2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of Wolverine. It also marks the 90th anniversary of the first Donald Duck cartoon. Marvel and Disney are honoring both events with a comic that asks an unlikely question. What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine? To make this merger even stranger, the comic is a kid-friendly take on Old Man Logan, which inspired the movie Logan.
The story is set in the not-too-distant future of Duckberg, where many Marvel Comics mainstays are merged with beloved Disney characters. Chaos rules the post-apocalyptic wasteland, thanks to the machinations of Pete-Skull. This leads Mickey-Hawkeye and Goofy-Hulk to seek out their old friend Donald-Logan.
Unfortunately, while he was once the best there is at what he does, what Donald does best now is use his adamantium claws to slice Grandma Duck’s pies. Will Logan remember who he is and save the world? Or the lure of his favorite hammock keep him from popping his claws one more time?
Five pages from What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine #1 may be viewed below.
Why Donald Duck and Logan go together so well
“Donald Duck and Wolverine are two characters that seem almost impossible to make coexist, but in fact, they possess very similar personalities,” notes writer Luca Barbieri. “They are both hot-tempered and unlucky, but in adversity, they do not lose heart.” Both heroes also hide a heart of gold under a rough exterior.
Artist Giada Perissinotto noted Donald and Logan were surprisingly easy to merge visually. “Those pointy head tufts and thick sideburns go well with his shaggy being. I had so much fun adapting Wolverine’s hair to Donald Duck that I would do him like this all the time now!”
What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on July 31.
