There's an old urban legend that when you run with shady strangers, you may wake up in a cheap motel bathtub full of ice with your kidneys cut out. Have you heard that one before? Shaking your head "no" and thinking this is completely ridiculous? Well in 1997, there was a "viral message" circulating Mardi Gras in New Orleans that warned travelers and party-goers of a crime ring that was drugging people and stealing their organs. One might wonder what kind of sick person does something like that, but you might also be amazed to find out how much a human organ goes for on the black market. The story is very much a legend with one general theme and many variations. Typically, the locations change – Houston, Las Vegas, Europe, etc. – but the way in which it happens is usually the same. An unsuspecting bar parton or partygoer is lured by a woman (the story usually references a prostitute) back to a motel room where he is drugged. From then, his organs are then pulled from his body and sold on the black market. The victim then either dies or wakes up in bath tub full of ice. It's a "classic" legend and serves as a good reason not to mingle with shady character while away from home.

Mike Benson, the current writer of Moon Knight and a rising star amongst the "Marvel Knights" takes this idea and brings it to life in comic book form. Benson goes ahead and places this story in the Marvel Universe and rather than having a specific hero investigate the incidents, a hero becomes the victim. Unfortunately for the "organ thieves" in this issue, that hero turns out to be Wolverine.

Benson doesn't really deviate from the core legend too much and keeps it very simple and honest. The one thing that really works the best for him in terms of this issue is the fact that he features Wolverine as the protagonist. He could have easily made this a Punisher, Moon Knight or even a Ghost Rider story, but if that were the case, the story wouldn't have the same impact. What truly works the best about this issue is the fact that Wolverine is the victim.

Everything runs pretty much according to the legend and Benson does an exceptional job adding a sense of "scum" and "shadiness" to what's taking place. A woman targets Wolverine in a dive bar because he drinks alone and the two seem to hit it off. This is some of Benson's best stuff right here as this scene occurs before the reader knows what the story is about and the conversation between Wolverine and the woman is so innocent and so well-written that I felt at ease while reading it. It was some excellent dialogue, typical "bar-talk," the brief "what do you do" followed by the passionate make-out session which leads to a bedroom. It was bizarre to read, in a good way mind you, because I KNEW something bad was going to happen, but the scene was so well written that I didn't really expect the woman to do anything to Wolverine.

This opening scene leads into the madness of the "organ harvesting" trade. Wolverine is drugged, murdered, and his body dumped by the criminals behind the operation. Of course, Wolverine cannot die in such traditional fashions and just needs some time to regenerate his organs.

Once again, Benson returns to the "common legend," but instead of the general layout of how it works, he gets into the gritty details of how such an operation is carried out. The story gets a bit graphic as Wolverine goes after the men responsible for gutting him and countless other victims. And while the action is good and the violence is mostly familiar Wolverine type "slice and dice," the real highlight is the way Wolverine goes after the woman who drugged him. Benson treats us to a motivation for the woman that always seems cliché on the surface, but deep down when you think about it, makes you realize that you would do the same thing. What Wolverine does is also a bit typical in terms of these kinds of blackmail stories, but the real theme of the issue which Benson handles perfectly is the idea of a personal, graphic and very violent urban legend that does hold some truth.

Roland Boschi's artwork is well done and not only serves the story and Besnon's writing well but also fits into the "Marvel Knights" feel of many of Marvel's books. Some of that is credited to colorist Dan Brown who brings a colorful, yet washed-out look and feel to the books he works on. Boschi handles the action very well and also does an excellent job capturing the violent acts of the thieves and Wolverine. The only issue I had with his artwork was the final page when Wolverine is once again sitting in a bar. I'm being really nit-picky but Wolverine just looks a little funny.

This is an excellent one-shot that covers a rare subject matter, especially for comics. This issue is ballsy, fresh, creepy and exciting all at the same time and is definitely some of Benson's best work. The narrative is phenomenal, the dialogue feels real on and concise, and the action is aggressive, quick and very well done.

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