several nuclear bombs intending to destroy both Allies and Axis cities. He intended to establish the Fourth Reich. After the capture of Drs Amelind Zola on board the prototype atomic powered armoured train, Schnellzug EB912, by The Howling Commandos, the OSS and SSR learnt through interrogation that the primary base of HYDRA was not in an underground bunker at the Alps but instead in Telemark, Norway at Vemork, Norsk Hydro plant. The Allied forces, including the 1st Special Service Force "The Devil's Brigade" and elements of Norwegian resistance force, Milorg, assaulted the HYDRA base but Rogers was presumed killed after battling the Red Skull personally on board the Horten H.XIX "Valkyrie" flying wing super bomber when the nuclear payload detonated over the Artic Circle.

Barnes replaced Rogers as leader of The Howling Commandos and participated in the European Theatre beginning with invasion of Normandy to Germany's surrender after Battle of Berlin in 1945. He witnessed the Nazi's The Final Solution personally during the liberation of 30,000 inmates at Dachau. The Howling Commandos was disbanded shortly after VE Day. In an effort to replicate the late Dr. Erskine's serum, the SSR used Rogers' blood samples in an effort to continue The Weapon Programme but to no avail. As part of OSS's Operation Paperclip, Drs Amelind Zola became a member of the SSR. She possessed sufficient knowledge of the Super Soldier Serum as she was part of the late Dr. Erskine research team during the transformation of Johann Schmidt into the Red Skull or Weapon 0. She succeed in reproducing the serum although she hid the information that the formula was incomplete. Barnes volunteered to become the test subject and the result was the second Super Soldier, designated Weapon II, taking up the same codename Captain America, stationed at the American Zone of Occupation in Germany. Drs Zola, whom was still fanatically devoted to the cause of HYDRA, had intentionally subjected Barnes to the test knowing that it would be at the cost of his psychological deterioration. Barnes began to suffer from mental and emotional breakdown. With the ascension of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker as the overall commander of the organisation, Barnes became a victim of HYDRA's plan during the Berlin Blockade crisis. Captured by the Soviet's NKVD, Barnes was further subjected to a series of psychological torture and brainwashed into a merciless killing machine. He was re-designated as The Winter Soldier. Barnes defection was covered up by the OSS and SSR, which was later absolved. As The Winter Soldier, Barnes succeed in bypassing maximum security, leaving numerous bodies in his wake, to retrieve Drs Zola for the NKVD, which later became the KGB, and through her expertise, the Soviet began their own super soldiers programme, beginning with Natalia Romanova, the Black Widow or Weapon III. Barnes was active throughout the entire Cold War period, spanning nearly four decades. His true allegiance during those period was however to HYDRA, which had secretly infiltrated the ranks of both the CIA, successor to the OSS and the KGB themselves, sowing various political uprisings and chaos. He became a Soviet assassin, deployed for missions in various proxy wars globally. Barnes gained the most infamy when he succeed in killing subsequent artificially enhanced super soldiers under S.H.I.E.L.D., the successor to the SSR, starting from Jeffrey Mace aka Captain Freedom (Weapon IV), Madeline Joyce aka The Liberty (Weapon V), Brian Braddock aka Captain Britain (Weapon VI) and Jack Monroe aka The Patriot (Weapon VII). The Winter Soldier was seemingly unstoppable until he met his match during the Vietnam War when the human mutant known as The Wolverine and Weapon VIII, Isaiah Bradley aka Nomad. Assigned to specifically take him out, they defeated him after a vicious, prolonged combat. Barnes lost his entire left arm after it was cut off by The Wolverine's claws. He succeed in escaping from capture. Back in the KGB's secret weapons development and research facility at the Urals Mountain, his arm was replaced by a cybernetic prosthetic arm created by Anton Vanko. Barnes continued to be an active member of the Soviet Union's clandestine force until the liberalizing reforms of perestroika and glasnost in the 80s eventually led to the formal dissolution of the USSR in 1991. During those tumultuous period, Barnes even turned against his own Winter Guards and Red Dawns comrades, including The Red Guardian and Ursa Major. The Winter Soldier continued to be an active clandestine member of the HYDRA, working as an independent for the emerging Russian mafia groups, oligarchs and national separatists of which HYDRA had infiltrated.
In 2005, HYDRA's commander Heinrich Zemo orchestrated a series of plans which resulted in a daring full scale attack upon S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarter, the Triskelion before the siege was repelled by The Avengers Initiative, including the rediscovered Steve Rogers whom was found still alive a year before at the Artic Circle in frozen state. It was this assault which Rogers and Barnes met  each other once more, although by then, the once best friend of Rogers had completely turned into a sociopathic killing machine with a singular mission to take out Captain America. With Barnes' face hidden by The Auspex google and mask, The Winter Soldier brutally fought Rogers one on one on board a scuttled Helicarrier, each other not holding back, fighting to a standstill, unaware of each others identities. Rogers then tore off the mask, and was horrified to see it was Barnes whom hadn't aged from the time he last seen him. The Winter Soldier took the opportunity of distraction to deliver a chain of devastating attacks on Captain America, severely injuring Rogers, rupturing his internal organs and breaking his bones. Rogers attempted to reach out to his friend but Barnes stabbed him in several vital points. As the Helicarrier began to disintegrate, Rogers pushed Barnes from being crushed by the falling structures and was himself pinned down. As Rogers slipped into unconsciousness, he uttered, 'Bucky. Till the end of the line my brother.' It was there and then that Barnes regained partial memories of the past. It was a sentence Barnes once promised Rogers after his mother's funeral in order to console him when he had no one left. Rogers then fell into the Potomac with the Hellicarrier. Suffering from cognitive dissonance, Barnes nevertheless recovered an unconscious Rogers from the depth of the river before disappearing. Barnes left HYDRA and went off the grid. Later Rogers embarked on a personal mission to track him down despite Fury's order against it. HYDRA also ordered a manhunt for Barnes. The Winter Soldier embarked on a personal vendetta, seeking answers and revenge against individuals responsible for what he had become. These include by then an elderly Drs Zola whom was hiding for decades in Panama. During the confrontation, the un-repented scientist and eugenicist said that Barnes was her finest creation before The Winter Soldier double tapped her in the head with his gun. He rampaged across the globe, a step ahead of Rogers at all time, confronted and killed numerous HYDRA operatives, cultivating in the assassination of then HYDRA commander Heinrich Zemo after annihilating all the HYDRA guards at a base in the Alps. Rogers finally located Barnes in France after he killed Batroc the Leper. They fought once more but with Captain America holding back in the hand to hand combat, on defensive stance. 'Bucky! Enough of this madness!' said Rogers. 'Who is Bucky?' replied Barnes. 'James Buchanan Barnes! That's who you are!' said Rogers. The Winter Soldier seemed more hesitating in his attack but still relentless. 'You look familiar. But I never leave a mission..,unfinished!' said Barnes. 'You're my friend! I will not leave you like this! Not like this!' said Rogers. 'You strikes me as a sentimental man, Amerikansky. Compassion is nothing...BUT WEAKNESS!!' replied Barnes as he grabbed Rogers' neck with his cybernetic arm, lifting the six foot two meta-human up and began to apply intense pressure which could crush steel like an aluminium tin. Rogers countered and applied a chock hold. 'Don't make me do this Bucky! Please don't!' said Rogers. Barnes struggled to break free. Rogers exerted all his might and broke Barnes right arm. The Winter Soldier didn't scream. Rogers then disabled his cybernetic arm using a portable version of The Widow's Bite to short circuit it. Yet, The Winter Soldier possessed enough strength to lift Rogers up and slammed him onto the ground and walls several times. Leaving Rogers with no choice, he choked Barnes into unconsciousness.  As the S.T.R.I.K.E. team moved in, Rogers said,' Do not touch him!' Barnes was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment at Muir Island. He was supposedly sentenced to death but Rogers intervened and pleaded for Barnes to be spared on his behalf. Under the recommendation of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director Fury, Barnes was subjected to mental and psychological rehabilitation there by Dr. Moira MacTaggert with the help of Elizabeth Braddock, a human mutant member of the X-Force known as Psylocke, the grand niece of the late Captain Britain. He slowly recovered his lost memories but still not 100%. Barnes also couldn't regain back his full behavioural personality. After the event of New York, which decimated nearly all the core members of The Avengers Initiative, Fury decided to recruit Barnes into the ranks of the elite response meta-humans and human mutants team, despite numerous protests. The World Security Council granted Fury's request with the exception that Barnes would be at full custody if not on active duty. Natalia Romanova aka The Black Widow, although once worked together during the Cold War Era under the Soviet Union, was particularly wary of Barnes. This is due to during a mission of which Romanova was helping Anton Vanko to defect from USSR. En route, she was confronted by The Winter Soldier. Shielding Vanko while shooting at Barnes, the latter shot dead Vanko through Romanova's stomach with a single shot, an incident long remembered by The Black Widow, which remained a scarred memory for her. As such Romanova's not quite comfortable with Barnes and is always very cautious against him.

As The Winter Soldier and test subject of the Super Soldier Serum, Barnes possesses artificially enhanced superhuman level physiology. On comparative meta-human catalogue of abilities and skills scales and scores, he is at least equal to Rogers in terms of physical strength, endurance, dexterity and stamina. During the fight against Captain America, Barnes is the only individual strong enough to go one on one with Rogers at superhuman physiology level. He also managed to seriously wound Rogers, including using a tactical knife to stab through Rogers' reinforced combat suit, something which designer Tony Stark said was not possible. Barnes also possesses enhanced senses, and is a master tactician and strategist, capable of responding quickly and adaptive to ever changing situations. With his heightened intellectual capability, Barnes could out think his enemies and possesses deductive and analytical ability which he used to track down his target location. Before Barnes became a meta-human, he was already a master marksman. With his enhanced abilities, Barnes could sniped out a target at least three thousand yards away. He is also a weapons expert and could improvise simple household items into deadly weapons. Barnes has a preference to carry a number of weaponries with him during a mission, including various stabbing weapons. As an extremely skilful hand to hand combatant, he often eliminate his target or victim in the fastest and straightforward method possible, striking at the weakest and vital points on a human body. His vibranium reinforced cybernetic left arm is enhanced to a degree which is capable of exerting a punch capable of penetrating through any form of armour, with the exception of adamantium. He could destroy any armoured vehicle single-handedly, and once nearly tear the Iron Patriot armour to pieces during a confrontation. Anton Vanko has also incorporated an EMP device into the arm, allowing Barnes to disable any electronic devices, vehicles and weapons within two thousand yards. The tips of the cybernetic fingers are incorporated with scanners which enable Barnes to analyse the cellular makeup and molecular structure of objects both living and inanimate it is in contact with, such as DNA.  However, any electronic disabling devices would render the cybernetic arm useless and may even permanently damage it.  If in such cases, Barnes, through mere observation of Vanko's act of repairing and sustaining his arm, possesses enough knowledge to self-repair or even improvise on the mechanical arm. He often wear a goggle and mask known as The Auspex, of which is designed to further enhanced his sense of sight and sound, including seeing across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and capable of picking up broadcast across all frequencies. He ages slowly and is completely immune from any forms of diseases or poisons. Any injuries or wounds inflict upon him would be quickly healed. Barnes currently remain an active member of The Avengers Initiative but his psychological condition only allows S.H.I.E.L.D. from deploying him in direst situation and high intensity mission. The truth is, Barnes has already regained 90 percent of his former self, but suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and extreme guilt due to his actions in the past. Unknown to anyone, even Rogers, Barnes is determined to atone for his sins by committing to his fullest when carrying out a mission, on behalf of humanity, even at the expense of his own life.

...........................................................................

After getting Wolverine, I decided to have a go at The Winter Soldier as well. I don't know much about this character, let alone why I should depart my hard earned money on an increasingly expensive figures and depressing economic situation, both personal and business. What I know is about this fella is only from the Captain America movie sequel. And as I am saying, building an own personal who's who in an Avenger team is fun, and somehow, The Winter Soldier fits in. After having the Black Widow (CA:TWS version) and Captain America (Stealth version), I am thinking primarily of those figures whom are cladded in armour, pseudo-futuristic combat suits. Hhhmm, maybe I should get GI Joe Retaliation Roadblock after all and pretend it is Isaiah Bradley. Or Snake Eye as Deadpool. Maybe even Falcon? I think I'll wait for a while. Anyway, when it comes to this figure, one characteristic stands out from the rest - his headsculpt. That is one mean looking facial expression. It says,"I mean business, so stay out of my way". I don't know much about Captain America nor its lore or back story because I am not a fan but I do know this chap used to be Caps sidekick and that's about it (and that's thanks to artist Alex Ross and writer Kurt Busiek's Marvels mini series where I want to know who's who in the story). But the movie is good, with the action sequence well executed though in terms of figure representation, I have issue with the supa dupa tall Captain America figure and its almost non existing articulation. The same goes with this figure, not so much on the articulation but the quality. Hot Toys must have realised this. I refer to those tiny black buttons on the uniform which comes off so easily. Hot Toys must have realised this and the packing comes prepared with replacements, three I think, which I glued on. And then there's the lopsided arms holster which I leave alone least I break it. The leather like uniform, well, I am pretty cautious about peeling and deterioration issue, cue Takara's Kerberos, so I pretty much try not to man handle it as much as possible. Off topic, after these few years of collecting action figures, I realise, regardless of which manufacturers, my figures tend to get floppy and loose in the joints automatically over time. Newton's Law of Gravity I guess. Time to get those stands I reckon.

 

Hot Toys MMS 264 - Wolverine : X-Men Days of Future Past.

 

I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do best isn't very nice.

- The Wolverine.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog.

- The Wolverine.

What makes old age hard to bear is not the failing of one's faculties, mental and physical, but the burden of one's memories.

- W. Somerset Maugham.

 

A (mis) interpretation:

Name: James Howlett.

Alias: Various.

Age: 130 years old (as of 2010).

Codename: The Wolverine.

Designation: Weapon X.

Affiliation: The Canadian Corps - 1st Canadian Division (former); Canadian Army - 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion (former) / 1st Special Service Force "Devil's Brigade" (former); CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) Special Activities Division - Special Operations Group (former); S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) - The Avengers Initiative (current); X-Force - PMC (Private Military Company) contractor / mercenary (current).

Abilities: Human mutant physiology; semi-immortality; accelerated regeneration; immunity; osteokinetic combat; predator instinct; superhuman senses; expert hand to hand combat; weapons expert; cunningness; indomitable will.

Std. armaments: Adamantium reinforced skeleton; adamantium claw x 6; carbon nanotube reinforced Kelver/Nomex combat suit; plasteel ceramite body armour.

2010. Middle East. The Wolverine lights up a Bolívar cuban cigar amidst the bombed out battle scarred surrounding. 'Logan. Area is still hot. Insurgents built up at northwest sector,' said the voice from the headset. Logan did not reply. He is trying to enjoy the cigar taken from the terrorist leader, Borjigin he has eliminated earlier, along with his entire warband when he is double tapped at the right temple. Yet he stands there, nonchalantly touching the entry shot wounds. 'F***...,' grimaces Logan. Both bullets only caused flesh wounds and have ricocheted. Logan puts out the cigar and carefully put it back into one of the belt pouches. He raises his head and sniffs. The wind is blowing in the opposite direction, instinctively picks out the scent of the shooter, pinpointing the location at five hundred feet away, at a bullet riddled, half blown building. The sniper takes another shot but misses as Logan moves swiftly, disappearing amongst the chaotic debris and smokes. The sniper relocates, stealthily moves down a narrow passageway cautiously. He stops for awhile and looks. Thought he heard movement. He is about to make a turn, when a shadow appears behind him. Skink. A metallic sound stabbing into flesh. The sniper gurgles as the adamantium claws twist and retract. Logan stands over the sniper and stares at the collapsed man. 'Thank you for the massive headache, bub. Clarified my thoughts for awhile back there,' said the Wolverine. The sniper tries to reply but couldn't, grimacing in pain. 'FYI, your spine's gone. That's for the headache. Now this...are for the civilians. The answer to your...prayers, bub,' says Logan in local dialect as he proceed to rend the man apart with his claws, whom screams horrifically.

Back at the DMZ command office. 'What the hell was that all about Logan?!' shouts an infuriated S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Colonel Nicholas J. Fury. 'Hell. That's all it was, and all that is,' Logan replies. 'Listen carefully. Let me rewind the objective of the mission into that thick adamantium skull of yours. You're supposed to tactically secure the area until second team comes in. The Mandarin has the information in his data drive. Nat is supposed to take it from there. But you went all Rambo on them. Maximum casualties. Zero infos. And the World Security Council demands an answer!' replies Fury. 'Plans change, bub. S.T.R.I.K.E. was vaporised by the IEDs, crazed suicidal maniacs infused with Extremis. Some shoddily souped up supers, insane as f*** wiped out all your back ups. I just respond to the situation,' replies Logan. 'Oh is that's what you call responding to a situation? That's deviating from orders! No information, no captives, total lost. Nada,' retorts Fury. 'Why do all cyclopean men puts heat on me? I know of one back in X-Force. Maybe I could set up a date for you, you lonely one eyed jack off,' says Logan. 'I swear that if not for the professor, I would have you re-sent back to Muir Island!' says Fury. 'Word to the wise, bub. Cybernetic implants? The in thing right now. And remember, it is S.H.I.E.L.D. whom engages my service first, not the other way 'round, Popeye,' retorts Logan. 'That's enough Logan. Stand down,' says Steve Rogers with a firm and steady voice. He looks concern. Natalia Romanova, the Black Widow seems ready to arm her Widow's Bite. For Logan's claws have been unconsciously drawn out threateningly at Fury. Sneering at the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Logan retracts back the deadly claws.

Later that night, Rogers and Romanova have a private chat with Logan. 'Now look what the wolf drags in. The Star Spangled Banner and a Black Swan. At ease, Captain. Would love to offer youse guys chairs but uh...' Logan says sarcastically. The room are littered with crushed beer cans and empty liquor bottles. There are carved out beer can figures on a table. The walls have been re-decorated with slash patterns. 'It's "cat", not "wolf". And what is that smell?' says Natalia. 'Au naturel L'Homme,' winks Logan. 'Care for some local delicacies?' asks Logan as he is roasting some lamb meats over an electronic grill skewered through one of his claws.

'It ain't Christmas, so what youse guys want? I may have all the time in the world but even I need to spend it...alone,' says Logan as he lights up a cigar and takes a swig from a Jack Daniels after finishing all the meats. He doesn't offer the bottle to Rogers nor Romanova. 'Just, you know, you being leaving tomorrow and such. A casual chat,' says Rogers. 'What? Slight case of bromance, Roge?' smiles Logan. There are couple of photos on the bed. 'Should've stored these in an iPad you know? May I?' asks Rogers. 'Damn. The man out of time keep up with time? Heh...well me, I'm, what, old school all the way. Go ahead soldier. No secrets there. AND WE KNOW YOU'RE MONITORING US OL' ONE EYE!' shouts Logan. Rogers shakes his head and pick the photos up. One shows Logan and a Japanese woman in traditional costume. Another is that of a red haired woman. Then there're a grainy family photo and what looks like a Native American girl. There is a printed date on each of the photos. 'The Japanese woman? That's Mariko. I saved her grandfather, Yashida, back in Nagasaki on the day of the bombing. Used to be a good man. Went against his superiors order and released all the POWs, including me as the Fat Man about to bring 'em all to kingdom come. Wanted to commit seppuku with the rest before I pulled him into the shithole I was imprisoned in. Shielded him from being atomised. Went on to establish one of the largest zaibatsu in Japan,' says Logan. 'Yashida Industries. The Shiruba Samurai,' says Romanova. 'Yeah. Incredibly well insulated due to its political connection, influence and immense wealth. Turned out Yashida was also the oyabun of an ancient mercenary clan turned yakuza group, Kuro ichizoku-gumi. Never forgotten me. Used his granddaughter to lure me into a honey trap. Ended up we fell genuinely in love. Tried to escape and dodge him the best we could. Before we could leave the country, his gangs of private supers captured us. Turned loco due to obsession of wanting to live forever,' explains Logan. 'Oasis, hit single from their debut album,' Rogers suddenly said. 'What's that?' Logan looks at Rogers, perplexed. 'Oh, sorry. Never mind...Nirvana,' mutters Rogers. 'Catching up on pop culture, eh Roge? Anyway, Yashida had Mariko killed once he knew she had switched loyalty. She was three months pregnant with our kid,' says Logan as he lights up a cigar and takes a swig from a bottle of Jack. 'Did he know?' asks Rogers. 'Maybe. Doesn't make any difference to me,' replies Logan. 'Which caused you to single-handedly taking on the entire Black Clan, leaving a trail of thousands of bodies in your wake while working your way up to the food chain towards Yashida himself  all the way from Tokyo to Fukuoka. Stuffs of urban legend. Parents there still refer to you  as the Kuzuri to scare their kids,' says Romanova. 'I mean, f***, who wants to live forever, right?' says Logan. 'Queens. The Highlander soundtrack,' replies Rogers. 'With all respect Steve, shut up,' says Romanova. 'Your action caused considerable diplomatic tension within The World Security Council. Not to mention the budget to cover up the entire incident,' continued Romanova. 'Slapped with three years at Muir Island ain't so bad,' replies Logan. 'Let's see what else. That's Silver Fox right there, a Blackfoot. Photo taken during my stay at the reservation. And that's my parents,' says Logan. 'What about the red haired woman?' asks Rogers. Logan suddenly looks distress. 'I think she is called...Jean. Jean Grey. A former X-Force...member,' replies Logan. 'The Phoenix Incident,' adds Romanova. Logan takes a long drag from the cigar. 'All of them and incidences, I could only recall bits and pieces. Non-chronological scattered memories. The photos and information were retrieved and given to me by Charles. Ol' Baldy digs through the deepest recess of my sub-consciousness, trying to help me with my...conditions,' shares Logan. 'Any emotional distress due to extreme traumatic events are naturally supressed,' says Romanova. 'Read all 'bout me, eh? That's the point of having get to live so long and seeing people around you die before my eyes, some without any tangible memories of them or what happened. I heard some says that if the likes of us, those whom could live longer than others, would eventually loose their humanity because of detachment and apathy,' says Logan. 'Its the character that defines a person Logan,' replies Rogers. Another silence. 'But I remember Norway before you turned into a human popsicle, Roge. The Howling Commandos, The Devil's Brigade. We did some serious damage didn't we? I don't buy it when they reported that you'd bought the farm. Not Roge, not the Cap. Not from something as trivial as that. And Odessa. Remember that one Nat? A messy one. Baron von Strucker. The HYDRAs. Their goddamn motto. Cut off one head and two more shall take its place. Never thought we were able to lob off the head of the snake, eh?' says Logan. 'Well. Not really. Intel shows that Hienrich Zemo's son, Helmut, and my fellow Red Dawn alumna The Viper, Ophelia Sarkissian have started splinter cells in Chechnya and Bogota respectively. Barton and I are going tomorrow,' says Romanova. 'Didn't invite Barnes?' asks Logan. 'C'mon Logan,' replies Rogers. 'Has he forgiven me for cutting loose his arm, Roge?' asks Logan. Rogers keeps quiet. 'Shee-it. Didn't he got that supa-dupa cybernetic prosthetic arm now? Saw him punched through The Red Guardian's armour like it was made from rice papers in Budapest. And ripped out his heart. That's some cold shit I really respect. No wonder he's The Winter Soldier. No offense Rogers. And my condolences to you Nat for Red,' says Logan. 'It's alright, dedushka. My marriage to Alexei was a masquerade anyway. But I do miss the ballet classes and performances,' replies Romanova. 'And I missed our skirmishes. You and your electro-shocks. Ursa Major and the Red Dawns. Barnes and his Winter Guards obviously. The Rasputins. Crimson Dynamo. Omega Red. Great times,' Logan sarcastically remarks.

'Logan, what's today all about?' asks Rogers. 'A message. To tell The Ten Rings that...I'm here,' replies The Wolverine. 'Sigh...there goes the covert out from the operation. Very subtle. Your reputation does precedes you,' the Black Widow retorts. 'Subtle? Know what I saw? Nothing world threatening. Not about some dictators with a giant cannon shooting a anthrax bomb across a country nor about a meteor falling out of the sky causing extinction kind of scenario. Know what I saw? One of the rooms. A surgical table. On it, a boy of probably eight or nine. Dissected open. Hollowed out. Probably killed an hour or so before we hit. I had seen that boy before. Used to hawk poor quality porn DVDs outside the compound. Bought a couple from him...perhaps a few small talks. I don't know him. They are going to suture him up with explosives when I cut them down. F***ers gonna turn the dead kid into an IED. My hands started trembling uncontrollably. The overwhelming urge to inflict maximum pain. White light, white heat,' shares Logan. 'The Velvet Underground, second album,' replies Rogers. Romanova lolls her eyes. 'I'm not as crazy as they say. Heck, compare me with that giant, green, living nuclear reactor gorilla, I'm a walk in a park. I do try to follow orders, as much as I hate it. I mean, I ain't a dog on a leash. When you bark, doesn't mean I have to jump. But I draw a line when it comes to stuffs involving civilians, bub. Gotta pay for what they did. Nothing's free. When you play a man's game, you gotta pay a man's price,' says Logan. 'Sounds like a certain late vigilante to me,' replies Rogers. 'You mean Frank? Two tours in Vietnam before and after Tet. Under Bradley. Super talented man. Got some mad skills. Hand to hand combat, weaponries and improvisation. And he's not even a super nor mutant. Helped me brought down Creed. But that muthaf***in' Wilson Frisk caused him to change forever. Personal tragedy like that always does. Kinda sad about how it all ended for him. But at least he died achieving what he sets out to do. One man army. A real life Rambo. Should make a movie about him. Took down Frisk's criminal empire body by body, brick by brick, block by block and finally, the fat f*** all by himself,' replies Logan. 'And I guess for all the righteous carnage and mayhem he caused, S.H.I.E.L.D. must be covering for him,' says Logan. 'It is not my duty to speculate, Logan,' replies Romanova. 'Is that who you are too Logan?' asks Rogers. 'Who I am is complicated. What I am is much simpler. A threat. They refer to me as Death behind my back. Wait till they meet Warren, the Archangel. That kid got a screw loose somewhere in his head after North Africa, I'll tell ya,' answers Logan. 'The good ol' web-slinger once shared with me that his late uncle told him with great power comes great responsibility. The kid's uncle says it all. I guess it is because I could do something about it. Justice. Most of us have forgotten the significance of that word. F*** the oppressors and shit-stirrers, whoever or whatever they are,' adds Logan. 'Not to be a perfect soldier. But a good man...,' says Rogers. 'You got that right,' replies Logan. Another uncomfortable silence.

'I guesstimate you would've caught up with history Roge. You should know that after VJ, things kinda went downhill from there. A victory disease. Nat should know what I am talking about. Korea, Vietnam, Bolivia, Middle East, Africa,' says Logan. 'Count your blessings that you're spared from what we did and what they'd done to us for the past five decades. The Human Mutant Holocaust, Genosha Gulag, The Weapon Plus Programme. Want me to go on?' asks Logan. Romanova looks silently. 'They said I am neither fit to command nor be commanded. A true rogue. That's right. A ronin. 'Coz I don't trust them one bit. Black ops, false flags, slush funds from weapons sale, sponsored terrorism. State within a state. Irregular warfare. Most of the guys, they are your best pals and drinking buddies until their vested interests come into question. Swoosh! Moral compass goes south,' says Logan as he lights up another cigar and the bottle is now half empty. 'I understand you, Logan. Consequentialism, moralism and ethics. When I was back in The Howling Commandos, we did some nasty stuffs too. But our rules of engagement are always within the moral codes and ethics. And we're fighting for the sake of freedom. That's why we were not really as popular with the top brass, unlike the propaganda portrayed us to be. And the World Security Council is coming down hard on S.H.I.E.L.D., its affiliates and us. At times like this, especially after the Ultron Incident, we need to stay within the line in order not to play into the hands of those who wish to light the fire beneath us. With Senator Robert Kelly lobbying for the new anti-meta human legislature, we got to watch our backs,' says Rogers. 'Toleration is not one of my virtue, Roge,' replies Logan. 'No. Not tolerance. Or even patience. But understanding. Tolerance could be stretched and broken. Coupled with fear and paranoia, it is one of the most effective tools to be manipulated by megalomaniacs and power hunger individuals, resulting in discrimination, prejudice and hatred. But with understanding, comes hope. And hope always overcome fear,' says Rogers. 'How many times did you rehearse that holier than thou line, bub?' Logan replies. 'I live for others. It gives me a good, peaceful sleep. Of all people, you should know that,' replies Rogers. 'Don't be naïve. Things have changed. Values have changed. Those who understand, as you succinctly put it, would be silenced forever. Like what happened in Dallas is a good example. The man have had his flaws when it comes to women but he knows the right path. Just like Roosevelt, whom some speculated that he knew Pearl Harbour's gonna happen but if it didn't, we would all probably be Sieg Heil-ing to Schimdt and von Strucker right now. And after Ultron, Stark's assets are frozen, bankrupted overnight as he took the heat for the Global A.I. Defence Programme to counter the shits from outer space. But I guess youse guys already knew it was a sabotage by The Deceiver. Should've eliminate the f***er when we got the chance,' says Logan. 'We have to abide by their laws of repatriation. It is not our call,' replies Rogers. 'There would be no peace Roge, only war. And the population would be paying for it. We are in the premier league now. The ballpark has changed after New York,' comments Logan. 'We're expecting more...incursions. Myths and legends we read about have all become real. But I have this nagging feeling someone, something is behind all this,' replies Rogers. 'Could be. But saves that for later. Look at these claws. Skink. Skink. Ada-mcf***in'-mantium. You wouldn't be able to find it on any periodic table. Extra-terrestrial in origin. Even Stark couldn't replicate it. And we are talking about someone whom created a new element to save himself from palladium poisoning. Vibrator-nium, maybe. But not these babies. And found only on T'Challa's home of Wakanda. From an asteroid impact millions mc-f***ing years ago. No wonder they walled up the entire nation and adopted an isolationist stance from the rest of the world despite the military hostilities from their neighbours. It's a pity that Wakanda's own politicians finally leeched all the wealth and caused the nation's former socio-economic power to go down under. Then there's that cold fish Señor Fantástico Reed, another contender for World's Smartest Man. How many un-countable tech stuffs have he invented? Including that accident while experimenting on warp drive? But damn, the ability he gained after that which allows him to alter his molecular and cellular density. Susan must be one happily fulfilled woman,' winks Logan. 'That's misogynistic. And Reed increasing detachment from emotion after the accident is quite alarming. They're in the midst of separation,' adds Romanova. 'Interesting comment coming from someone whom have no qualm about employing all forms of tradecraft in her works,' Logan sarcastically remarks. 'Easy there Logan,' says Rogers. 'Lighten up Roge. Anyway I suspected neither Stark nor Reed could not have done it without certain clues or template to begin with. Alien tech research has begun since that beefcake fell onto Nevada. Then it all blown out into the open after New York,' asks Logan. Romanova keeps quiet. 'Majority of the Avengers Initiative members have either been killed in action, retired with new identities or gone back home. Way back home. The damages caused and lives taken. We need all forms of support we could muster right now. Including alien techs,' says Rogers. 'But would we be ready when the fight comes to us once more?' replies Logan. 'The Sentient Worlds Observation and Response Division or S.W.O.R.D. has been formed by S.H.I.E.L.D. to manage and deal with these sort of things, working in tandem with The Star Lord and his group,' answers Rogers. 'Trusting a space travelling mercenary and his inter-galactic gang-bangers are at least a choice but even then we're tied to this dirt ball with our own problems. HYDRA, The Mutant Liberation Front, the splinter groups. Self-propaganda hate media mogul like Hodge. Then there're the individual rogues out there. Mystique for example. How many lives have she taken? And that damn A.I. floating somewhere in cyberspace. Could just trigger a nuke without pushing a button,' says Logan. 'We still couldn't locate Raven due to her ever changing sentient wavelength. Some said she's dead but  the New Delhi bombing incident confirms this isn't the case. But newsflash. The Vision managed to lure Ultron to a Sentinels bunker while it is searching for a new host with sufficient memory bank for its conscious to occupy. J.A.R.V.I.S., I mean, Vision, manages to delete Ultron's entire data stacks before it had the opportunity to corrupt a Sentinel. It had gone viral prior to that. Duplicated copies of itself. Managed to contain it all. Hard to believe but these copies actually sued for amnesty as an alternate life form. But Fury ordered Vision to erase all copies anyway to the last byte within the entire cyberspace. Vision's antidotes prevent others the likes of Ultron from further corrupting any networks or hardware. Not even a toaster,' replies Romanova. 'So Dr. Helen Cho's Frankenstein bio-robotic creation managed to do it,' replies Logan takes another swig from the bottle. 'Man, remember Shaw, Essex...and Eisenhardt? And that five thousand years old mummy? Ninety percent of Northern Africa terra-formed and its population perished in his wake. Shaw's action led to the Mutant Legislation Act as repercussion to his plan to plunge the two superpower nations into a nuclear war. Three million human mutants wiped out by the Sentinels Programme based on an algorithm under thirty hours and no one opens a month to shout genocide until the Trask Scandal involving the CIA broke out. Coupled with those perished at The Genosha Gulag, there's less than two hundred human mutants left on this planet,' muses The Wolverine. 'And they're worried about us replacing them as the cycle of violence continues and escalates. F***, Magneto even came close to drop an asteroid as retaliation.  Could've would wipe out two third of the world's population and push our civilisation back to stone age, if we were to survive the inertia drop. And that frog Namor nearly drowned the world with mountain high tsunamis,' adds Logan. 'And the f***ing thing is, it's not just the supers and mutants. The greed, ambition and capability of violence by normal mankind are equally boundless. You guys seen those files on those experiments at Kraków, Auschwitz, Unit 731, Tuskegee, Guatemala, Camp 22,' says Logan. 'And the massacres and atrocities at Nanking, Warsaw, Vietnam, Cambodia, Rwanda. Just Google it up, man,' notes Logan. Another uncomfortable silence. 'Just another statistics. Another numbers on some pieces of paper, relegated to history. Forgotten. Victims, aren't we all? F***. Humans can be mean and superficial. We're seen as freaks because we are different. They demanded a witch hunt but when it comes solving problems like North Africa they all act like Little Ponies,' says Logan. 'Thinking like that makes us no different from the ignorance, bigots and hatemongers the likes of Trask and Eisenhardt,' replies Rogers. 'Yeah... Sorry, anymore of these conversations would makes me carve the walls apart. Campfire stories over, bubs. Early flight tomorrow,' says Logan. 'Alright Logan, but don't forget to say goodbye before leaving,' replies Rogers. 'Goodbye. But I have a feeling it won't be long 'till we meet again,' says Logan with a thousand mile stare as he emptied the bottle. Somewhere in the makeshift command room, Fury is observing and listening to the entire conversation. 'Still need more time to ascertain his stability,' says Maria Hill. 'But its good to know he's leading a life with principle. We would need all helps we've got if we were to deal with what is coming,' replies Fury. 'Prepare the budget. We need to bankroll the Lemurian Star Project soonest possible, Maria,' says Fury. 'But the World Security Council has already sanctioned against any further budget allocation,' replies Hill. 'I think I need not remind you how creative you are with coming up with a solution to the numbers,' says Fury. Maria Hill gives out a sigh.

Logan, or The Wolverine, is a human mutant, a term first coined by the late, former US Secretary of Defence Bolivar Trask back in the 50s. It was the height of both the communist and human mutants scare. After the genocidal disaster known as the Human Mutant Holocaust carried out by the Sentinels Programme which reduced an estimated three millions human mutant population to less than two hundreds, the Mutant Legislation Act, a form of apartheid, affirmative action law started by the US government and later adopted worldwide, was lifted after a severe societal and political backlash. A proper definition is made to classify the human mutants by Professor Charles Xavier by the late 60s, under the category homo sapiens mutandis, instead of the originally intended term, homo superius. It is identified that humans whom manifest mutant abilities, which varies considerably, contains the X-gene within the 23rd chromosome. The origin of the X-gene is widely debated at the present time. It is widely believed that homo mutandis would eventually cause the extinction of homo sapiens as part of human race evolution, an idea perpetuated and facts contorted by fear mongers and extremists. Logan's primary mutation is the accelerated regenerative ability. Any physical wounds are simultaneously healed at micro-seconds, literally at the same time Logan sustained it. Regardless, the healing factor has its limit. If The Wolverine looses a limb, he would not be able to regenerate it back nor replacing a severed torsos. His self-healing ability isn't limited to only his physical body but also his psyche. Any memories from profound distress experiences which cause extreme psychological trauma are suppressed and forgotten, a form of retrograde amnesia. As such Logan could only recall selective memories. Regardless, Logan would still experience physical pains and emotional anguish from such incidences but without any memories to act as cushion, leading to occasional confusion and cognitive dissonance. Over the decades, the number of injuries and wounds suffered by him has elevated his pain threshold and tolerance, physically and mentally, to the point where currently, Logan's mind could withstand even the most potent psychic attack, which he used to his advantage during the Phoenix Incident. This ability also leads to his near immortality, as it slows down his aging tremendously and is absolutely immune to any forms of diseases, poisons and toxins. He has been known to survive a nuclear detonation. The ability also gifts Logan with a near superhuman physiology, at peak human condition at all time. It was originally theorised that Logan could be killed through decapitation or crushed indefinitely to pulp. Logan could survive for a long period in oxygen deprived environment, most notably after being horrifically impaled and weaved across his entire torso and face with concrete reinforcement steels by Magneto and hurled into the Potomac, to be drowned alive. Two weeks later, Logan was retrieved, fully healed upon removal of the reinforcement steels, although remain unconscious due to the painful trauma. After the bonding of adamantium, the strongest material on Earth after vibranium, and perhaps the universe, with his bones on molecular level as part of the Weapon Plus Programme, Logan is recognised as near indestructible. It is worth noting that adamantium in its purest form is highly toxic and could kill a human several hundred times over if ingested even in the smallest dosage. Logan's second sign of mutation is a pair of three claws which could be extracted and retracted from in between his knuckles on each hand. This is his primary weapon use against his enemies and targets during combat. With his claws, Logan could literally slice and cut his target apart with horrific precision in addition to his expertise in martial art skills. He could also use his almost supernatural, predator-like animalistic instinct and senses to track down his target. This include his sense of smell, hearing and sight. Logan could naturally see in total darkness. His long tenure in military service also makes him a firearm specialists and close combat weapons. Logan could improvise weapons and explosives from normal domestic items. Living his life off the land during self-imposed exile in the wilderness also makes him a survivor with just the most basic necessities. Currently Logan's only weakness is through extremely prolong starvation, as he doesn't possess self-sustenance. He is nearly killed by Famine, one of the self-styled Four Horsemen of Apocalypse during the North Africa Event.

Logan is an introvert, asocial and has difficulty forming relationships, connecting to people and forming friends. Nevertheless, he have had several relationship with various women during his lifetime, although as if fated, all ended in tragedy. Logan is highly distrustful of anyone, cynical, nihilistic and rarely expressing his thoughts and emotions. The exception perhaps being Professor Charles Xavier and to a certain extent, Steve Rogers. He is well known for his mercurial temperament, angst, and anti-authoritative behaviour, sometimes exhibit almost feral and bestial-like personality of which he would turns into a berserker, fierce like a formidable wild beast, loosing all forms of control and self-restrain, resorting to absolute acts of extreme brutality, primarily triggered by traumatic events. As such, Logan is considered one of the most unstable individuals in existence and highly monitored by S.H.I.E.L.D. and X-Force even though he is not an Omega Level human mutant. Some says Logan maybe a sociopath, due to his antagonistic and violent tendency, but he doesn't appear to lack a conscience. Logan often feels remorse for his behaviour and acts despite his reluctance to express such emotion. Professor Xavier once said that though Logan may not always follow society's rules, he does have his own set of moral principles that abide by a code of right and wrong.

When carrying out a mission, Logan is a very quick-thinking, linear type of person who moves quickly and brutally towards his goal. He gives the impression of someone who has been severely traumatized. Logan is tormented by fragmented memories of his past and suffers from occasional nightmares. He is highly adept at the arts of combat, and appears to retain his knowledge of how to remain 'off-the-grid' even if he cannot recall how he learned such skills. He also shows an immediate ability to utilize lateral thinking to solve problems and can utilize plans in matter of seconds, as well as tactical improvisation and using evasive protocols. His longer than normal lifespan makes him extremely experience and knowledgeable, though these are sometimes tempered by his scattered memories.

Due to his retrograde amnesia, Logan's past remains a mystery until Professor Xavier, whom himself is a human mutant with potent telepathic capability, delves into the deepest recesses of his mind and unravelled a chronological series of events. Xavier recorded down Logan's past in an encrypted data drive, an edited copy which is currently in possession of S.H.I.E.L.D., of which its content is accessible only by Col. Fury.

His present name is one of the many aliases he used throughout his life, for Logan was born James Howlett in 1880 at Cold Lakes, Alberta in Canada, the only son of a wealthy farm owner, John Howlett and his estrange wife, Elizabeth. After a horse riding accident which left John a paraplegic, his mother begun a long term affair with the estate groundkeeper, Thomas Logan, whom is James' biological father. John knew about the truth but treated James as if his own and cared for him like a real father. After James witnessed the murder of his father at the hands of Thomas, whom conspired with Elizabeth in an attempt to take over John's estate and wealth, it triggered his latent human mutant ability, where James, at the age of fifteen, savagely killed Thomas in retaliation. Elizabeth committed suicide in front of him after her sanity unravelled at the sight of James's claws, berserker savagery and Thomas's mutilated body.

Severely traumatised, he escaped from the estate. His accelerated regenerative power naturally supressed these memories. James wandered to the Yukon Territory, with no recollection of his past. He came to a mining colony where Logan was taken in by a stone quarry's supervisor, Smitty. When asked about his name, James simply referred to himself as Logan. He worked at the quarry where he spent time working intensively, growing into a strong young adult. Xavier noted that Logan's aging decelerate to an ever slower pace as time moves on. At the quarry, Logan would kept to himself, earning the nickname, "The Wolverine" due to his working behaviour which was akin to a wolverine digging for root and temperament. He also participated in secretive brutal cage fights at night, drinking and smoking incessantly. When Logan couldn't sleep, of which is suspected cause by supressed traumatic memories, he would go into the woods to hunt for games.

Victor Creed, himself a human mutant whom is an illegitimate son of Thomas with another woman, and had seen his father's death at the hands of Logan his half-brother, led a group of bounty hunters to the quarry. He killed Smitty resulting in The Wolverine turning berserk, killed them in defence and fury. He fled the colony and lived for an unspecified period of time in the wilderness of Canada while evading the authorities. Creed survived, and would later became known as the sociopathic Sabretooth, whom was recruited by the CIA in the Vietnam War as part of a meta-humans and human mutants special team commanded by Isaiah Bradley aka Nomad or Weapon VIII. Creed would later be assassinated by The Wolverine and Frank Castle when he went rogue and insane, establishing a splinter cultish group comprising a mix of rogue army deserters from both factions and an indigenous tribe at the border of Vietnam and Cambodia in 1975.

In 1920, a Niitsitapi, Silver Fox stumbled upon him, she eventually gained his trust and friendship, which developed into a relationship. She learnt of his abilities, leading Logan to return back to civilisation, residing at a Blackfoot reservation. When a group of  developer representatives threaten to burn down Silver Fox's house for her refusal to sell her land, Logan intervened and resulted not only the death of the representatives but also Silver Fox by accidentally impaling her with his claws. Traumatised and heartbroken, Logan wandered across the land, working odd jobs and keeping to himself. The authorities could not trace him, due to his false identity and refusal of co-operation from the people at the reservation.

But some memories were so deeply supressed, it is considered literally erased from Logan's mind. What led Logan to be involved in World War One in 1915 was not known but highly suspected to be adrenaline rush. He was enlisted into the 1st Canadian Division of the Canadian Corps, and sent to the Western Front as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He participated in the Second Battle of Ypres where the Imperial German Army used poison gases en mass for the first time. Logan watched as hundreds of his comrades fell and die with agony from the yellow-green chlorine gas cloud in the trenches. Those whom ran out were gunned down. He could taste the gas in his throat, metallic like, with distinctive smell like pineapple and pepper. Yet, he was unaffected by the gas cloud. Flamethrowers were also used for the first time in the war by the Germans during the Battle of Hooge where he suffered from an intense burning and not only survives but heals instantaneously, much to the horror of the German flamethrower. He underwent all six major engagements, including the Second Attack on Bellewaarde and subsequently the Battle of Mont Sorrel by mid 1916, where the Canadian Corps remained in the Ypres Salient until September whereby they were later transferred to the Battle of the Somme, France, which became one of the largest and bloodiest battle in the war, resulting in approximately one million casualties or wounded. They arrived during the Battle of Flers–Courcelette, where Logan fought a war of attrition. He witnessed for the first time the introduction of tanks into the battlefield. Subsequently, at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, the Canadian Corps, with all four divisions, and with meticulous planning, gain recognition for successfully defeating the German forces. World War One came to an end in 1918 after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.

Concurrently, the Spanish flu pandemic was decimating the global population. Virologists try to find a prevention or vaccine against the deadly influenza. Blood samples from World War One soldiers were taken, including Logan. A German scientist, Dr. Josef Reinstein, randomly by chance analysed Logan's blood sample, trying to find a vaccine, but instead led to the discovery of the formula capable of genetically enhance a human with superhuman physiology. After the Nazis came into power, Dr. Reinstein would fled Germany with the formula to Britain to escape Johann Schmidt or the Red Skull whom was the founder and overall commander of HYDRA, a sub-division of the SS. Schmidt was the first recipient of the formula, gifting him with superhuman physiology but it had not been perfected, resulting in extreme physical defection. Dr. Reinstein joined the Allies clandestine Strategic Scientific Reserve or SSR, the predecessor of S.H.I.E.L.D., with a new identity as Dr. Abraham Erskine. He refined the formula further, which would be known as the Super Soldier Serum, and the first recipient would be Steve Rogers or Captain America, designated as Weapon I under the Weapon Programme. After the dissolution of the Canadian Corps, Logan spent sometime in Europe before returning to Canada, where he lived alone in the wilderness once more, suffering from survivor's guilt and war trauma, which he eventually recovered from.

In 1942, Logan enlisted himself once more into the military, under the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, a paratrooper battalion, and was later assigned to the elite American-Canadian commando unit, 1st Special Service Force or The Devil's Brigade, where he fought side by side with Captain America Steve Rogers and the Howling Commandos in World War Two. After thwarting the Red Skull's genocidal plan to bomb major global cities with nuclear bombs, and the supposed death of Captain America, the Devil's Brigade was disbanded in 1944. Logan was re-assigned as a part of US Marine Corps in the Pacific Theatre during the Battle of Okinawa. However, after a sabotage by a HYDRA sleeper agent during a mission, Logan was captured by the Imperial Japanese army and sent to a prisoners of war camp at Nagasaki in 1945. Logan psychologically torture three commandants by simply not speaking during interrogation and seemingly capable of staying alive even when being subjected to the most brutal torture methods. Several weeks later, an atomic bomb was dropped by the US on Nagasaki, destroying the city, annihilated nearly all its population and killing everyone on the camp. The only survivors were Logan and a young Imperial Japanese soldier, whom he shielded from the atomic heat wave which sheared Logan's entire body. The Japanese soldier, Ichirō Yashida, would went on to established one of the largest and wealthiest conglomerates after the war. He also ascended to become the oyabun of the Black Clan, a yakuza organisation with seven hundred years old legacy which also bankrolled various terrorist and anti-government groups, including HYDRA splinter cell in Asia. In 1979, Yashida would suffer from a terminal cancer. Afraid to die, he became obsessed with Logan's healing factor and near-immortality which would lead to the tragedy of which his granddaughter Mariko, whom would fell in love with Logan and pregnant with his child, was killed by him using tetrodotoxin from a blowfish, resulting in Logan rampaging across Japan to avenge her. The Wolverine battled Yashida whom was enclosed in a vibranium life-support samurai exoskeleton armour armed with energised katana, known as The Silver Samurai  which contained a device engineered based on the power absorption ability of a human mutant, Amatsu. Yashida nearly succeed in transferring Logan's healing power to himself but was interrupted by his own son, Shingen, whom appeared extremely distraught upon the death of his daughter Mariko. Logan took the opportunity to severely injured Yashida. Shingen left his father at the mercy of The Wolverine, whom in his berserker fury, took his time to slice him off piece by piece. Shingen, through his powerful political ties, wealth and connection with the Minister of Justice, absolved Logan from any link to the entire incident. It was revealed years later after a confrontation with the formidable human mutant assassin, Yuriko Oyama aka Lady Deathstryke, that Shingen was involved in the plot from the beginning in order to ascend to the CEO of Yashida Industries and oyabun of The Black Clan, whom he later brokered and merged with another powerful yakuza clan, Satsugai no te-gumi or The Hand, making him virtually the most powerful individual in the nation.

After World War Two, Logan spent some time in South East Asia before being recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency. After being trained in selective tradecrafts, Logan became an agent under the CIA's Special Activities Division throughout the next three decades, carrying out covert operations, counter-intelligence activities and black ops as well as fighting in the global proxy wars against Soviet Union, including the Korean War, Vietnam War and Afghanistan. Apart from battling other human mutants, Logan had also personally engaged in combats against the Soviet's own super-soldiers, The Red Dawns and The Winter Guards.

The nuclear arms and super-soldiers race begun between America and Soviet Union, resulting in the proliferation of powerful individuals with extraordinary abilities, with a minority of normal humans whom experimented on themselves due to various reasons, becoming new meta-humans. More and more human mutants also begun to manifest their powers, suspected to be triggered by the increasingly chaotic global economic, societal and political situations. After the Cuban Missile Crisis perpetrated by Sebastian Shaw, leader of the Hellfire Cabal, the World Security Council approved the Mutant Legislation Act in 1963, which was implemented globally. The Sentinels Programme systematically carried out a genocide, known as the Human Mutant Holocaust, killing an estimated three million human mutants. The survivors, including Logan, were imprisoned on Genosha, an island turned into a gulag off South Africa. The captives were randomly tortured and experimented upon by a sadistic and paedophile human mutant, Nathaniel Essex, whom was nicknamed "Mister Sinister", for as the leader of the human mutant mercenary group, The Marauders, he was responsible for The Morlocks Massacre at District X during the height of the genocide. Majority also died from diseases and starvation. After S.H.I.E.L.D. uncovered and exposed a political scandal involving former US Secretary of Defence Bolivar Trask, the architect of the legislation whom would later died violently in an automobile accident suspected to be have been carried out by a lone wolf human mutant, Raven Darkhölme aka Mystique in 1974, and the CIA for selling state level confidential secrets to belligerent nations, the legislation was abolished under societal and political pressure, and the recognition of a need for a response programme capable of countering human mutant terrorists. In 1975, the Weapon Programme was quietly revived by Colonel William Stryker under the instruction of General Alexander Pierce, one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D. organisation. Pierce had been observing Logan for a time whom was misled into participating the programme, the tenth subject under the Weapon series. Within an underground secret laboratory, designated "Department H" located at Alkali Lake, Canada, Logan underwent a series of extremely painful and physically traumatising process of having the newly discovered pure adamantium steel bond at molecular level onto all his bones under the instructions of Dr. Wilfred Nagel and Dr. Koch. The procedure drove Logan insane. Overwhelmed with berserker rage after the end of the procedure, Logan, unrestrainable and indestructible, massacred everyone in the facility before escaping. The first S.T.R.I.K.E. team was formed, comprising super-soldiers and human mutants, commandeered by Nomad. They were tasked to hunt Logan but the operation was shelved when S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director Nick Fury discovered and unveiled a network of HYDRA sleeper agents within the organisation itself and begun a series of purge. Those include Pierce and Stryker, both whom had been revealed earlier to be double agents for HYDRA. Bradley managed to locate Logan but allowed him to escape. Logan then disappeared and never to be seen again.

By the late 80s, Logan is seek out telepathically by Professor Xavier, the world leading eugenicist specialising in human mutant strains with the intention to recruit him as part of a private clandestine paramilitary team comprising human mutants to counter more extreme inclined members of their own while trying to achieve a balance of co-existence. As more and more acts of terrorisms are carried out not only by normal human extremists but also by rogue human mutant groups determine to change the world through force, The World Security Council, through Fury, makes an official negotiation with Xavier. Selected human mutants under the care of the professor would be officially registered as government agents under the private military company, the X-Force, and also serves as back up to the counter-intelligence and anti-terrorism organisation own Avengers Initiative immediate response team. In return, they are guaranteed the human mutant freedoms and protections as long as they don't pose as a threat to global security. The X-Force achieved numerous success under the leadership of Xavier, including the capturing of Mister Sinister and members of The Marauders for crimes against humanity. They were all executed after an internal trial by The World Security Council. The X-Force also orchestrated the downfall of Shingen, leading to the collapse of his political, business and yakuza empire. Nevertheless the Hand and the Black Clan have been re-organised and experienced a current resurgence led by Yuriko Oyama, herself being appointed the onna-oyabun. After a string of successful operations, the X-Force began to suffer numerous casualties during several missions against the most active and influential human mutant terrorist, Erik  Eisenhardt aka Magneto and his Mutant Liberation Front. After Jean Grey, a core member of the team whom had formed a long term personal relationship with Logan, recovered from a catatonic state for overstretching her telekinetic power during a crucial mission which crushed Magneto's psychic null helm, effectively lobotomised him permanently, her self-conscious had been partially obliterated by her newly elevated psychic ability, which eventually manifests into a sentient entity known as The Phoenix, turning her into a schizophrenic sociopath with zero empathy. In what was deemed as one of the darkest period for the X-Force, as The Phoenix, Jean Grey killed all the core members of the X-Force in a single violent confrontation before proceeding to massacre nearly all students at The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, followed by the subsequent destruction of Westchester County and its population within twenty four hours. Her act effectively fractured Xavier's effort of carefully building a trust between mutants and humans through the years, causes Logan to suffer from mental and emotional breakdown, and the resulting backlash laid the foundation for the soon to be passed Meta-Human Registration Act. As the psychic entity begin to literally reduce anything and anyone into ashes through pyrokinesis, the handful of survivors re-gathered to take her on in a suicidal assault with reinforcement from The Avengers Initiative. No one could get near The Phoenix whom has killed or incapacitated all human mutants with teleportation abilities as well as capable of disrupting it, as in the case of Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler whom was entombed and crushed alive several kilometres beneath ground during teleportation in an attempt to impale her with his tail. War Machine's armour was rendered useless, the Hulk's psyche was splintered, causing him to revert back to an unconscious Bruce Banner while Thor was nearly crushed to death in a psychic grip. Two Helicarriers were destroyed by The Phoenix in the process. In a final supreme effort, a critically injured Charles Xavier uses his psychic shield to protect Pietro Maximoff and Logan while Robert Drake aka Iceman summons all his power to lower the intense thermal firestorm surrounding them, carving a clearing path for The Quicksilver to carry The Wolverine at hypersonic speed to get close enough to The Phoenix. Unfortunately, the psychic shield is shattered as Xavier begins to loose focus and consciousness due to blood loss while Drake is overwhelmed and consumed by the ensuing thermal firestorm. Pietro uses all his remaining strength to hurl Logan towards The Phoenix before being flayed alive. Logan, capable of surviving the intense speed, was being shredded apart simultaneously and burnt by the intense continuous burst of telekinesis and pyrokinesis. His internal organs are reduced to pulp but remain alive due to his simultaneous, accelerated healing capability. His adamantium encased skull also seems to protect his brain from being destroyed but suffered from concussion. The Wolverine sliced The Phoenix's head apart and stabbed through her heart  in split-seconds before loosing conscious. In her death throes, The Phoenix psychic scream resonates, nearly killing psykers like Elizabeth Braddock aka Psylocke and Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlett Witch as well as across all realms in the galaxy, which would have serious repercussion to come, having alerted the attentions of other races and cosmic beings. Its psychic residue and Jean's shattered conscious remain within Logan's psyche, which continues to haunt him ceaselessly, causing endless nightmares and occasionally hallucinations. Although reinforced by new members, The X-Force suffered further immense casualties in another joint battle with The Avengers Initiative against En Sabah Nur, also known as Apocalypse or The First One after the ancient human mutant was awakened from his hibernation by The Phoenix psychic resonance, resulting in what was known as the North Africa Incident. Currently, Logan remains as an active member of what remained of the X-Force, under the command of nominal leader Scott Summers while Xavier is in coma, and The Avengers Initiative.

..........................................

 

There is nothing much else to say about The Wolverine except that it is one of the most memorable characters ever come out from Marvel. The character is created by  by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita, Sr., who designed the character, and was first drawn for publication by Herb Trimpe. Legendary writer Chris Claremont, of whose storyline made up the primary bulk of what I read during those comics and graphic novels collection period ages ago, and equally prolific artist-writer John Byrne turned the character into a supa-dupa popular anti-hero within the X-Men series. Collaborations with other artists-writers and limited series the likes of Frank Miller launched The Wolverine's popularity into the stratosphere. The healing factor, the feral ferociousness, those adamantium skeletons, claws and the cigar chomping anti-heroism strikes a chord with fans. Even when I stopped collecting comics, this character remains amongst a favourite and when the string of movies came about, starring Hugh Jackman as the titular character, I was not so keen at first but eventually the actor's portrayal grown on me. If based on the comic characteristic, Wolvie is kind of stout and on the shorter end of height. But I always envision one particular actor whom could capture the feel of Logan, and that's Clint Eastwood. No, not the present by now, golden aged actor but during his Fistful of Dollar years. The X-Men movies, particularly the first three should be re-named Wolverine 1 to 3, because it is all about him. Every other characters feel like supporting casts. Luckily X-Men: First Class changes all that. But one can't seem to stop an incredibly popular character, so when X-Men: Days of Future Past dropped, once again The Wolverine takes centre stage but the storyline is now more engaging, that it is fun to watch again. Hopefully X-Men: Apocalypse would be engaging enough as a closure to the celluloid version of the X-Men series, as rumoured to be. Now, this is the, I am not sure here, perhaps the third release from Hot Toys on the character, the first I think would be the standalone movie Wolverine: The Origin version, followed by the insipid X-Men: The Last Stand, and then The Wolverine, wait that's already three, ok, this is the forth version, based on X-Men: Days of Future Past. Hot Toys the milk machine. I held off as long as I could, regardless of how the fan boys going ga-ga over then still novelty material "the claws are made of metal dude!" which were followed by rocketed up up and away secondary prices. Why? I don't know to be honest. Just couldn't pin point the reason. But for this version, I got it because the "feel", what ever that means, is just there. Maybe the head sculpt. Maybe a more mature just right Hugh Jackman facial expression. Or the uniform. Dunno. But it comes at a price. And the price is the price itself. Bloody expensive for a barely there accessories, no wait, virtually no accessories figure. OK, maybe the fanatics would do something like cutting their fingers on the super-sharp (no joke) metal claws to bring the figure to life but darn, what is Hot Toys thinking pricing it like this? Anyway, I am honestly building a personal what I think should constitute my own "ideal" Avengers squad to eventually take on Thanos (I'm gonna skip the current release and cross my fingers for another with the Infinity Gauntlet. Hey, what is Thanos without the Infinity Gems). I just don't have an idea how these guys could take on the Mad Titan. Lets wait until 2019. That's four years away. Lots of things may happen in between...Fan fiction write up a mash up from the long history of The Wolverine courtesy of official online sources. I could just keep going and going, babbling nonsense but it is fun. After all from day one, the mis-interpretation is for my own personal read and past time. I wanted The Wolverine to be based on, of all characters, The Comedian from The Watchmen but that's too dark. Anything by Alan Moore is too dark and serious. And that just wouldn't do.