Dead Man Logan # 11
Logan finds out who is behind all of his troubles in the Badlands in Dead Man Logan #11, by writer Ed Brisson, artist Mike Henderson, colorist Nolan Woodard, and letterer Cory Petit. Brisson and company pull out all the stops in this action-packed penultimate issue of the book.
Logan and Dani make their way through Hammer Falls, the former Las Vegas, looking for Sabretooth and the Weapon X facility that Forge told them is there. A group of civilians surrounds them, trying to get the reward on Logan, but he’s able to disable one of them and get the information they need. They fight their way through the facility, finding Bruce Jr before they are ambushed by Sabretooth and Weapon X security. Sabretooth introduces the new leader of Weapon X, the man who is the real architect of the villains rising up all those years ago. Logan frees Bruce, and the three of them make a run. They get back to the city, but the numbers game gets to them. They get to Mjolnir, but one of them is wounded fatally… and then they knock over Mjolnir. Someone is worthy of the power of Thor…
Brisson turns up the heat in this one. There is a lot of action in this issue, as Logan and Dani fight their way through Hammer Falls. The chapter has a nice pace to it- not too fast, but not too slow. It’s bookended by action sequences, with the middle digging into the meat of the story. The ending is a roller coaster. Brisson has gotten readers close to Dani and Bruce Jr in the last few issues, and there’s a sense of impending doom to the whole thing that is paid off when one of them is fatally injured. It’s a heart-dropping moment, made all the more devastating by how much Brisson has gotten readers invested in the character. That said, seeing as how they’re in Hammer Falls near Mjolnir, it’s sort of telegraphed that they’ll be saved by the literal dues-ex-Machina laying on the ground near them, but it’s a great moment regardless.
The reveal of the new leader of Weapon X is surprising. It makes a lot of sense, though, seeing as how they would definitely be interested in a super-soldier program and cloning Sabretooth to make better soldiers. That said, the reveal that they gave Red Skull the idea for the attack on the hero feels a bit much. Sure, it provides Logan a more personal stake in the whole thing, but he doesn’t really need much more of a particular reason to be in this entire thing. His guilt over leaving Dani and Bruce Jr and his lifelong vendetta against Sabretooth should be more than enough to get him to take the whole thing personally. It’s not a bad idea, per se, but it feels tacked on. It’s kind of needless.
Mike Henderson’s art is as good as it’s always been. His redesign of the longtime X-Men villain who is the new leader of Weapon X is grotesque and needs to be seen to be believed. The action scenes in the books are well-composed and choreographed. The last few pages wouldn’t be as strong without his artwork, his character acting capturing the shock of the moment when one of the heroes is on death’s door and then the triumph of their massive recovery. It’s a beautiful moment made all the better by Henderson’s art.
Dead Man Logan #11 reveals the secret of the person behind Logan, Dani, and Bruce Jr’s problems in action packed issue. The ending works so well because Brisson has gotten readers so invested in the characters and story. The reveal of Weapon X’s leader being behind Red Skull’s attack is a little much, but that’s a minor issue with the issue. This issue is an action-packed treat, and Henderson’s art makes the fight scenes look fantastic, and his character acting makes the big moment in the end that much better. Next issue is the last one, Logan’s last hurrah, and this one sets up it to be a big one.