He's the best there is at what he does – and he does a lot. Famous for his razor-sharp adamantium claws, a healing factor that makes him all but indestructible, a bad haircut and an even worse attitude, Wolverine is the most iconic antihero the superhero genre has ever produced, both in its original comics stomping ground and its post-millennial takeover of multiplexes worldwide. But Wolverine was never intended to be anything but a nasty piece of work for bigger heroes to tangle with. The story of how he went from bit player to the anchor of this weekend's summer blockbuster The Wolverine is nearly as unlikely as Wolverine's own tortured past. Now pop those claws and take our hand as we guide you through the visionary creators and major turning points that made Wolverine the mutant he is today.

By Sean T. Collins