Daken: Dark Wolverine is a villain with severe daddy issues

Daken, the darker version of his father Wolverine, came to Los Angeles to become the kingpin of crime. He has made many plays for power and has had confrontations with the police and the crime families of Los Angeles. Now Daken must face LA’s newest hero Moon Knight. The confrontation between the super powers in Los Angeles takes place in Daken: Dark Wolverine #14 from Marvel Comics by the creative team of Rob Williams, Michele Bertilorenzi and Riley Rossmo.

Daken is on the trail of finding the Claws Killer, a serial killer who arrived in Los Angeles the same time as Daken and is making Daken look like an animal. Daken can’t have these savage killings on his record or he’ll lose legitimacy in the LA crime scene because it will look like he is out of control. Teaming up with FBI Agent Donna Kiel, Daken finally has a lead on the Claws Killer when he is confronted by Moon Knight who believes Daken is the Claws Killer. A super powered slugfest ensues. Moon Knight is lost in one of his alternate-personalities acting like Daken’s father Wolverine. The actions of Moon Knight get under Daken’s skin unleashing a savagery Daken reserves only for his deadliest enemies. This uncontrolled rage only gets Daken into more trouble.

Rob Williams continues to up the ante for Daken. Williams incorporates the ongoing story of Moon Knight and his affinity for acting like other heroes of the Marvel Universe and using his schizophrenia to create tension with Daken. The story puts in a nutshell Daken’s daddy issues and the dialogue between Daken and Moon Knight shows one character leading the other down the path of madness. Williams also introduces new twists into the identity of the Claws Killer. The suspense builds along with the action of the story.

Michele Bertilorenzi and Riley Rossmo team up to put another action filled issue of Daken together. Bertilorenzi’s pencil work is not overly detailed clearly showing what is happening in the story making great use of thick and heavy lines creating a coarse feel for the story and bringing out the darker side of the Los Angeles super hero world. Rossmo continues his excellent work on the drug induced hallucinations of Daken. These scenes are heavier on the details and firmly place Daken’s struggles with the drug Heat into the scope of the overall story, masking his ability to firmly grasp the situations he finds himself in.

The decision: While the ongoing sub plot of the Claws Killer is taking center stage in the story of Daken in Los Angeles, Williams is adding lots of drama to Daken’s exploits and relationships with the characters who surround him. Daken: Dark Wolverine #14 dealt with his first confrontation with a hero on the West Coast. Moon Knight creates antagonism between the combatants by acting like Wolverine. By adding Moon Knight as an opponent to Daken’s plans Williams has created an adversary for Daken that over time could rival Wolverine for Daken’s hatred.