Wolverine #25
With Hellbride on their tail, Wolverine and Solem continue on their mission to destroy the Celestial in Wolverine #25, by writer Benjamin Percy, artists Federico Vicentini, Greg Land, Juan Ferreyra, Kyle Charles, Andrea Di Vito, Klaus Janson, and Emma Kubert, inkers Jay Leisten and Guillermo Ortego, colorists Frank D’Armata, Frank Martin, and Juan Ferreyra, and letterer Cory Petit. This issue isn’t as action-packed as the last one, but it doesn’t need to be.
This issue is pretty simple plot-wise, as the two groups go to the North Pole for a confrontation. As Wolverine and Solem make their way rather easily, the Celestial picks off Hellbride’s ninjas one by one, leaving her to die in the elements. Wolverine and Solem come across her, and Wolverine decides to save her, building her a fire and leaving her his jacket. Wolverine and Solem find their way through a maze to encounter an ice golem the Celestial made to stop them. Solem is frozen, but Wolverine keeps fighting, with Hellbride coming to help him destroy it. Hellbride decides they’re even, and Solem convinces her to let him come with her to Hell. Wolverine keeps going and is judged by the Celestial: he passes. He reacts badly to this and demands the Celestial fight him. In a back-up story, Wolverine reminisces about bars and what they’ve meant to his life.
As far as the plot goes, this chapter isn’t exactly heavy with it, but that’s okay. Percy uses this one as a chance for Wolverine to ruminate on his life and the situation he’s in. Wolverine knows no other way to face death than head-on. That’s what spurred him on his quest in the first place. It’s also what makes him and Solem so different. That’s another crux of the issue, juxtaposing their attitudes. Wolverine is on this quest because he doesn’t believe he’ll be worthy and decides the best thing to do is die trying to save everyone; Solem is trying to save himself.
Percy makes this clear with the Hellbride sequence, as Solem wants to kill her. She’s the whole reason he’s teamed with Wolverine. Wolverine helps her because it doesn’t really matter what happens next. The Celestial may destroy the world, and if Wolverine can save someone first, that’s what he’s going to do. Wolverine’s reaction to passing judgment is also perfect for him. He didn’t expect to pass; he’s a killer. He wanted to die with his boots on and isn’t getting the chance. He rages against it, which is definitely Wolverine. This anniversary issue also contains a cool little back-up about what bars mean to Wolverine by a variety of artists. It’s simple but entertaining.
Vicentini and Martin’s art in the main story is excellent. Vicentini is an expert at character acting, which is good, and the action scene works very well. There’re also several hall of mirrors scenes that the art team knocks out of the park. The artists in the back-up all do a great job, with Ferreyra and Kubert standing out.
Wolverine #25 is a simple comic, and that’s why it works. It sort of feels like Percy wanted to use this chapter to prove just how much he knows about Wolverine because this comic is a clinic on who the character is. The art, from the main story to the back-up, is all amazing. This is a sensational anniversary issue.
