“Marvel Voices: The Family Snikt Infinity Comic” Issue 27: Family Matters

James Howlett who everyone knows as Wolverine was born in Canada nearing the beginning of the 20^th century, where ironically, he was constantly ill due to his mutant healing factor. Mutants oftentimes have their particular gene triggered by trauma. James’ trauma developed him into Wolverine, a long-aged man with retractable claws as part of his skeleton, who has been shown in Marvel comics as old man Logan, practically animalistic, sullen, violent and passionate. But rarely has he been shown as a caring, active father.

Wolverine has been a mentor to young women such as Katherine Pryde and Jubilation Lee. Both women at different generations had joined the X-Men in their early teenage years. Though both Kitty and Jubilee were young, they were more colleagues than someone that needed a parent in the traditional sense. Still, Logan does have children through conventional and unconventional means. These are members of the Snikt family. Laura Kinney clone of Wolverine is a product of the Weapon-X project that bonded adamantium to his skeleton. Known as X-23 Laura took the mantle when Logan was presumed dead. But in comic book, specifically X-Men fashion, when it was discovered that Logan was alive, he allowed her to keep the codename Wolverine. Through an election process she’s currently a member of the X-Men. Akihiro is Wolverine’s son with his wife Itsu, who was murdered by the Winter Soldier. Ripped from his dead mother’s womb, his mutant gene kicked in instantly and he was nicknamed Daken, which is a slur attributed to him due to his mixed heritage. Unaware he had a son until Akihiro’s adulthood there were complications, but they have formed some semblance of a father-son relationship. Paths had also crossed between Laura and Akihiro as both were raised to be killers. Eventually they resolved their enmity and have become a family. Then there’s Gabby. Gabby is a clone of Laura by a group called Alchemax Genetics. As a 13-year-old she’s more adjusted to being a superhero due to her siblings and adoptive father. After nearly dying on Krakoa the newly founded mutant nation, Laura who resides there with a pet wolverine named Jonathan she adopted decides it’s time the family bonded. 

These Wolverines tied through genetics have never taken the opportunity to come as a family. That’s where issue 27 of “Marvel’s Voices: The Family Snikt Part One” comes in. Written by Stephanie Williams with artwork from Alan Robinson and KJ Diaz shows how each family member is either working or relaxing until they get an important call from Gabby. The writing is heartfelt as Gabby asks what if she had died, then the only memory they would have would have been of their fighting. She’s right, everything shouldn’t have to be a violent struggle for survival. What punctuates the writing are the panels. One in particular shows Logan from a side viewpoint as Akihiro is in the foreground. Both are seen as remorseful in this nearly wordless panel, perhaps because of their own shared complex past, where the only times they’ve shown love for each other have been through violence. The reflection of regret on their faces punctuates Gabby’s words in the previous panels. 

Currently “The Family Snikt” the sound the Wolverines’ claws make when they unsheathe them is on Marvel Unlimited. It’s a good read and should be an ongoing series. Everything doesn’t have to be the end of the world for it to be an amazing storyline.