Woverine: Dangerous Games by Various

This is a collection of short stories about Wolverine by different artists and different writers. Each involves Wolverine doing what he's best at, even when he's trying to save a family or control his temper among Monks in Thailand.

The first story: The Death Song of J. Patrick Smitty, a Thug and two-bit punk about to die at Wolverine's hands looks back on his life, a life of missed chances to do good, and wrong choices. Now, about to die because he was involved in a bank robbery that ended in the death of many innocent people, including a very nice old lady, he reflects. But will there still be time to change his ways?

In "Tally Ho!" Wolverine is brought in by a group of nature lovers to stop an old-fashioned Fox Hunt down near Bayou Country. But when the man behind the hunt decides to hunt the most dangerous game of all- Wolverine, is he prepared for how vicious this mutant can be?

"Purity" finds Wolverine meditating at a Temple in Thailand, trying to overcome his rages. He's been putting the criminals and gangs in the area to flight with intimidation instead of slaughtering them outright- all at the request of the Klahan, or leader of the temple. But when a criminal boss decides to strike back against the temple and slaughter the monks, will Wolverine be able to hold in his rage?

"Killing Made Simple" finds Wolverine in chains next to a student of the Xavier School, now in danger from a cyborg named Nanny and her killer "child", Robin. They mean to kill Wolverine unless Trance can free her astral self and somehow set him free. She believes he's invulnerable- he tells her many of the ways he can die. But when it comes down to it, can she overcome her crippling fear?

"Disturbing Consequences" has Wolverine being sent to Antarctica to find out what happened to a scientific expedition looking into viruses. Apparently, one of the viruses got free and infected one of them, and the infected man killed the others. Can Wolverine overcome both man and virus and destroy what's left?

In "Firebreak" Wolverine must lead a shattered family to freedom from a fire filled with toxins that will kill them if they breathe them in. But when Hydra, who was behind both the fire and the toxins, comes back to finish the job, can Wolverine save them from the firestorm to come?

And finally, in "Little White Lies", Wolverine is asked by a D.A. to rescue his Drug-addicted son from a group of criminals who have kidnapped the boy to kill in punishment for his father's "crimes" against them. Can Wolverine save the boy, or failing that, punish the group and its leader? And how will he break the news to the boy's father?

This group of short stories is pretty much all over the map as to plots, but all of them are serious and involve Wolverine letting his wildest instincts come to the fore. The tracking, the hunting, and yes, the killing, too. It's a look at Wolverine at his most dangerous, and also his most human. Best of all, it shows why you shouldn't attempt to play with this man; he's like fire, and you can get badly burned.

This book was an antidote to the Deadpool book of Wolverine Origins, and I'm glad I read it second. I was far more appreciative of this ride than I was of the other. Most of the stories are short enough to keep your interest without feeling overly involved, and feel like an aperitif rather than a full meal. Very well done, and recommended.