The French Fury — When Wolverine Spoke Français 🐾🇫🇷
By 1980, Wolverine had become a household name across North America — but for French readers, his legend truly began in Strange Special Origines #226 Bis, published by Éditions Lug in Lyon. This special anthology issue marked the first official French printing of the Incredible Hulk #181 story — the now-mythic first encounter between the Hulk and Wolverine.
📰 Publication Details
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Publisher: Éditions Lug (Lyon, France)
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Series Title: Strange Special Origines
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Issue Number: 226 Bis
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Year of Release: 1988
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Format: Magazine-sized softcover anthology, full color
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Language: French
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Original Story: The Incredible Hulk #181 (U.S., Nov 1974)
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Local Title: No distinct subtitle — simply part of the Strange Special Origines lineup
🎨 What Makes It Special
In the late ’70s, Éditions Lug was the driving force behind Marvel’s expansion into Europe. Their magazines — Strange, Titans, Nova, and the Special Origines line — reintroduced key Marvel stories to new audiences in full color and often with unique cover art.
Issue #226 Bis featured a bold French-language adaptation of Hulk #181, complete with slightly revised dialogue that gave Wolverine a more sardonic European tone. The cover — exclusive to this release — was a dynamic repaint that made both heroes look even more feral, matching Lug’s colorful, dramatic house style.
💬 Collector Notes
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Considered the first appearance of Wolverine in France.
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Printed on glossy magazine stock with high-contrast colors — prone to spine creases and edge wear.
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High-grade copies (VF/NM) are very difficult to locate due to fragile binding and limited French print runs.
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The “Bis” designation denotes a special reprint edition issued between regular numbered issues — common for Lug’s format but confusing for new collectors.
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No U.S. price box; French franc pricing only, confirming domestic distribution.
🌍 Legacy
Strange Special Origines #226 Bis wasn’t just a translation — it was a cultural transmission. For many European fans, this was their first exposure to Wolverine, long before Uncanny X-Men dominated French shelves. It helped cement Éditions Lug’s reputation as the gateway that brought Marvel’s mythology into Europe.
Today, this magazine stands as one of the most coveted international Hulk #181 editions — proof that even in another language, some battles are universally epic.
Next in this series: We’ll journey west to USA, where Wizard Supplement delivered the first look at one of his children, a daughter to be exact: Wild Thing.
Stay nerdy,
Randell
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