Any story involving Wolverine is going to be a tragic one. This is a man who’s known nothing but tragedy for most of his life: his mutant powers awakened when he saw the man who raised him getting gunned down, he was cut open and experimented on by people who wanted to make him into a weapon; he’s known the kind of pain and loss that would drive anyone else to the brink of madness. Ultimate Wolverine #14 is a brief reminder of that tragedy, but also shows that Logan isn’t the only mutant who’s been through hell and back.
For starters, there’s Illyana Rasputin, aka Magik. In her case, she went through literal hell – or rather, Limbo as a child. It’s here that Chris Condon pulls off a storytelling sleight of hand, and reveals that Illyana might not have been the innocent little girl fans were expecting. It’s a choice that works because it aligns with the Ultimate Universe’s way of zigging where fans expect creators to zag, and it doesn’t absolve Illyana of the horrors she’s inflicted on others. Too often, a villain gets a pass for suffering a tragic backstory, but tragedy isn’t an excuse for atrocity.
Another tragic figure is Jean Grey, who’s slowly reclaiming her own humanity. I’ve always felt the roadblock with stories about Jean is that writers either resort to involving the Phoenix Force in some capacity or killing her off. Condon seems to have taken a page from Stephanie Phillips’ run on Phoenix, focusing more on Jean being a bridge between humanity and something greater. He also scripts different, yet more intriguing dynamics between Jean and Logan since they’ve been through similar experiences on Earth-6160.
I do wish this kind of care had been taken with the introduction of Lady Deathstrike, who’s revealed to be another of the Eurasian Republic’s experiments. Unlike her Earth-616 counterpart, this version of Deathstrike is implied to have an extremely tragic past— almost mirroring Logan’s, which was completely unexpected. Yet Deathstrike serves as less of a cautionary tale and more of a plot device to get Logan closer to Illyana. I know that the book is nearing its end and that we’ll probably see these characters in Ultimate Endgame, but I love it when these issues can spend time in this world.
Art duties on Ultimate Wolverine #14 once again fall to Alessandro Cappuccio, who brings his signature blend of violence and detail to the page. An entire sequence features Logan doing what he does best: hacking off limbs and tearing through flesh with his claws, with screams filling the air. Cappuccio’s work on Jean and Deathstrike, though, is the standout. Whenever Jean activates her powers, she is literally awash in flames, befitting the “Phoenix” name. Deathstrike is a living nightmare; her eyes are jet black pits of emptiness, and her fingers grow to a truly inhuman length. What’s more disturbing? She’s wearing the same mask Logan wore as the Winter Soldier.
I’d be remiss not to mention Bryan Valenza’s color art, which makes Cappuccio’s artwork pop. Most of the issue occurs at night, with different hues of green and black combining in an ominous haze. The only sources of light are Jean’s powers, which take the form of glowing orange-gold fire, and the reddish hues in Logan’s Wolverine costume; it’s the perfect way to separate hero from villain.
Ultimate Wolverine #14 works best when it showcases that Wolverine isn’t the only mutant who’s suffered under the Maker’s thumb. With only two issues left, Condon and Cappuccio are laying the groundwork for a hell of a showdown. And yes, that pun is absolutely intended.
