Legendary comic creator Frank Miller has the distinction of being the lead artist on the first Wolverine solo title alongside writer Chris Claremont all the way back in 1982, and his art on the story helped define Wolverine as a character for decades to come. Now in 2023, over 40 years later, Frank Miller has drawn Wolverine again for a new cover - and the modern Frank Miller Wolverine is absolutely bonkers.
Miller's art style has evolved significantly since his early Marvel days in the '70s and '80s, becoming more stylized, more graphic, and more experimental. Though the evolution of Miller's art has been polarizing for some fans, his 2023 take on The Best There Is At What He Does shows why Miller has often been lauded as one of the most innovative and interesting superhero artists of all time.
The cover, seen above, is for Ghost Rider/Wolverine: Weapons of Vengeance Alpha, a one-shot which kicks off a crossover between writer Benjamin Percy's Wolverine title and his concurrent Ghost Rider ongoing series. The one-shot, also written by Percy, has interior art by Geoff Shaw - himself no slouch in the "totally kick ass art" department.
And just as Wolverine and Ghost Rider have been a classic Marvel team-up since the early '90s, Wolverine and Frank Miller also remain a perfect pairing, with Miller's bold, eclectic style working exceptionally well for capturing the bombastic, feral nature of the cover's subject.
Does Miller's current style work all the time? Not exactly, though Miller always manages to swing for the fences. But as the cover here shows, when Frank Miller's modern style hits, it in fact shreds with berserker adamantium claws.
Marvel has been tapping into the talents of classic '80s and '90s creators for some time now, including a new Jean Grey title from Miller's '80s Marvel contemporary, writer Louise Simonson.
Miller's involvement has so far been limited to a few covers, but after decades of absence from the House of Ideas, it's very cool to see the old master's modern take on one of the characters that helped make his name.
Chris Claremont and Frank Miller's 1982 Wolverine title ranks at the top of the best Wolverine stories of all time.
