10 Wolverine Comics Anyone Can Jump Into, No Backstory Required

Wolverine is one of the most iconic Marvel Comics characters in history, not just as a member of the X-Men, but in his own right. Sure, Wolverine is a member of the X-Men (which, aside from fighting the Hulk, is how he got his start in Marvel Comics), but he has grown beyond the X-Men continuity, and has actually created a continuity all his own. Marvel Comics is rife with Wolverine stories of all sorts, and each one is worthy of fans’ attention.

That being said, there are some Wolverine stories that stand out from the rest, especially for new fans. Obviously, Wolverine has been around for decades, and most people are aware of his long (and admittedly convoluted) story. But, what about those who are just now discovering the character? What Wolverine comics can they pick up right now, without any background necessary? Well, these 10 Wolverine comics offer just that, allowing new and old fans alike to jump into them with no backstory required!

10

Ultimate Wolverine

Marvel Comics Just Restarted Wolverine’s Continuity in the New Ultimate Universe

Right now, Wolverine fans new and old have the chance to jump into a brand-new story featuring the fan-favorite X-Men hero. And, in this story, Wolverine is no hero at all, which is part of the reason why it’s so awesome. Ultimate Wolverine (2025) takes readers into the new Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, where the Maker has reshaped an entire reality to his liking, creating a continuity starring familiar characters that’s unlike anything fans have seen before. For instance, Wolverine is known as the Winter Soldier, and is a mindless killing machine being controlled by Colossus and his entire corrupted family on behalf of the Maker himself.

In the first issue alone, fans witness Wolverine slaughtering a warehouse filled with mutants who are fighting against Colossus’ evil regime, including A-listers like Mystique and Nightcrawler, and that was just the start of this new continuity. Fans could know everything about Wolverine or nothing at all, and they’d all be on the same level going into this epic new story.

9

Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk

The Original Ultimate Universe Gives Fans an Awesome Retelling of Wolverine’s Debut

The original Ultimate Universe had some pretty gnarly Wolverine stories, too, but none of them can compare to Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk in terms of comics fans can just pick up and read without any background whatsoever. This comic is kind of like a retelling of Wolverine’s Marvel Comics debut, back when he was introduced as a ‘villain-of-the-week’ for the Hulk. Wolverine made a name for himself fighting the Hulk, so the original Ultimate Universe wanted to translate that into the modern day, and it was nothing short of epic.

This comic has probably the most gruesome Hulk vs Wolverine fight scenes in Marvel Comics history, which alone is worth picking up. The story is simple, the characters are familiar, and the action is stellar, making it one of the absolute best Wolverine comics to read without knowing a specific backstory.

8

Wolverine: Bloodlust

Wolverine: Bloodlust is an Incredible One-Shot

Wolverine: Bloodlust is one of the best comics for someone to read with no background whatsoever due to the fact that it’s a one-shot alone. This isn’t a series, and it’s not a continuation of an ongoing X-Men story; it is a true standalone comic book featuring Wolverine, and the story fans get upon reading it is absolutely spectacular. Wolverine: Bloodlust throws Logan into the Canadian Yukon, where he is hunting a pack of Siberian were-creatures. And that’s really it.

The plot is deceptively simple, yet it delivers as a Wolverine story in so many ways. The action is incredible, the story is captivating (with an almost ‘who done it’ quality to it at times), and it’s just an all-around great Wolverine story. Plus, as previously mentioned, it’s only one issue, so why wouldn’t Wolverine fans want to check it out?

7

Wolverine: The Long Night

The Long Night is the Comic Version of the Acclaimed Wolverine Podcast

Wolverine: The Long Night was actually originally a podcast (or audiodrama) that told the story of investigators looking into some gruesome, animalistic murders in Alaska, with Wolverine as the lead suspect. Then, Marvel Comics decided to turn that story into a comic book, and it’s honestly just as good. What’s especially fascinating about this story is that it’s told from the perspective of the investigators, so Wolverine is more like a phantom than the lead character, which is a cool perspective unique to this comic among the other Wolverine stories.

Wolverine: The Long Night is also perfect for fans who have never read a Wolverine comic, as it’s honestly a really cool introduction to the character. Plus, it’s totally standalone, and requires no prior knowledge of Wolverine or even the wider Marvel Universe to understand and enjoy.

6

“Coyote Crossing”

“Coyote Crossing” is a Gritty and Grounded Standalone Wolverine Story

“Coyote Crossing” is a story featured in Wolverine Vol. 3 that ran between the seventh and eleventh issues. The reason it’s such a fantastic standalone story arc isn’t because it’s especially epic or groundbreaking, but because of how gritty and grounded it is. “Coyote Crossing” brings Wolverine, who’s a hero that can sometimes seem larger than life when he’s fighting alongside the Avengers and beyond, right back down to Earth in a truly refreshing way.

“Coyote Crossing” opens with Wolverine, who is out of costume and is simply a lone traveler, stopping at a gas station. There, he discovers a truck filled with people dead in the back of a big-rig, and he murders one of the men responsible for killing them (and he locks the other one in the back of the truck with the corpses). And that’s just the first issue! “Coyote Crossing” is one of those stories that should be adapted into an R-rated film, and it’s perfect for new and old Wolverine fans alike.

5

Weapon X (Age of Apocalypse)

Wolverine is Thrown Into a Completely Different Continuity

Admittedly, this entry is arguable as a Wolverine comic that requires no background, as it takes place within the larger Age of Apocalypse continuity, which must be read in its entirety to get the full story. That being said, Weapon X does take place in a completely new continuity, so there aren’t decades-worth of back issues to catch up on in order to understand it like so many other Wolverine stories. But, the real reason Age of Apocalypse‘s Weapon X is perfect for new and old readers alike is this: aesthetic.

This is one of those comics that anyone with even a passing interest in Wolverine as a character should pick up, even if they just flip through the pages and look at the artwork. This is perhaps Wolverine’s greatest redesign in Marvel Comics history, and seeing it could be enough to make a Wolverine fan for life. Plus, Wolverine’s four-issue corner of the Age of Apocalypse is a self-contained story, so fans can easily enjoy it by itself without any background (so long as they’re aware that it takes place in a post-apocalyptic future brought about by En Sabah Nur).

4

Wolverine: Revenge

Wolverine: Revenge is an Epic Self-Contained Tale of Vengeance

One Wolverine story that is unarguably perfect for new and old fans alike is Wolverine: Revenge, which is a self-contained story set in an alternate reality. In Wolverine: Revenge, fans are thrown into an alternate world where Magneto released an EMP that wiped out the entire grid, and the only reason it never recovered is that a small group of mutants that included Colossus, Deadpool, Sabretooth, and Mastermind kept Wolverine and his team from retrieving an energy source that could have saved the entire planet. So, Wolverine unleashes his vengeance upon every person on that opposing team one at a time.

This tale of vengeance is utterly captivating, and perfectly highlights how deadly Wolverine can be, both in the heat of battle and when it comes to tactics. Plus, the shock of Wolverine fighting the likes of Colossus is a cool change-up from the main continuity.

3

Wolverine: Old Man Logan

Old Man Logan is Its Own ‘Wolverine Continuity’

This entry honestly speaks for itself, as even the most casual Wolverine fan is well aware of how groundbreaking Old Man Logan is as a standalone story. And that’s exactly why it’s perfect for new readers who have never even heard of Wolverine before, as it introduces them to a version of the character that is utterly broken in the face of complete failure and total loss, yet continues to fight for a better world anyway.

Old Man Logan isn’t just a great story that requires no background knowledge, it’s also just an amazing tale of heroism and perseverance. Not only that, but the action sequences in this story, and the overall landscape of this new world in the Marvel multiverse is second to none.

2

Wolverine #1-4

The First Four Issues of Wolverine’s Original Solo Comic Fleshes Out His Character

Of course, arguably the best place to start for new Wolverine fans is where the original new Wolverine fans started: at the beginning. Before the first story arc in Wolverine’s solo series (as detailed in the first four issues), he was kind of a nobody. Sure, he was a member of the X-Men following the iconic Giant-Size X-Men #1, but he was woefully underutilized as a character for many years. It wasn’t until this comic series that Wolverine actually got the chance to shine, as it acted as a new beginning for the character.

Indeed, if someone wants a Wolverine comic to read without needing to read anything else before it, this is the one to check out. And it’s not just worth reading for that reason alone, as it’s also just a stellar story arc that even veteran fans who have never read it before should check out.

1

Marvel Comics Presents: Weapon X

The Truth About Wolverine’s Past with Weapon X is Revealed

While new Wolverine fans can certainly start at the beginning of Wolverine’s story in terms of publication history with the above Wolverine #1-4, they might also want to check out the beginning of Wolverine’s story chronologically speaking. No, not the Origin comics that go into Wolverine’s childhood and early life (though those should receive an honorable mention here), but the real start to Wolverine’s Marvel Comics career: Weapon X.

Marvel Comics Presents: Weapon X tells the story of how Wolverine got his adamantium skeleton, which is the very story that Wolverine himself spends years trying to remember in continuity. The artwork is gritty and surreal, and the story itself is brutal and captivating. That’s why this is easily one of the 10 Wolverine stories perfect for new and old fans alike without any background reading needed!