Ultimate Wolverine is nearing its end, but that doesn’t mean that Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappucchio are letting their feet off the gas. Quite the contrary: Ultimate Wolverine #15 actually introduces a new danger as Wolverine, Phoenix, and Sentinel One continue their hunt for Magik. At the border between the Eurasian Republic and Latveria, they soon find themselves being attacked by a raging soldier who’s been infected by the virus unleashed in Ultimate Endgame. That infection soon spreads to Logan, reverting him to the feral state of the Winter Soldier…and leaving his salvation in the hands of Phoenix and Sentinel One.
Condon has been one of the few writers who understands that what makes Wolverine a compelling character isn’t his claws, or his ability to take blows that would kill a normal man. It’s his desire to be more than the weapon he was forged as, and the moment where he transforms back into his feral state is a terrifying reminder of how much of a struggle he undergoes. It also makes his connections with Jean and Sentinel One that much more compelling; like Logan, they were forged to be weapons by the Eurasian Republic, and fought off their programming to be people. It’s no wonder why they work to help Logan back to his normal state.
Throughout Ultimate Wolverine #15, Condon also digs into Logan’s state of mind, and has him reflect on why mutants think they’re superior to humans. It’s a moment that showcases how Logan sees the world, and reflects the darkness of the Maker’s supposed paradise; in a world without heroes, darker impulses usually won out. Better to use those impulses to bring justice, rather than succumb to them entirely. It’s a marked difference from the opening sequence, which features Illyana Rasputin fully sinking into her demonic impulses and becoming Magik. Again, choice is the big factor here – Logan chooses to be better than he is, while Illyana chose darkness.
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Ultimate Wolverine #15 also features some of the gnarliest artwork in the series. Take the opening; when Illyana confronts the demon lord Belasco, she plunges her hand into his chest and rips out her signature Soulsword. It’s a move that feels less like it belongs in an X-Men comic and more in a Mortal Kombat game, and it doesn’t help that there’s a trail of blood and fire leaking out of Belasco’s chest.
That’s nothing compared to some of the wounds Logan suffers. Cappucchio draws a single, startling panel of a feral Wolverine walking into the distance, his stomach blown wide open to expose his organs and rib cage. Another page features him being burned alive by the Phoenix’s flame, and slowly regrowing flesh and blood over an Adamantium skeleton. I’m shocked that Cappucchio was able to get away with it, and even more shocked at the level of detail that went into producing this level of gore.
Ultimate Wolverine #15 sets the stage for what’s sure to be a bloody finale, offering ruminations on nature and nurture along the way. It’s been a hell of a ride, and I can’t wait to see what Condon and Cappucchio have in store for the end.
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