Writer: Benjamin Percy
Art: Federico Vicentini, Dijjo Lima, Frank Martin, VC’s Cory Petit, Tom Muller, and Adam Kubert
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price:$5.99
Release Date: March 23rd, 2022
Moira MacTaggert was hiding from Krakoa, the C.I.A., and a bizarre Phalanx-looking WOLVERINE from the future. Why? Well, because Destiny and Mystique wielded Forge’s neutralizer gun to take Moira’s mutant power to resurrect and reboot the time stream as a “penalty” for what she did behind the scenes. So, in an attempt to save her last life, she asked renowned inventor Arnab Chakladar for a way to permanently cheat death and ultimately live forever. Alas, her plans took her to the heart of Krakoa. Let’s dive into X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE #5 by Benjamin Percy to see if Moira’s plan will come to pass. Plus, will the team of WOLVERINE’S be able to stop this Phalanx-infused WOLVERINE before it’s too late? Let’s jump in and find out as X LIVES/DEATHS OF WOLVERINE comes to a close.
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read X Deaths of Wolverine #5 Review.
THE DISPATCH
X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE #5 concludes this week ultimately leaving fans exactly where we started with a somewhat new villain “reborn”. And sure, the action was pretty intense and the story was interesting enough this week, however, I couldn’t help but wonder the overall point. As X LIVES/DEATHS OF WOLVERINE was progressing, I backed the approach. Some questioned the purpose behind X LIVES OF WOLVERINE, yet I stood my ground suggesting that Percy hid its objectives in plain sight. Without speaking it directly, X LIVES OF WOLVERINE helped keep the Professor and Jean Grey busy so Moira could escape, hide, formulate a plan, and regain access to Krakoa.
Enter X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE that everyone championed for (myself included) considering it laid out the future of the X-MEN. Yet, I left X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE #5 scratching my head. Using a bit of comic book science mixed with some sleight of hand, Percy manages to reasonably holt the Phalanx-infused WOLVERINE. Granted, it fits in strategically with X LIVES OF WOLVERINE and the solution couldn’t have been accomplished without X LIVES OF WOLVERINE. However, the premise wasn’t set up very well.
Moreover, the rebirth of the villain just didn’t make sense and frankly was an obvious conclusion that simply demeaned the purpose and exploits of X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE. No one will be shocked as to the ending. No one should be surprised. The only premise that will cause any sort of head-scratching is… how? How does the villain get reborn? And sure, people can explain it all away by saying this, that, and the other thing.
Yet, I’m so dang tired of these reveals happening off-panel and with little setup because of page count or time. X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE ends exactly where we started. We gained little ground and added a new upgraded villain to the fold that we already assumed was going to happen. So, my disappointment amounts solely to some off-panel evolution and the focus taken away from the heartbeat of what I thought X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE was supposed to be about.
ART
Federico Vicentini and Dijjo Lima continue their efforts orchestrating exactly what they’ve done to this point. They provide upbeat action, intense fight scenes, and a plethora of WOLVERINE action that clutters the pages. So much so that readers get very little of anything else. Now, my favorite scenes of X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE #5 came in regards to the parallel between the openings within HOXPOX and X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE where Vicentini and Lima superimpose the two scenes with Moira and Charles meeting up together. Those scenes were brilliant and charged with anger, as well as the closing scenes. Vicentini and Lima added the heart and emotion to the issue and provided the deep-rooted anger that Moira had for Charles specifically.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Was X LIVES/ DEATHS OF WOLVERINE merely to buy new X-MEN writers about 10 weeks to write and prepare their stories? Well, as X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE #5 comes to an end, readers will discover that we end exactly where we began with little to no advancement and a new villain that’s too obvious for words. Overall, X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE spirals back to the overarching premise in comics today. All the toys need to be put back in the toy box exactly where they were found when you’re done with them. But by doing so, it takes the wind out of the sails, deflates the story, and makes its purpose meaningless. It’s frankly becoming exhausting. Readers, this isn’t a Percy thing… It’s a comics thing in general and it’s wearing me down.
Sure, as a snapshot, X LIVES/ DEATHS OF WOLVERINE was entertaining and fun. It was cluttered with action showing just how awesome WOLVERINE is. As a stand-alone story, it was reasonably clever with some borrowed ideas from the likes of an updated DAYS OF FUTURE PAST event. So, looking at the story in a vacuum, it’s pretty good. However, looking at how it progresses the overall X-MEN genre and stories forward, it really doesn’t. You could entirely skip this X LIVES/ DEATHS OF WOLVERINE and start right up from INFERNO immediately into IMMORTAL X-MEN and the DESTINY OF X just fine. So, if I don’t “need” it, why have it? That’s the hard sell and frankly the point. Would I buy this X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE #5? Yes, but only because I already invested my money and time in every other issue to this point. Would I buy the trade after the fact? Well, if I was a diehard WOLVERINE fan, definitely. But otherwise, probably not. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God bless!
7.8/10
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I think Moira’s 10th life is an actively diverging timeline. Karima ( of Inferno) comes from 10A, Omega Wolverine comes from 10B, Destiny of X Era is 10C. The true heroes of 10B are X Force and Sage for saving the Resurrection Protocol. Also, the Phoenix plays a pivotal role in the future of Mutants and Humanity.
Skye, thank you so much for the read and reply. These are some interesting thoughts. Thanks for the comment!!!