SAVAGE WOLVERINE #20

[ BOOTLEGGING BARGAIN BOOKS ] 

What's the biggest crime committed by transvestites? Male fraud. Now if didn't like the butt of that joke, my friends, I would like to direct your attentions towards the comic book that inspired it. It was Published by Marvel, in July, 2014, and was created by Frank Tieri, Felix Ruiz, and Declan Shalvey.

To QUOTE Al Capone: 'I don't even know what street Canada is on'.

THE STORY:

As he lay their on the hard-cold floor -- battered, bruised, and dying to seek revenge -- our pal Logan suddenly recollects how he found himself smack-bang in the middle of the Valentine's Day Massacre -- circa, 1929.

First he remembers running bootleg alcohol from Canada to America with his girlfriend Molly. Then he remembers seeing Molly's blood-soaked remains after one of Al Capone's henchmen savagely kills her. And finally he remembers Capone fearfully pointing him in the right direction to get the fiend who did this.

Now the fiend in question is none other than a living weapon who instigated the massacre. And he's standing right by Logan's side, ready for the next step.

THE GOOD:

I suppose this stand-alone story-line reminded me of one of those antiquated escapade's where a jovial bootlegger sort out revenge for someone who did him wrong.

Thankfully, the 'superhero element' was kept to a minimum. Plus I must admit I didn't mind following Felix's style of artwork either, despite it being a bit too scratchy for my own particular tastes.

Yet for me -- personally speaking -- I thought the best thing about this issue was its novelized approach of unraveling itself -- starting at the middle before travelling back to the end via the beginning.

Now without a shadow of a doubt this tried and tested method gave this story some extra added depth and dimension, because it added a layer of suspense and intrigue to these proceedings. Good stuff.

THE BAD:

Whenever a fictionalized account tries to amalgamate itself into something that happened in real life, by in large I usually feel that this type of union is disrespectful somehow. Perverse even. As though a writer could use this 'pivotal event' as some form of commodity!

Now please don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. I really did enjoy reading this adventure, and I've never minded re-enactments or updates of age old tales. My problem with it is the actual 'amalgamation' part of the equation.  The joining of 'the fictional' to 'the real' with the use of 'characters' or 'a sequence of events'. 

THE MUSIC:

I can't help but associate things like bootlegging, old school Chicago, plus the 1920's in general, with the following rag time tune played by Scott Joplin.

THE COMPARISON:

Well, as this story took place over the period of the Valentine's Day Massacre, why don't I compare it to the Valentine's Day Massacre? It only stands to reason that never the twain shall one day meet. Wink-Wink!

THE CONCLUSION:

Once again I've deliberately left something out my review because I didn't want to spoil this book too much. However, what I will say is that this particular issue of 'Savage Wolverine' features another character from the four-color funnies. 'But who could it be?' you might wonder. Surely not...

• William Shatner -- Oh please let it be him.
• Batman -- Yeah. Like that's ever going to happen?
• Eliot Ness -- Well, Capone's in this issue, so anything's possible.
• Sabertooth -- What? Not him again!
• Joan Rivers -- Cause I hear she was once a good bootlegger. Or was that 'ass-kicker'?
• Lucky Luciano -- See the Eliot Ness answer for more details.
• Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny -- Just to add an air of believably to these proceedings.
• Professor X -- Hey! Wouldn't you love to see him pissed out of his face on hooch?
• Bruce Lee -- He's Bruce Lee, isn't he! Nothing more needs to be said.

Nuff said.