Welcome, X-Fans, to another uncanny edition of X-Men Monday at AIPT!
Fun fact: Writer Chris Condon made his X-Men Monday debut almost exactly one year ago today (just off by one day). But that was also before Ultimate Wolverine #1 went on sale, so we didn’t get to dig too deeply into the savage tale Chris, artist Alessandro Cappuccio, and their collaborators were about to unleash on readers. With Ultimate Wolverine — along with the entire Ultimate Universe — coming to an end, there’s no better time to reconnect with Chris for a chat about the series so far, Logan’s supporting cast, and more.
Let’s see what Chris has to say.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Welcome back to X-Men Monday, Chris! As your last appearance in this column was before Ultimate Wolverine #1 went on sale, we’re going to get pretty granular, as there’s so much to discuss. But first — some comic writers approach a series with a finite story in mind, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Others take a more open-ended approach and wish they had more room to explore. I’m not sure which camp you fall into, but when you were told Ultimate Wolverine could extend to 16 issues, what was your reaction? And how challenging was it to figure out what you’d do with those extra issues?
Chris Condon: Well, the first thing I wanted to know was if that meant that Alessandro Cappuccio was coming along too. If he wasn’t, I wasn’t interested in continuing. So, when Editor Wil Moss confirmed that Alessandro would be back in the saddle for three of the four ‘coda’ issues, I was excited to get to tell a bit more story with these characters. As you know, we were initially a 12-issue series, so I hadn’t planned on anything past 12. But the way that we ended things in issue 12 gave us an interesting place to begin for the next bit of story and, having finished work on the series, I think it takes us to some interesting and, in my opinion, unexpected places.
AIPT: Beyond Logan, we’ve seen some unique takes on classic characters. The Opposition was a motley crew of could-have-been X-Men and other Marvel characters. With so many X-characters to choose from, how did you settle on the mutants you chose to include, such as Gambit, Kitty Pryde, Beast, Forge, and Abigail Brand?
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Chris: I just chose my favorites, really — the people I wanted to see or write. It’s funny, growing up with this stuff, a lot of it came down to the toys I used to play with when I was a kid. I’m just sorry I couldn’t find a place for George Washington Bridge.
AIPT: A classic figure. (Where’s his Marvel Legend, Hasbro?) Now, X-Fan Phil is a Legion fan and loved Ultimate Wolverine#6 about One. Phil is interested in what informed this approach to David Haller.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Chris: Thank you, Phil! I love Legion as a character, so I wanted to play with him in the series. I thought that there would be no way that The Maker would allow a mutant like David Haller to exist, so he would’ve been taken off the map. So, I thought that gave us an interesting ‘in.’ What if David was so powerful that he couldn’t actually be killed? Sure, you can kill his body, but what if his mind persists? What if it found a home in the digital realm? I thought it was pretty cool myself, so I’m stoked that you liked it!
AIPT: First, X-Fan Bruno wants to share that the latest issue was amazing! Bruno wants to know how you approached this version of Jean Grey for your story. Did anything directly inspire this take on the character, aka the Phoenix Specimen?
Chris: Thanks, Bruno! I appreciate it. It’s nice to have the history in 616 stripped away, so you can approach these characters as unique entities.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
I can’t say anything in particular inspired the take on the character, we just did what we thought was a good idea at the time. I thought it would be a pretty shocking image to have Jean Grey strung up as she was in this universe’s version of Cerebro (in our universe, called: The Cerebellum). Everything else kind of came from that. Damaged characters, trying to fix what was done to them and ensure it doesn’t happen again to anyone else.
AIPT: We’ve seen different Logan-Jean relationships across the Marvel multiverse, but I feel like this version of Jean has a lot more in common with Ultimate Wolverine than other versions we’ve encountered. What can you tease about their dynamic in the series’ final issues?
Chris: They are pals, by this point. They have great banter and understanding for each other, but also for some of the other test subjects that they encounter in the four ‘coda’ issues.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Those “strange technological chimeras,” the X-S units — as their creator, what do you think? Was any part of Cyclops still in there (you know, aside from his head)?
Chris: No, I think it’s just a mechanical response now. I think that would be almost too torturous, even for our typically brutal book! But hey, get us back for a few more issues and maybe we can find out together!
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: X-Fan Midnighter82 says, with the Ultimate Wolverine storyline coming to a close, are there any characters you would have liked to introduce into the Ultimate Universe but didn’t get the chance to? Or any members of the Ultimate Wolverine cast you would have liked to develop further?
Chris: I feel like we could do a spinoff with so many of the Opposition characters before the events of this book or coinciding with the events of this book. I would’ve loved to have done any of them. I’m pretty happy with who we chose to work with here, but if there’s anyone I would’ve loved to have included, it may be Banshee.
AIPT: From the very start, this series has had amazing, cinematic action, such as Logan diving from Sentinel One, crashing through a window, and popping his claws in Ultimate Wolverine#12. Obviously, Alessandro Cappuccio is an incredible artist who never disappoints, but I wonder if you could share a bit about how you approach writing those types of beats in such an action-heavy series.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Chris: Well, knowing Alessandro and his style, it’s nice when you can give him a big splash page to show off. I think that helps sell the action-forward series because it shows just how dynamic the action can and, hopefully, will be throughout.
AIPT: What can we expect from Ultimate Wolverine’s final issues as Ultimate Endgame kicks off? What’s this I see about an Ultimate Lady Deathstrike?
Chris: Ha! Yes. Ultimate Lady Deathstrike makes an appearance. Expect the same sort of action thrills, tinged with just a bit of horror, as you’ve seen from the rest of the book. It’s great fun to write. I think the final issue is a surprising one. I don’t want to say much, but it took me by surprise. I hope everyone likes it as much as I do.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
AIPT: Finally, X-Fan Carlos was wondering — given that both Ultimate Wolverine and the Ultimate Universe are ending, do you have any plans or interest in writing a mainline 616 Marvel series in the future?
Chris: Hey, Carlos! Yes, I have a few lined up already, too! Stay tuned!
AIPT: We’ll be sure to do that, Chris! But on that note, thanks for stopping by X-Men Monday!
X-Fans, Ultimate Wolverine #13 goes on sale January 7, 2026 — and we’ve got an eXclusive, eXtra early look below, courtesy of our friends at Marvel! Read on for a few pages from writer Chris Condon, artist Alessandro Cappuccio, and letterer VC’s Cory Petit.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Just a programming note that this will be the last edition of X-Men Monday for 2025. While I typically close out the year with a reader survey, where X-Fans get to throw their support behind their favorite series, characters, romances, and more, online fan wars have made it anything but fun. And at the end of the day, a column like X-Men Monday is meant to be fun. So, consider that my Christmas gift to X-Fandom — one less eXcruciating online battle between warring fandoms over survey results. You’re welcome — where’s my Nobel Peace Prize?
But in 2026, X-Men Monday returns to celebrate our latest mutant milestone — X-Men Monday #325! The Conductor of X himself, Tom Brevoort, will return to answer your questions about the conclusion of the X-Men: Age of Revelation event and the launch of the Shadows of Tomorrow era.
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You can start to submit questions in the form below.
Until next time, X-Fans, have a safe and happy holiday season — and stay eXceptional!
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