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Wolverine is one of Marvel’s most popular characters, but his best story might actually have been partially inspired by DC Comics legend Joe Kubert. Wolverine became popular with fans during Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s landmark run on X-Men, to the point where he was eventually given his own self-titled miniseries in 1982. But the unsung hero of that Wolverine series might just be Joe Kubert, best known for his work on DC characters like Sgt. Rock and Hawkman.
Appearing alongside Adam Kubert at the “Wolverine: 60-Year Anniversary” panel at Dragon Con 2024, Wolverine inker Joe Rubenstein explained the influence of Adam’s father Joe Kubert on himself and penciler Frank Miller for that seminal 1982 miniseries.
“When I had gone to the San Diego Con, I had bought a stack of your father’s (Joe Kubert’s) books,” Rubenstein explained to Kubert. Rubenstein then showed them to Frank Miller while the two were catching a plane ride home from the convention, and the two artists were inspired by the work of a master when prepping their landmark Wolverine series.
Wolverine Owes A Debt to the Great Joe Kubert
Rubenstein went on to detail how Joe Kubert’s work became something of a guide for him and Miller when they began work on the first solo Wolverine series with writer Christ Claremont:
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I think that’s how the storytelling and the layouts in the issues went, with Frank thinking about your father, because there’s a couple of half-assed versions of your father’s work we tried to do. There’s a shot of Wolverine where he’s the full length of the page, and he’s got the Enemy Ace collar on him.
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Awash with noir-like shadows and a naturalistic ink-line, it’s certainly easy to see how Joe Kubert’s work influenced Miller and Rubenstein when they were crafting the art for the 1982 Wolverine series.
Although best known as a DC artist, Joe Kubert also did some work for Marvel, including a memorable run on
Punisher: War Zone.
Best known for his work on DC Comics World War II heroes such as Sgt Rock and Enemy Ace, Joe Kubert’s career actually began all the way back in the Golden Age, when he got his first job as an inker at only 12 years old. Kubert would eventually become one of the top artists at DC, producing work on the WWII line of books as well as the Silver Age revamp of Hawkman. Kubert served as an editor and director of publications for DC, and would eventually launch the very first school for comic book artists, the Joe Kubert School for Cartoon and Graphic Design in 1976.
Joe Kubert Is a True Master of Comic Book Art
Joe Kubert’s legacy looms large over the comic book industry, whether through the influence he had on generations of creators or the many alumni of the Kubert School who became professional artists. It’s interesting to learn that the first Wolverine miniseries also directly bears Kubert’s influence. It was also heartening to see Rubenstein express this to Kubert’s son Adam, as Rubenstein said, “I was trying to do your dad, and so was Frank.” By paying homage to DClegend Joe Kubert, the creators wound up telling one of the greatest Wolverine stories of all time.
Source: Joe Rubenstein, “Wolverine: 50-Year Anniversary,” Dragon Con 2024
Wolverine
The human mutant Wolverine (a.k.a. Logan) was born James Howlett, blessed with a superhuman healing factor, senses, and physiology. Subjecting himself to experimentation to augment his skeleton and claws with adamantium, Logan is as deadly as he is reckless, impulsive, and short-tempered. Making him the X-Men’s wildest and deadliest member, and one of Marvel Comics’ biggest stars. He’s played in Fox and Marvel’s movie franchises by Hugh Jackman.
“}]] A DC legend inspired Wolverine’s greatest story. Read More