Marvel Comics has revealed the very first time Wolverine discovered he had adamantium claws, and the details are stranger than anyone would have believed. When Marvel originally created Wolverine, they conceived of his claws as part of his costume’s gloves. But as time passed, legendary X-Men scribe Chris Claremont decided to incorporate them into his body, and to reveal that his bones were metal as well.

It took decades for Marvel to flesh out Wolverine’s origin story, eventually revealed to be a mutant who was born in the 1800s, and whose healing factor meant he aged at a slower rate than normal humans. Logan was eventually captured by the Weapon X Project, who conducted a traumatic experiment to implant adamantium into his body, coating his bones in unbreakable metal. In the process, becoming one of the greatest living weapons of all time.

But it turns out that the Weapon X surgery wasn’t the first time Wolverine found himself with Adamantium claws. This week’s Wolverine annual included a flashback in which he encountered the time-traveling witch Morgan Le Fey, decades before he was subjected to the Weapon X Project. Ironically, Morgana recognized him because of encounters with the Avengers that would happen later in his life; and she was interested in destabilizing time itself by killing Logan long before he ever became Wolverine. She warped time around Logan, and as a result he found himself dressed in a strange outfit; when he popped his claws, they turned out to be metal.

The whole experience was absolutely bewildering for Logan. He’d never encountered sorcery before, and had no idea who Morgan Le Fey was; if he’d ever even heard her name, he’d have thought she was just a British legend tied to Camelot and King Arthur. What was more, he had no idea why his claws were suddenly metal, and was simply glad to have a better weapon to slash with. It cast Logan into one of his patented Berserker Rages, and he managed to break out of Morgan Le Fey’s spells. Unfortunately, Morgan Le Fey was possessing the host of a girl Logan loved, and he slashed her with his claws in a fury.

Those Adamantium claws may have been useful in battling against Morgan Le Fey, but Logan couldn’t possibly know what he would suffer in order to acquire these weapons permanently. Of course, the trauma of the Weapon X Project cost Logan his memories, meaning he forgot all about this whole event. Oddly, the Jonathan Hickman reboot may well mean Wolverine no longer has his Adamantium - and he may well regret losing those killer claws. Which makes this story in Wolverine Annual that much more important.

  • WOLVERINE ANNUAL #1 (2019) Written by: Jody Houser Art by: Geraldo Borges Cover by: David Yardin WOLVERINE BATTLES THE MAGIC, MYSTERY AND MAYHEM OF MORGAN LE FAY! Wolverine’s lived many lives – X-Man, Avenger…movie star? Not exactly. But he’s followed an aspiring young actress to Los Angeles for a little sunshine and some semblance of a normal life. But behind the gilded golden façade of 1930s Hollywood lurks an unholy cult led by MORGAN LE FAY. Their prey…the young Hollywood hopefuls – including Logan’s lady! Will the mighty Logan’s claws crumble under the onslaught of the arcane sorceress’ magical powers? Find out this September!

Wolverine Annual 2019 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.

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