WOLVERINE: PARADISE #1 / Script, Art & Colors by DAN PANOSIAN / Letters by CORY PETIT / Published by MARVEL COMICS

The man called Logan is the best there is at what he does. But he doesn’t always feel good about what he does, even with the X-Men giving him more opportunities to do good. This leads him to leave the team and hit the road, making his way to Miami since it seems to be “as far away from the super hero game as I can get…”

Unfortunately, Logan has never had an easy time getting away from it all. He’s also never been able to resist a damsel in distress. So when fellow Mutant and singing superstar Dazzler approaches him about protection from the kind of thugs club security can’t handle, he’s ready to play knight errant even without the offer of free drinks all night.

Naturally, the short but stout Canadian soon finds himself up to his neck in it. Thankfully, that’s just the way The Wolverine likes it. What he doesn’t like, however, is the mysterious man who followed him across the country, claiming they fought together once upon a time…

Normally I’m not a big Wolverine fan. I don’t have anything against Logan, but many of his solo stories are repetitive. Man drifts into small town for a drink, fight breaks out, woman needs help. Lather, rinse, repeat. But I’ve been a fan of Dan Panosian’s art since the now legendary Conan/Red Sonja miniseries and discovered he’s also a good writer. So I gave Wolverine: Paradise #1 a shot and was not surprised when I loved it.

Granted, the same ol’ story structure is here. Yet Panosian varies it up enough to make things seem new. Part of this is due to the multiple mysteries, such as Logan’s mystery stalker and the question of why Dazzler can’t handle the extortionists threatening her manager on her own. Another part of it is the setting itself. Panosian does a great job of capturing the essence of Miami with lots of little scenes playing out in the background. And when it comes to conveying a character’s soul in a single silent panel, there’s none finer. He also draws a mean action scene and a beautiful lady; a must for any Wolverine artist.

Wolverine: Paradise promises to be a definitive tale for all Logan fans. However, it’s also easily accessible to those few comic readers who have never picked up an X-Men comic before. Achieving that magic balance proves that Dan Panosian, much like Logan, is the best there is at what he does.