Wolverine's claws

[gremcint]

so every single version of wolverine has claws that are longer than his hands, meaning that if they just retract then he would be unable to turn his wrist without flaying the skin off. The other option is that he grows the claws, now as seen in the movie and some origin stories he actually has bone claws before the metal was put in so then his bones would be stretching/bending this indestructible metal which means his bones were stronger than the metal so why would he need it in the first place.

[Nyoibo]

They are in his forearms just behind the wrist when retracted, when extended they are in front of the wrist.

[lordlundar]

Do yourself a favor. Don't try to understand it. Wolverine has been retconned so many times, and each subsequent retcon is worse than the last (the current one to the best of my knowledge has him as a lupine, aka descended from wolves) And yes, even his powers and weapons have been retcon butchered as well.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I always assumed that it didn't really matter cuz of his healing factor. I expect he broke his wrists a few times before getting the hang of the claws, and just healed up right away after. He's, what, how old? Depending on what story you read (one has him fighting in the Second World War with Captain America) he's pretty fucking old so by now he surely would have gotten fighting with the claws down to a fine art.

Sabretooth's claws make more sense; so do Lady Deathstrike's, but neither of them are anywhere near as popular as Wolverine is. XXD At least, not to most people. I happen to prefer Sabretooth as a character, but then, that's just me; I've always prefered the bad guys to the good guys. Anyway, Sabretooth's (non adamantium, at least as said in the stories I've read, anyway.) claws take the place of nails; Lady Deathstrike's claws take the place of her fingers. No risk of taking the skin off, there. XD

If we're on the subject of claws tho, we can't forget X-23, Wolverine's clone. She should interest you far more since she also has one claw in each foot as well as two from each hand. I've always wondered just how the foot claw works; I assumed it was from the centre of the foot, just above the toes, but never knew for sure.

[Bloodsoul]

I only have one comic with Lady Deathstrike which had her claws extending several feet, so in my mind that actually made less sense than Wolverine's.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I meant mechanics rather than length; but you're right, that doesn't make much sense. XXD She'd have one hell of a balance problem.

[Bloodsoul]

...never actually thought about balance. As with Wolverine, if her claws are made of adamantine than I was wondering where were they stored when not in use?

[Arcade Man D]

The other option is that he grows the claws, now as seen in the movie and some origin stories he actually has bone claws before the metal was put in so then his bones would be stretching/bending this indestructible metal which means his bones were stronger than the metal so why would he need it in the first place.

Actually, the claws were always part of his mutation. And when he had the adamantium claws that was because his entire skeleton had been grafted with the metal, meaning the rest of his skeleton was just as strong as the bone claws.

[Plaidman]

Claws were always part of his mutation. They are in his fore arms.

As for the lupine reference, that was what Clairemont originally wanted him as a mutated wolverine, but decided it was too dorky.

His healing factor is what allows him to survive the repeated speration of his finger bones to extend them, and having bone cells reform around it to hold it in place, then when he puts them back in, they get formed back into his normal hands.

Not that hard to understand really. If you look for a picture of it online, you'll see what I mean. Hell the first movie showed it when Jean did an xray on him where the claws were.

[Nyoibo]

And Origins shows and x-ray view of them extending.

As for Deatstriake, she's a cyborg with nanotech.

[lordlundar]

Claws were always part of his mutation. They are in his fore arms.

Depends on the retcon. Some retcons he didn't have them until they were inserted as part of the Weapon X program, one retcon in that group I know of had his adamantium skeleton (which replaced his original bone skeleton as opposed to grafted on) ripped out of him in an effort to kill him. His original bone skeleton grew back as part of his healing process with no adamantium in the way anymore and with that he got the bone claws which wound up being stronger than the adamantium ones.

Other retcons have him as always having the claws as far back as he can remember, some even have it as being born with them.

See, this is why I avoid the details about wolverine's character. He's been retconned so many times it's got to the point of "what's his origins this year?" and it gives me a headache.

As for the lupine reference, that was what Clairemont originally wanted him as a mutated wolverine, but decided it was too dorky.

Riiight, because the whole "descended from wolves" is so much better. Seriously, what are these guys smoking? Whatever it is, it's really making them unable to function in society. Then again, I suppose that's why they're comic writers and artists.