The new Logan trailer revealed a lot about the mysterious Laura. She’s a mutant clone of Wolverine, known as X-23 in the Marvel comics, and a total badass at 11 years old. Granted, she’s got some anger issues, but Logan will definitely be able to help her with those. Oh, and she’s a total comic book nerd.
“We’ve got ourselves an X-Men fan,” Logan says to Xavier a little wryly in the new trailer. Xavier looks at Laura, surprised but happy. It’s a nice moment that’s immediately ruined by Logan adding: “Maybe a quarter of it happened? And not like this.”
Sure, Logan. Crush the girl’s hopes and dreams. The X-Men issue you’re holding has a 1970s-era logo. That’s back when comics were a little less gore and a lot more camp. Granted, the issue of The Uncanny X-Men that you’re holding doesn’t seem to exist. Its closest match IRL is to The Uncanny X-Men #115 from November 1978, and even that’s pushing it.
Both Laura’s comic and #115 feature Sauron on the cover. Sauron is an energy-sucking vampire of sorts who resembles a humanoid Pteranodon (that’s a flying dinosaur). He’s the alter ego of Dr. Karl Lykos, who shares a sort of Jekyll and Hyde relationship with Sauron.
'The Uncanny X-Men' #115, the closest cover to Laura's 'X-Men' comic in the new 'Logan' trailer.
Uncanny X-Men #115 has Sauron draining Storm of her powers to take on the X-Men, also using Wolverine as a pawn against the rest of the team. It’s probably not any sort of hint about what to expect from Logan, but the existence of X-Men comics in an X-Men movie raises some questions.
Like: When did the X-Men become popular enough in their universe to merit a comic series? Aren’t they kind of in hiding because the world is terrified of them and constantly trying to kill them or de-mutant them? The multiple universes, timelines, and 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse have got people wondering about where (and when) exactly Logan will take place in comparison to everything else, but when did these X-Men comics come into existence?
There’s really no telling. The style would indicate that the comics are from around the same time as they would be IRL, meaning the ‘70s, but the X-Men and other mutants were still feared during that time in their own world. So the existence of these comics seems a little retcon-y from what viewers already know about the X-Men franchise.
If anything, it’s a nice gesture. Perhaps Laura was curious to learn about Wolverine, this person who seems to have the same odd powers and background as her. If she were looking for answers, a comic book would be the logical place for an 11-year-old to start.
Logan premieres in theaters March 3.
