One ofMarvel’smost notoriously sexy covers, featuringWolverineand Nightcrawler, was just outdone by the latest edition of Marvel’s Swimsuit Special, as Wolverine gets a highly suggestive look, making his previous cover seem tame. Superheroes are known for their skin-tight costumes, but Wolverine’s latest look is guaranteed to be Marvel’s most scandalous.
InMarvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, and Rivals#1, written by Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs, with art by Nick Bradshaw, Marvel’s superheroes around the globe suit up in their swimsuits.
Wolverine has, by far, the most jaw-dropping costume, or lack thereof, asWolverine appears in the nude, holding a suggestively placed hot dog.
Wolverine Goes “Au Naturel” As Marvel Pushes The Limit With Its Latest Swimsuit Issue
Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, and Rivals#1; Written By Tim Seeley And Tony Fleecs; Art By Nick Bradshaw; Color By Rachelle Rosenberg; Lettering By Travis Lanham
This portrayal Wolverine in his birthday suit completely surpasses Marvel’s most scandalous covers, Esad Ribić’s cover for 2003’sWolverine#6,which depicted a naked Nightcrawlerfacing Wolverine, with a a not-so-subtle positioning of Wolverine’s bottle in his hand. Wolverine and Nightcrawler’s cover is undeniably suggestive, but Marvel’s new swimsuit special is even spicier.
While his superhero allies are all in revealing swimsuits, Logan forgoes pool gear completely and instead struts around in his birthday suit.
Wolverine#6’s cover turned heads upon its release. However, Wolverine and Nightcrawler’s 2003 cover doesn’t compare to Marvel’s intentionally risque shot of Wolverine. Though Wolverine has had some skimpy outfits before,notably his original Weapon X costume, Wolverine has never been more exposed, and it’s all in the name of fan service.
While his superhero allies are all in revealing swimsuits, Logan forgoes pool gear completely and instead struts around in his birthday suit. Wolverine’s second appearance in the issue doesn’t fare much better,as the mutant hero is seen in a skimpy outfit, while barbecuing a hot dog low to his groin, leaving almost nothing to the imagination.
Is Marvel’s Latest Cover Problematic or a Bold Statement?
Having Wolverine portrayed in such a suggestive manner isa bold choice on Marvel’s part, and one could argue that it’s blatantly inappropriate for heroes who are meant to be the model of squeaky-clean righteousness. Yet, on the other hand,the X-Men, and especially Wolverine, have always pushed boundaries, including within areas of sex appeal and sexuality.
Comics have had a history of overly sexualizing women heroes, which is an issue on its own, but it’s questionable whether equally sexualizing the male heroes, such as with Wolverine, fixes the matter. The line between what’s considered pushing creative boundaries and what’s overly gratuitous is very blurred, and who gets to decide what is acceptable will forever be unclear.
Wolverine and Nightcrawler’s cover was boundary-pushing for its time, but Wolverine’s most recent look from Marvel blows it out of the water with its sexually charged imagery. From a certain scope, Marvel’s depiction of Wolverine can be controversial due to its revealing nature, but this is not the first time Wolverine has gotten nude for fan service, and it won’t be the last.
Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, and Rivals#1is available now from Marvel Comics!
