The idea of bringing up a DC comic to point out something about a Marvel comic almost feels like a playful slap to try and test the patience of Marvel fans everywhere, and it’s not the first gesture that’s been tossed about over the years. One thing a person needs to get through their heads before continuing is that between DC and Marvel, it’s okay to like them both. But in terms of pointing out the fact that Wolverine, the fast-healing mutant with metal-laced bones, can in fact get drunk, it feels more like an irritating poke than a light slap. Getting down to the meat of the story, it’s well-known by many fans that Wolverine is a drinker, probably one of those in the Marvel universe that enjoys the drink a little too much sometimes. But when a person has a head full of bad memories and experiences as Logan does, the booze can help at least a little sometimes. The only problem is that thanks to his healing factor, Logan can’t stay drunk for long. Much like anything he takes into his body, his healing factor tends to filter out anything that can harm him and seeks to repair any damage done quickly and efficiently. What this means is that as long as he drinks, his body will push any and all toxins out and will keep him from being falling-down drunk, unless of course, he manages to consume a massive amount of alcohol in a very short time. But the amount of alcohol that it would take to keep Logan good and drunk for a while would likely hospitalize if not kill a lot of people since he would probably have to be chugging one bottle of liquor after another to reach the desired effect. If he slowed down his healing factor would seek to keep up and keep pumping the toxins from his body. In essence, Wolverine CAN get drunk, he just can’t stay that way for long.
Wolverine’s healing factor has varied in strength over the years but it’s always been quicker than that of a human being since he can heal from injuries that would take humans days, weeks, even months to heal from. Plenty of the damage he’s taken over the years would kill anyone else since he’s been reduced to a skeleton, he’s been infected by an alien species, he’s actually lit himself and Sabertooth on fire before, and he’s had various edged weapons thrust into his body from time to time. That’s not to say that none of it hurts, he can feel pain just like anyone else, but Wolverine is so used to pain from his Weapon X days that he can walk through nearly anything and keep coming. His propensity for drinking has still been well-known in the comics, however, and while he doesn’t get to show this all the time, Logan can put away the booze. Despite not staying drunk for long the theory is that he uses this simply to feel the buzz since that’s about all he can get considering that his body won’t let anything else happen. To be fair, Logan might need to be hooked up to a whiskey IV if he really wanted to get knackered, since otherwise even the time it takes to get another, crack a bottle, or crack open a can are precious seconds that his body would be using to purge itself of each substance he puts in. Imagine not being able to get drunk because your body was too efficient at breaking down the substances that were being put into it. Among the X-Men, he’s likely the heaviest drinker, but he’s also one most likely to remain sober while everyone else is getting tipsy.
It’s a strange thing to note about a character, to be honest, and it’s something that parents might actually have an issue with when it comes to the comics and superheroes. But the trick is that the heroes and villains are just like anyone else when it comes to simple vices and habits, since while some of them aren’t human they still exhibit many of the same traits, and as some parents see it the heroes and villains in the comics can influence young minds in a few ways that they might not approve of. But as much of a concern as this might be, the fact is that parents don’t have to let their kids watch, or they can speak to them about the reality and the fantasy of heroes and villains and the things they do. The idea that Wolverine can get drunk, if not for long, isn’t really something kids care that much about since they would rather talk about his healing factor and his adamantium claws. Anything else is just details that a lot of kids don’t take into account.
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