50 Greatest Super Heroes In Comic Book History
By FanSided
8. Wolverine
(Write-up by Nick Tylwalk, Bam Smack Pow Editor)
There’s nothing about Wolverine’s enduring popularity that makes much sense. By all rights, there’s no way a short, Canadian mutant with a surly disposition and an unorthodox view on the question of using lethal force should end up as a member of nearly all of Marvel’s super hero teams — sometimes all at the same time — let alone one of Marvel’s most instantly recognizable characters and the star of both team and solo movies.
It’s not even that he’s accessible to new fans, given his insanely complicated backstory. Nor is he relatable in any way except the most basic urge to occasionally lash out and slash through obstacles in front of us.
So what gives Logan the undeniable “it” factor that he possesses? Visual appeal certainly helps: the claws, those costumes, that signature hair. His mutant healing factor is also a perfect match for his personality and fighting style, as there’s nothing that makes a vicious fighter known for his periodic berserker rages scarier than knowing that you won’t be able to stop him since he’ll just shrug off any wound you deal him.
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We’d be remiss not to think that Wolverine’s inherent violence is part of his appeal, but what that says about us is a topic better suited for a longer, separate discussion. The fact is that even though he’s willing to cross a line that others can’t or won’t, he doesn’t do it without necessity, and there’s value in having someone around who will make the difficult decisions involving that line. Even the Avengers warmed up to that idea eventually.
Like a number of other heroes on this list, Wolverine could have been a one-dimensional, almost throwaway character, but he was fortunate enough to end up in the hands of writers who turned him into a notably layered person and one of the staunchest defenders of Charles Xavier’s dream. Sometimes it pays to be both lucky and the best there is at what you do.
Next: No. 7: The fastest men alive