Wolverine (character)

Wolverine (birth name: James Howlett; alias: Logan and Weapon X) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, often in association with the X-Men. He is a mutant with animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, a powerful regenerative ability known as a healing factor, a skeleton reinforced with the unbreakable fictional metal adamantium, and three retractable claws in each hand. In addition to the X-Men, Wolverine has been depicted as a member of X-Force, Alpha Flight, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. The common depiction of Wolverine is multifaceted; he is portrayed at once as a gruff loner, susceptible to animalistic “berserker rages” despite his best efforts, while simultaneously being an incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent polyglot, strategist, and martial artist, partially due to his extended lifespan and expansive lived experiences. He has been featured in comic books, films, and video games.

The character first appeared in the last panel of The Incredible Hulk #180 before having a larger role in #181 (cover-dated November 1974), in the Bronze Age of Comic Books. He was created by Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas, writer Len Wein, and Marvel art director John Romita Sr. Romita designed the character's costume, but the character was first drawn for publication by Herb Trimpe. Wolverine then joined a revamped version of the superhero team the X-Men; writer Chris Claremont, artist Dave Cockrum, and artist-writer John Byrne would play significant roles in the character's development. Artist Frank Miller collaborated with Claremont and helped revise the character with a four-part eponymous limited series from September to December 1982, which debuted Wolverine's catchphrase, "I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do best isn't very nice." The subsequent 1991 Weapon X storyline established that Wolverine had received the adamantium grafted to his skeleton in a torturous process conducted by a secret government project intended to create a super soldier, and that this experience led to post-traumatic amnesia.

Wolverine is typical of the many tough antiheroes that emerged in American popular culture after the Vietnam War;^: 265 his willingness to use deadly force and his brooding loner nature became standard characteristics for comic book antiheroes by the end of the 1980s.^: 277 As a result, the character became a fan favorite of the increasingly popular X-Men franchise,^{: 263, 265} and has been featured in his own solo Wolverine comic book series since 1988.

He has appeared in most X-Men adaptations, including animated television series, video games and film. In live action, Hugh Jackman portrayed the character across ten installments of the X-Men film series produced by 20th Century Fox between 2000 and 2018, and will reprise the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). Troye Sivan portrayed a young version of Logan in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.