Library and Archives Canada announced April 1 they have acquired declassified journals and military records belonging to controversial Canadian war hero and mutant James “Logan” Howlett, commonly known as the “Wolverine.”
Howlett, who is of course a fictional character, is the subject of a viral April Fools’ post by Library and Archives Canada that has been making the rounds on Facebook. The post features a doctored photo of actor Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, as well as a fake paper admitting “James Howlett” to the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in 1914.
Howlett, whose continuing adventures are chronicled monthly in several titles from Marvel Comics and in the films “X-Men” and “The Wolverine” among others, is one of Canada’s most famous mutants, and spent decades serving the Canadian government in both official and unofficial capacities.
Born in 1882 in what is now Cold Lake, Alberta, Howlett’s longevity can be attributed to his mutant power, which allows him to quickly heal any injury, and apparently slows down his aging.
In his early life, Howlett worked in a British Columbia quarry and as a fur trader, before embarking on a remarkable military career in the 20th century.
“His military career spanned multiple conflicts, making his personnel records an unprecedented study in Canadian military history,” reads the Facebook post from Library and Archives Canada. Howlett served in both WWI and WWII and was wounded in combat – though without any lasting effects.
Although the Facebook post mentions that he worked for CSIS and the CIA during the Cold War, it is surprisingly short on details and makes no mention of his rumored involvement with the secret Canadian government programs “Weapon X” and “Alpha Flight.”
It’s possible that Howlett, who eventually took on the name “Wolverine”, acquired his famous indestructible adamantium claws and skeleton around that time – as well as an apparent amnesia that left him unable to remember his earlier life. This may have contributed to his disillusionment with the Canadian government. Whatever the reason, he soon left Canada and the Canadian government and started mercenary work with a variety of other organizations, mostly in the United States.
Recently, he has been affiliated with the publicly hated and feared American group of mutant vigilantes known as the X-Men.
And although the Facebook post has Wolverine’s fictional history about right, there is one error in actual historical fact: it suggests that he was part of the Devil’s Brigade in WWI. The Devil’s Brigade only served in WWII.