Old Man Logan #41, by Ed Brisson, Francesco Manna, Carlos Lopez, and Cory Petit, pits Logan versus Kraven the Hunter. Can an older, broken down Logan defeat an apex predator like Kraven? It’s a match-up readers never thought they’d see, but will it be a match-up worth seeing?

    In Japan, Kraven buys the hand that Logan lost fighting the Silver Samurai months ago. He hires Roughhouse and Bloodscream to go after Logan. The three of them brawl at Logan’s favorite bar, and Kraven uses the fight as a distraction to tranquilize Logan. Kraven takes Logan to the Savage Land, and the hunt begins.

    A showdown between Kraven the Hunter and Logan is a very intriguing one. Both men are hunters and have their own code of honor. It actually makes a lot of sense for these two to tussle and it’s strange that’s taken so long for it to happen. Kraven may primarily be a Spider-Man villain, but his aesthetic fits Wolverine just as well. This is the second time Brisson has put Logan against a villain he doesn’t usually fight and it’s another dream match-up. The inclusion of Roughhouse and Bloodscream is a nice touch as well. They are the forgotten Wolverine villains, overshadowed by guys like Sabretooth, Omega Red, and Cyber and it’s nice to see them after so many years away. Brisson’s run so far has paid homage to a lot of older stuff Wolverine villains, locations, and situation while also bringing in fresh new match-ups to keep things interesting.

    That said, having them fight in the Savage Land is a little cliche. One of the things about the Savage Land is that it’s so dangerous that it distracts from the fight. There’s always some dinosaur or prehistoric predator waiting in the wings. That happens at the end of this issue. It might have been a better story if the fight had happened elsewhere, with the two of them clashing with each other exclusively. Of course, the fighting to survive could yield some very cool interactions between the two. Kraven and Logan aren’t extremely dissimilar men. They’re both honorable men known for their hunting prowess. The difference between is that Logan always hunts out of necessity, while Kraven is a trophy hunter. It will be interesting to see how the two interact with each other as they are forced to band together against the wilds of the Savage Land. Brisson also makes a little mistake during their fight. Kraven cuts off Logan’s bone claw on his right hand and it doesn’t even affect him. In the past when Wolverine’s bone claws have been broken, it hurt him a lot because they are made of bone and breaking bones hurts. It’s a strange little mistake for Brisson to make, because he’s a writer who is seemingly well-versed in Wolverine continuity.

    Francesco Manna’s art is a bit cartoony, but it works very well here. His Logan is a bit slight, and it’s a problem his figure work has throughout the book. None of the characters who need to be bulky are. It’s a minor quibble, because his art is otherwise is very good; detailed and easy to follow. His fight scenes are fluid. It’s not groundbreaking or anything like that, but it’s a nice match for the story being told.

    Old Man Logan #41 is a solid book. It presents a never before seen match-up, while also bringing back two classic Wolverine villains for a nice bit role. There are a few problems, but overall, it’s an entertaining issues and sets up what could be a very interesting story as two hunters fight to survive the Savage Land and each other.

Grade: B