Wolverine: Origins #1
Wolverine: Origins #1 marks the formal launch of Marvel's most sustained effort to mine Logan's newly restored memories — a status quo established at the end of the House of M event — giving the character a driving mission of vengeance for the first time in his solo publishing history. As the opening chapter of a 50-issue ongoing series, it set in motion a years-long narrative that would introduce Daken (Wolverine's son) and the villain Romulus, expanding the Wolverine mythos in ways that reverberated through the Dark Reign crossover and beyond. The issue also established the Muramasa Blade as a recurring story engine — a weapon capable of negating superhuman healing factors — which became one of the most consequential Wolverine story objects of the 2000s. For collectors, it is the gateway issue to the series that carried the seeds of Daken's first appearance, a character who graduated to his own ongoing title and remains a fixture of X-Men publishing.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The series was conceived as a direct continuation of writer Daniel Way's 'Origins and Endings' arc from Wolverine (vol. 3) #36–40, itself a bridge story following House of M #8 in which Logan regained his full suppressed memories. Way was paired with artist Steve Dillon — a collaborator he had already worked with on Supreme Power: Nighthawk and Punisher vs. Bullseye — with Axel Alonso serving as editor and Joe Quesada as editor-in-chief. Quesada himself provided the primary painted cover (with colors by Richard Isanove), a notable gesture of editorial investment; the issue also shipped simultaneously with a variant cover by Michael Turner and Peter Steigerwald, distributed on a 50/50 basis. A Director's Cut edition followed in October 2006, reprinting the issue alongside Way's annotated script and cover sketches.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Written by Daniel Way with interior art by Steve Dillon; cover art by Joe Quesada (colored by Richard Isanove) on the standard edition.
- On-sale date: April 19, 2006; cover-dated June 2006. Published by Marvel Comics.
- Opens the 'Born in Blood' arc (issues #1–5), the first story arc of a 50-issue ongoing series (plus one annual) that ran until 2010.
- Directly follows the events of House of M and the 'Origins and Endings' arc (Wolverine vol. 3 #36–40); Logan, his memories now fully restored, begins a vendetta against all those who exploited and weaponized him.
- The Muramasa Blade — a mystical sword forged partly from Wolverine's own soul that can nullify superhuman healing factors — is wielded by Logan in the opening scene and functions as a central story object throughout the series (the blade itself first appeared in Wolverine vol. 3 #40).
- Logan reclaims his classic brown-and-tan costume in this issue, returning to it after a period wearing other outfits.
- The series is the first to feature Daken (Akihiro), Wolverine's previously unknown son, who appears in a cameo (in disguise) in issue #5 and more fully in issue #10.
- A Director's Cut edition (October 2006) reprinted the full issue alongside Daniel Way's annotated script and cover reference images. A Dynamic Forces signed edition limited to 250 copies (signed by Way) and a separate edition signed by Len Wein (limited to 110 copies) were also produced.
Key issues in Wolverine: Origins
Other variants of Wolverine: Origins #1 (2)
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