“Yesterday’s” Comic> X-Men Adventures #6

Yeah, I hated that Doctor Who episode too.

X-Men Adventures #6

Marvel (April, 1993)

Not being able to handle Jean having better taste in men…okay, okay, I’ll put my Wolverine hatred aside to do a proper review. Let’s try again.

Not being able to handle Jean choosing Cyclops over him, Wolverine leaves and heads for the arctic. His search for peace is denied when Sabertooth tries to kill him. Injured and in frozen water, Wolverine is rescued by an Eskimo tribe and accepted into their community. All except the chief’s son, who realizes how much he enjoyed being the one everybody cheered before Logan’s arrival. Sabertooth stumbles across the young man and tricks him into baiting a trap for Wolverine, which (unbeknownst to the tribesman) involves kidnapping the villagers and threatening their lives after destroying the village. Wolverine and the man team up to rescue the villagers and stop Sabertooth. The chief, talking to Wolverine later, convinces him to return to his friends. Speaking of whom, Gambit, Storm, and Jubilee go undercover on the island of Genosha, who claims to be looking to be a safehaven for mutants. It turns out to be a lie and the trio lie gassed to sleep in front of soldiers and Sentinels!

What they got right: While there are some mostly dialog changes (lacking a “last time” page exposition fills in new readers who aren’t following the Fox Kids television show or previous issues) it’s a pretty close match. If anything, Keuwock comes off slightly better here, where in the show he was really jealous while in the comic he didn’t realize how much he enjoyed his popularity. Meanwhile, in the show Wolverine tries to leave Keuwock behind while here he immediately accepts his help. Although the man dies in the comic version trying to stop Sabertooth he becomes a repentant hero at the end.

What they got wrong: Too bad the subplot doesn’t fair as well. The argument between Gambit and Cyclops over Genosha worked better in the show, as well as Scott and Jean’s dealing with Wolverine’s departure. There’s also a scene thrown in where someone at the airport going to Genosha tries to get Gambit (not knowing he’s a mutant) to sign a petition for mutant registration. Naturally, Gambit shows off to tell her off by using his powers on the clipboard. Maybe this is what tips the hotel attendant so it’s at least better than him bringing up Storm’s transformation from the first episode. We also don’t get to see the trio put up a fight before being taken out by the Sentinels like they did in the cartoon.

Recommendation: I think it depends on your opinion on Wolverine, bad 90s art, or the TV show. Not being a fan of any of them I probably won’t hold on to the comic, but I can’t call it bad (except for the art) so you be the judge I guess.