The Birth: This legendary X-man kick started his popularity in The Incredible Hulk, #180, 1974.
Sometime after World War II, Logan was taken by a group of scientists led by Dr. Cornelius as part of the Weapon X program: a secret program sponsored by the Canadian government to create the ultimate secret agent. Undergoing the program against his will, he was subject to a technique that would bond the indestructible element adamantium to human bone cells. Logan had adamantium molecularly fused to his skeleton, making his bones virtually indestructible. Supposedly the claws which he now uses in battle were a result of the experiment. From that day on Logan used the name Wolverine to get around.

The Alter Ego: One of the best descriptions of Logan is given by Larry Hama in the Wolverine Encyclopedia.

...... "Through all the changes, travails and retcons, Logan has remained remarkably consistent in his stoic honesty, his simple loyalty and his inexorable will. We know full well that if he was our friend, he would not hesitate to come to our side in time of need. We never question the fact that in any given ethical choice situation, Logan would make the right and proper decision no matter how dire the consequences to himself.

...... "These are powerful fantasies that transcend the mere 'hero as a man of action' motif. These traits are all the more compelling because they are not slathered onto a strapping muscle-bound Adonis conforming to all the preset notions of western beauty. What we have is a five-foot three inch hairy fireplug with a face like a potato and the temperament of a rabid pit bull, but oh, what a righteous fireplug he is. Logan's full name is still unknown and he often uses the alias Patch .

...... "Wolverine is a hero simply because no matter what horrible things happen to him, he gets himself out of bed the next morning and keeps on going. Tragedy does not nail his palm to his forehead and cause him to bemoan his fate as other are want to do. He makes great big mistakes that ruin his life and he doesn't waste a second of time in self-pity or recrimination. He lets it go and gets on with his life. How can we not admire this guy?"

The Legend: Wolverine's actual past is till today shrouded in mystery. He's had recollection of being a Samurai and a mercenary for the C.I.A. But beacause of numerous memory implants given to him in the Weapon X program, these are subject to doubt. But he does know for sure that he was indeed kicking butt in World War II since that was verified but Captain America himself.
...... After his encounter with the Hulk, Wolverine was conscripted by Department H to join and lead Alpha Flight, Canada's government-run super team. During his stint in Alpha Flight, Wolverine was approached by Charles Xavier to resue the X-Men from the island-being Krakoa. After this mission, he stayed on with the X-Men for quite some time, but his decison to join was influced by his feelings for X-Man, Marvel Girl.
...... Hardly a team player, Wolverine has often gone to bat alone, defeating some of the deadliest villians. After his meeting with Omega Red, an assasin, Logan began to question the memories he possessed, but his searches to find his true identity and memories proved fruitless. Still unaware of his true origin, many of Logan's adventures have led him to sites that were significant in his past...Logan has learned that many of his memories are only memory implants apparently inserted when he received his adamantium, and that the Weapon X program may have had a much darker purpose than he ever imagined.

Wolverine's powers include the ability to regenerate tissue and muscle at an abnormally fast rate allowing him heightened healing abilities. He also has heightened senses; vision and hearing which are above normal human levels. He is able to easily track people and objects by their scent.
In a battle with Magneto on his space station, Avalon; Wolverine was seriously injured when his adamantium was torn out from his body by Magneto's magnetic power. While he healed soon, he realized that the claws he possessed were not part of the Weapon X experiment but were actually natural bone.
Due to his injuries, Wolverine left the X-Men but returned when Chalres Xavier a.k.a. Professor X asked him and the mutant Cable to help the X-Men in Tibet.

...... Recently, Logan was kidnapped by Tyler Dayspring, calling himself Genesis, who wanted to make Wolverine one of his new Horsemen. Genesis had acquired adamantium by destroying the body of the mercenary known as Cyber, and had planned to recreate the bonding process used on Logan years ago. This time, however, Logan's body rejected the adamantium, and he regressed for a time to a feral-like state.
Logan came back and rejoined the X-Men, and is currently their supervisor in the absence of Phoenix and Cyclops.