There is something horrifically wonderful about insane asylums! They spook me down to my very core, but for some reason I can’t look away. It’s like being intrigued and horrified at the same time. The “Insane in the Brain” story arc from the relatively new Weapon X series is given a classic horror vibe by being set in a dirty old asylum with a secret basement and a sordid past. Doesn’t matter how many times I see this story played it, when done well it still captures my imagination and fears alike.
In this issue, Wolverine continues to struggle as an inmate of the Dunwich Sanatorium asylum, who has lost his memory. The asylum is run by former patient Dr. Rottwell (Dr. Rot), who has taken a penchant to dismembering and lobotomizing patients and people he has kidnapped from the surrounding community. In this, the third instalment of the story, Wolverine starts to come to grips with some of the origins of his captor and his prison.
It might just be the personal way this subject affects me, but boy are there some graphic images and suggestions in this story. The glimpsing portrayal of Worm-boy for instance is a disturbing image that will probably stay with me for a while.
As a long time Wolverine fan, some people might be shocked to learn that I just recently started collecting this book. But truth be told, there are too many Wolverine books on the market currently, and I didn’t want to support this downward trend. It was a friend on Comiccollector.com that turned me on to the series. And am I ever glad he did! I am looking forward to the final chapter of this story arc next month and hope that the writers can keep up this high level of storytelling. It will be a tough act to follow to be sure.
If you are not reading this comic, you should be! It is fantastic!