In this review of Ultimate Wolverine #6, the mental fight is on to help Logan to remember who he is beyond just being the Winter Soldier.
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE #6
Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Alex Lins
Main Cover: Alessandro Cappuccio
Variant Covers: LEINIL FRANCIS YU, SANFORD GREENE
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: June 4, 2025
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how not just how great Ultimate Wolverine has grown as both a Wolverine re-imagining and a continuation of the stellar Ultimate imprint, but how it has grown to be the best “mainstream” “X” book since the end of the Krakoan-era. Chris Condon has been bringing his A-game when it comes to getting into the head of the “best there is at what he does”, while simultaneously letting the story and his artist do the heavy lifting.
A character like Logan doesn’t demand pages chalked with captions explaining every thought in his adamantium skull. Speaking of artists, I can fully commit to saying Alex Lins is becoming one of my favorite penciler/inkers on Marvel’s roster. While regular artist Alessandro Cappucio is a superstar in his own right, I’ll be sad to see Lins go.
In Ultimate Wolverine #6, Condon and Lins take the reader on a tour of the Winter Soldier’s mindscape, as the Opposition work to deprogram Logan. Desperation of Wolverine’s liberation is made literal as he breaks out from cages, chains and finally the gargantuan grasp of his captors: Colossus, Omega Red and Magik. While wrapped up, Logan is visited by David Haller, draped in long clothes and conspicuous spiky hair, who appears to unlock the runt’s mind through a touch. Logan unsheathes his claws to free himself, dismembering Piotr, stabbing the demonic Illyana and slashing through Red’s tendrils.
Before he can leave his captors, however, the pieces left from his carnage emerge to form a stone, nega-Wolverine. The pair duel, and Wolverine is able to piece by piece dismantle his doppelganger, before awakening in an Opposition stronghold. Some familiar faces, including last issue’s Sabretooth, Leech and Artie as well as a scarred up Forge welcome Wolverine. Logan grimaces, unsheathes his claws, and…
Ultimate Wolverine #6 ends on an ambiguous cliffhanger, cutting to a page of pure white. But this mostly wordless issue illustrates the entire creative team’s talents of showing and not telling. It calls to mind Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely “‘Nuff Said” issue of New X-men, and is equally stimulating. Ultimate Wolverine has carved its niche as the “action book” of the line, and the action is great, but it also doesn’t need to be mindless. This cerebral, personal approach to violence has been much needed at Marvel, and it’s refreshing to see it in the mitts of its fiercest mutant.
Lins is crushing it too. The psychic setting in Ultimate Wolverine #6 allows him to let loose with debris and action lines, as well as a more liberal, bouncier interpretation of the human figure. Colossus in particular looks amazing in this issue, bulging round, but hard and heavy. Lins has stepped his game up here, especially in the blocking.
The battle between the Logans is drawn with immaculate action-to-action pacing and without border panels. All that before opening up into a wondrous two-page spread of the Opposition base. It takes a skilled designer to make this kind of narrative legible, and Lins goes above and beyond. Colorist Bryan Valenza deserves some flowers as well for the subtle yet appealing limited palette within the dream sequence.
Ultimate Wolverine #6 is another awesome issue in the bag for Condon and Lins. Any skepticism for Marvel introducing an Ultimate book for their most popular mutant character has been dismayed. The experimentation in expression and theme is met with excellent action has put this book in the top of my “to read” pile month to month. What can I say? This book is a cut above the rest. Pardon the pun, bub.
