An amazing new cosplay of Wolverine recreates the moment he broke free of Weapon X - the villainous government organization that wiped his memories and coated his bones in unbreakable adamantium.
For the majority of his comics history, Wolverine's life before the X-Men was a constantly unfolding mystery, especially once it was revealed that his claws had been coated in metal by a shadowy cabal of scientists. 1991's Marvel Comics Presents #72 (from Barry Windsor-Smith) began the process of revealing the truth, as Marvel fans learned how Wolverine's healing factor had made him the perfect subject for horrific experimentation which turned him into the ultimate killing machine. Thankfully, Logan was eventually able to escape, fleeing into the wilderness with no memory of his past, clad only in the machinery that had been used to change him forever.
Wolverine's epic Weapon X escape is one of his most iconic moments, with Windsor-Smith's stunning costume having received endless tributes and adaptations ever since (most notably worn by Hugh Jackson in Sony's X-men movies.) The latest is an amazing cosplay from nerd_alert_cosplay. In a series of images shared on Instagram, creator Jason Aulicino shares what's referred to as a "cosplay set," including both the Weapon X costume and a replica of the tank in which Wolverine was stored while being experimented on.
Aulicino calls out the ambitious look as a group effort, acknowledging the skills of photographer @rye_n_cosplay, set creator @dkarthall, and costume aid from @drewgolas who 3D-printed the comic-accurate helmet. nerd_alert_cosplay even shares a video trailer of the costume in action, which sees Wolverine break free, discover his now adamantium-coated claws, and begin taking revenge on his captors - an act which would come back to haunt him later in life, as some rose to positions of influence.
Wolverine has one of the most personally traumatic origins of any superhero, only learning the full truth of his past when Scarlet Witch's House of M reality magically restored his memories. Not only was Wolverine experimented on by Weapon X, but he was brainwashed to recruit others, even creating the supervillain later known as Nuke. While Logan may be a gritty hero always prepared to take the lives of those who threaten mutantkind, the fact that he was able to reclaim his humanity after his experiences with Weapon X shows how truly heroic he actually is.
In this incredible cosplay, nerd_alert_cosplay perfectly captures the violent birth of a hero, communicating just how far Logan has come since one of the darkest moments of his life. Wolverine has made it clear that he'll never be free of the trauma instilled in him by Weapon X, but he's spent the years since he escaped using everything they gave him to protect the innocent - shutting down every attempt so far to continue the shadowy organization's horrific legacy.
