| The Wolverine/Nightcrawler bond.; Peas in a pod? | |
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| Topic Started: May 19 2009, 06:42 PM (4,266 Views) | |
| creaky | May 19 2009, 06:42 PM Post #1 |
Young X-Man
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(I apologize in advance for the rambling that is about to take place here. I tend to get carried away when getting into topics I care about.) With so many of Logan's bonds represented here on the boards, I thought it would be a shame if his friendship with Nightcrawler didn't get its own thread. After all, they've been buddies almost since the X-men were formed. They're seen punching a gorilla in perfect unison as early as Uncanny X-men #95. Of course, the next issue, he almost kills Nightcrawler for laughing at him during a training session. So it's perplexing that five pages later or so, as the X-men are attacked by the demon K'ierrok, Logan watches his teammates get smacked down one by one, but it's not until Kurt gets knocked out that he reacts. "The misfit may be a misfit, but he's Wolverine's buddy - and no one beats on Wolverine's buddies", he yells, goes berserk and proceeds to tear the monster to shreds. Afterwards, even he seems a bit surprised. Through the years, their friendship would play an important role in both characters' growth. But what made it come about and what is keeping it alive? What made Logan warm up to Kurt so early? "Opposites attract" and their status as "freaks among freaks" have been cited often. Both plausible and likely reasons, but I still find it strange sometimes that they have such an easy chemistry despite the sharp contrast of their respective ethics - especially considering that that wouldn't be the last time Kurt was almost killed by Logan. What does make Kurt enjoy Logan's company so much to this day? Are they really that different? I recently got to thinking of the parallels between James Howlett and Kurt. Both James and Kurt were sensitive boys growing up in isolation - James due to his poor health and Kurt due to his looks. Their respective love interests were both older girls they had known since childhood (Rose and Amanda/Jimaine - Kurt's foster sister). Their relatively sheltered lives were both disrupted traumatically (Kurt's circus changed owners, he was drugged and put on a freakshow. James' story...well, you probably all know it) and they both accidentally killed someone very close to them (Stefan Szardos - Kurt's foster brother - and Rose). Further, they've both had to live with the underlying feeling that they are monsters. They both sought peace from this in physical and spiritual discipline - Logan in Eastern philosophy and Kurt in Catholicism. They both found pride in performance (acrobatics vs...what Logan does) and, as a result, were pretty cocky show-offs when they joined the X-men, leading to constant competitions (which Logan always won, but hey, Kurt loves a challenge). They are both inclined towards mentoring and they are both hopelessly soft at heart, despite having plenty of reasons not to be. Make of it what you will, but perhaps part of the reason for their friendship is that Kurt corresponds with the most human side of Logan, whatever remains of James Howlett? Spoiler: click to toggle In any case, I would like to see this friendship used more, in a deeper sense than them throwing beer cans at each other in Uncanny. Remember all the times when Kurt encouraged Logan to develop his human, honorable side? And when Logan made Kurt walk down the street without an image inducer? It wasn't just a case of being buddies - they used their differences to help each other grow and evolve as characters. And these days, they're back on square one, in a way. Kurt's self-esteem recently got so low he actually ended up quitting the X-men for a while. Logan, meanwhile, seems to be so swamped in his troubles he's lost sight of his quest for honor. I loved what Rucka did when he let Kurt appear here and there as Logan's confidante and advisor. When Logan went after Mystique, I was really frustrated that more wasn't made of Kurt's reaction. There was a story there, waiting to be told. Also, recently it seems they've been walking similar paths, as Kurt has been having a rough streak and taking an unholy amount of damage because of it, while Logan has been abusing his healing factor to no end. They've both had their origins revealed that put them uncomfortably close to what they've been trying to prove they're not (although if The Draco and Evolution are just quietly forgotten about, I won't complain). I would also love to see what Kurt would think of Logan's involvement in X-Force. What are your favorite moments between these two? Is there anything you would like to see explored? |
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| Gorvar | May 20 2009, 01:51 AM Post #2 |
Self claimed fanfic critic.
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I liked in the last issue of 'Return of the native' where Logan called Kurt to give Feral the last rites, very touching. |
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| Brian Knippenberg | May 20 2009, 10:31 AM Post #3 |
Secret Agent
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 I too have been a fan of the friendship between Wolverine and the "fuzzy elf" for many years. While I wasn't too fond of the whole "Catholicism" angle (mostly thanks to the 90's cartoon) and Chuck Austen's crazy ideas, I've always been a fan of Nightcrawler and would like to see him become more like he was during his Excalibur days, more confident and able to exude a leadership quality again. Edited by Brian Knippenberg, May 20 2009, 10:32 AM.
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| PDA | May 20 2009, 11:56 AM Post #4 |
Secret Agent
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I especially enjoyed Rucka's wrap-up issue to "The Brotherhood," - #6, "So, a Priest Walks Into a Bar." Their discussion of what it is to kill, the idea of absolution, and what makes a man different from an animal is wonderful...and I liked the art. The last panel or so outside the bar with the rain pouring down, so poignant: "That thing about the wolves...I'm not an animal." "I know you're not, my friend." "I'm not." This sort of vignette of their friendship -- two conflicted characters trying to rise above their natures -- is why Nightcrawler appeals to me nearly as much as Logan. |
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| Congo Jack | May 20 2009, 03:19 PM Post #5 |
New Avenger
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Ah yes, the ultimate bonding experience.
I think Rucka described it best in Kurt's words - "The only thing hard about Logan are his bones and his claws. Everything else is just a man trying to do the right thing." Kurt's got time for good people; and Logan, for all his faults - is a good man, a noble man.
I agree. But I must admit, even when it is something like that (what I'm thinking of right now is the single panel in the Silvestri pencilled issue of Messiah Complex of Logan and Kurt sparring in the ring) I still get a little thrill out of it. I loved seeing them and Peter all playing pranks on each other when they were in Russia a few issues later.
It does seem like they need each other more than ever now - Logan with Daken and Kurt with his troubles (the solicitation for that Kurt leaving the X-Men story ensured I wasn't going anywhere near it). I'm actually worried that Marvel are trying to push Spider-Man into the Nightcrawler-role with Wolverine. Don't get me wrong, I love Spidey and Wolvie together but I don't want that to become the standard because of Marketing at the expense of Kurt and Logan being shown as friends. I've thought more than once about a Nightcrawler/Wolverine mini - preferably by Rucka and Robertson.
Favourite moments? The Byrne/Claremont issues when Kurt goes with Logan to Canada and they take on the Wendigo. The Paul Smith page you posted above. It's not as big a moment as the former but I remember it because it's a recent moment from Claremont's X-MEN VS HULK "I'm just as much a 'youngster' as Piotr." "Young in body, bub, old in soul." Anything I'd like to be explored? I just want to see them together more often. I'd like it to be made apparent what the relationships are among the X-Men (not just Kurt and Logan), because many of them have become interchangable... it bugs the hell out of me when I see Logan and Warren acting like they're best buds for example. Edited by Congo Jack, May 20 2009, 03:22 PM.
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| Congo Jack | May 20 2009, 05:41 PM Post #6 |
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New Avenger
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... and I can't believe I forgot to list the Rucka/Robertson issues of WOLVERINE guest-starring Nightcrawler with my favourite moments.
Edited by Congo Jack, May 20 2009, 05:42 PM.
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| creaky | May 20 2009, 05:47 PM Post #7 |
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Young X-Man
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Ahh, yes, I loved that scene, too. (It was The Native, though, not Feral.) Spoiler: click to toggle It's a bit strange in the sense that Kurt was never really a priest - he had just been given false memories of having been ordained. I don't know if Rucka just didn't know, or if this is simply meant to be Logan's way of affirming and paying respect to The Native's humanity by giving her the most humane send-off he could think of, disregarding Catholic rules?
Same here. It's just strange that they've been friends this long and yet there has been precious little focus on their friendship. It's pretty much been confined to off-hand scenes in Uncanny X-men. With Logan's status at Marvel, whichever character is most popular at the moment gets first priority when it comes to panel time with him. And Kurt has been low-priority to Marvel for a long time now. Which leads to your next quote:
Spiderman is far more popular than Kurt, so he gets more face time with Wolverine, because, of course, that's going to sell more. I think, though, that if Marvel really wanted to break up Logan and Kurt, they could and would have done so by now and simply refrained from giving us these little buddy moments. Plenty of friendships have fallen by the wayside over the years, but this one actually lingers. It just doesn't get much focus.
I would love that. Or maybe Jason Aaron. Or Kyle & Yost - they've proven able to handle both comedy and drama and characterization.
Yes! And it's so true. |
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| creaky | May 20 2009, 06:31 PM Post #8 |
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Young X-Man
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Uncanny X-men #409: I love that Kurt knows he can just crash on Logan's couch whenever he wants.
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| Gorvar | May 21 2009, 06:29 AM Post #9 |
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Self claimed fanfic critic.
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Didn't know Logan had a appertment. |
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| PDA | May 21 2009, 09:10 AM Post #10 |
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Secret Agent
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