REVIEW: ‘X Lives Of Wolverine,’ Issue #5

X Lives of Wolverine #5 is written by Benjamin Percy, illustrated by Joshua Cassara, colored by Frank Martin, and lettered by VC’s Cory Petit. It’s published by Marvel Comics. After the shocking ending of X Lives of Wolverine #4, Mikhail Rasputin has used the combination of the Cerebro Sword and Omega Red’s consciousness to override Wolverine’s mind, intent on killing Charles Xavier once and for all. As Xavier and Jean Grey race to save Wolverine from sinking into mental oblivion, the clawed Canadian faces off against Omega in a final battle.

What’s made this series more than just “Wolverine’s Greatest Hits” is how Percy and Cassara choose to explore the past and how it’s shaped Logan as a character. For example, the opening scene, which takes place in 1900’s northern Canada, finally reveals the origin behind Wolverine’s watch that he was holding in the very first issue of X Lives. Xavier also serves as a mental tether to the present, urging Logan not to lose his way as he claws his way through time and space to reclaim his body from Omega Red. Percy even has Logan ruminating on his lengthy past during the final battle. “You can’t change the story that’s already started,” he says. “Only thing you control is the ending.” And with the ending of this issue teasing a fight with his future self from X Deaths of Wolverine, it looks like Percy has yet to put his ending on this Wolverine odyssey.

Cassara goes all out for this final issue, playing with different art forms. In the 1900s, when a young Logan dives into the icy Canadian waters, the waves rippling behind him take the shape of his past lives. The very first page also features a collage of Wolverine’s past, which plays out as he’s slowly being taken over by Omega Red. Speaking of Omega Red, he and Wolverine have a bloody battle in the snowy wastelands of Russia. Swirling white gusts of snow cover the page, with Martin presenting Omega Red’s dark red and silver armor and Wolverine’s tan and brown costumes as the only flecks of color. That is until the snow becomes stained with blood.

Finally, Petit plays with different lettering forms, particularly when characters use telepathy or speak in Russian. Characters speaking in Russian or another language have their words nestled within parentheses, while telepathic messages are placed within fluffy white clouds. It’s a nice way of showing how characters communicate; Jean and Xavier mostly use their telepathy to communicate while Omega Red and Rasputin talk in their native Russian. And when Wolverine delivers a fatal blow to his enemy, Petit fills the page with a jagged “SHCK” sound as blood and gore fly everywhere.

X Lives of Wolverine #5 puts a cap on the clawed Canadian’s time-traveling odyssey and features a final battle with Omega Red. With next week bringing the last issue of X Deaths of Wolverine, Wolverine is about to face his greatest enemy — himself. And keeping in line with Percy’s previous work, it looks like he’ll be tested mentally as well as spiritually.

X Lives of Wolverine #5 is available now wherever comics are sold.