‘X Lives of Wolverine’ #5 is a bloody good finish

Wolverine vs. Omega Red, who ya got?

March 16, 2022

X Lives of Wolverine comes to an end this week, wrapping up Wolverine’s trip through time to save Xavier’s lineage. Along the way, Omega Red has attempted to thwart Logan and at the start of this issue, it appears he’s got Logan. You might not be able to beat Wolverine hand to hand, but what if you can get inside his head?

X Lives of Wolverine is a series that’s been an action-heavy thrill ride and even has held one of my only 10/10 reviews in 2022. It’s tough to wrap up a fight comic like this one, especially with one that has so many threads in time and such high stakes. For the most part, this issue does a good job closing the door while also teeing up X Deaths of Wolverine‘s finale next week.

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What we have here is an issue devoted to showing how Logan never gives up even when he’s not in control of his mind. It opens with Xavier and Jean trying their best to get Logan back, but he’s lost throughout time. As the chaos reaches an upper limit, the story smash-cuts to 1900 where we see Logan and an ancestor of Xavier taking a boat back after the Omega Red attack in a previous issue. This scene helps solidify Logan’s perspective on life while supplying a key item that may factor into a future story.

Choose your character. Fight!
Credit: Marvel

If you’re looking for action, Joshua Cassarra kills it on this issue and then some. In addition to the excellent mind-trip art as Logan drags himself back to his body, the action scenes are incredible. Any fans of Jim Lee’s Omega Red issues in the ’90s will love this. Wolverine and Omega Red fight over 16 panel grid pages offering up high detail art in every panel no matter the size. It crescendos on an epic moment of violence and it lives up to every Wolverine fan’s expectations as it brings the bloody pain.

The final two pages are also well done as they close off this story while setting up X Deaths of Wolverine. Fans expecting more exploits in past Wolverine lives will also feel fed thanks to a key data page. Percy writes a two short but sweet scenarios in key times in history where Logan saved an Xavier. The cliffhanger full page splash is also a showstopper of a page.

Frank Martin continues to be one of the best color artists in the business and it shows here. There are so many subtle details, like the blue around Logan’s mouth as he’s lost in his own mind, or how Martin lifts everything off the page to give scenes extra depth. You might not notice it, but Omega Red’s big squared off shoulders get added detail thanks to the colors and how the subtle shading on the font of him adds key light to the top of him.

One loose thread that feels like it could use more is Mikhail. Given he’s the mastermind of the series it’s a bit of a disappointment how he exits this story, although it suits him to slink off as he’s very much a coward. He lives to fight another day, but it would have been even better to see some change in the character instead of him being unscathed.

Expect a very satisfying fight scene and conclusion to X Lives of Wolverine. This may be the ultimate Omega Red vs. Wolverine fight comic.