Wolverine #10
Wolverine and Maverick kick over a hornet’s nest at Legacy House in Wolverine #10 by writer Benjamin Percy, artist Adam Kubert, colorist Frank Martin, and letterer Cory Petit. Percy and company deliver another excellent Wolverine comic, one that has it all-action, adventure, some pathos, and some set-up for what comes next.
Wolverine and Maverick hold the Merchant hostage, using his life as a bargaining chip with his men. His lackeys throw down their weapons, but he attacks Maverick, and the fight starts in earnest. Just as the Merchant is about to use the Phoenix Gun to end the whole thing when a woman in a wheelchair shoots him down and takes the severed arm of Wolverine. Men burst in and identify her Special Agent Ramirez. She orders them to retrieve the mutants, and her goons join the fight, and Maverick and Wolverine escape into Madripoor. Wolverine tries to take Maverick to the Krakoan gate, but Maverick has his own ride- the Mercenaries. They pick him and Wolverine up and take them to their secret hideout. Maverick tries to convince Wolverine to leave Krakoa and join up with him. Wolverine refuses but agrees to go on a mission with Maverick- he got Legacy House a warehouse full of superhero paraphernalia before they captured them. Maverick takes Wolverine back to Krakoa, where Wolverine tries to convince him to stay on Krakoa. He refuses, and they go their separate ways. Later, in New York, Maverick meets up with Agent Ramirez, and they discuss the future.
This issue is just a treasure trove of goodness. Percy throws everything into it- there’s cool little Easter Eggs like the Phoenix Gun, Onslaught’s armor, and Wolverine’s Weapon X helmet. Wolverine’s narration is pitch-perfect, as usual in this book. Percy keeps the whole thing action-packed and fast-paced and still manages to tell an engaging story. Even readers who haven’t read any Wolverine and Maverick stories will feel the extent of their relationship just from the way he writes every one of their scenes together- these are men who have known each other and have worked together a lot over the years. It shows in every panel they are in together.
The issue also introduces CIA Agent Delores Ramirez, a wheelchair-bound woman in charge of the X-Desk, the part of the CIA that watches Krakoa and has been referenced in the text sections of various X-books, including the Percy written ones. She takes Old Man Logan’s hand, which doesn’t bode well for the future. The real interesting part is the end of the book. She wanted to take Wolverine and Maverick by force, but Maverick tells her that all she had to do is pay if she wanted him. Will Maverick betray his old friend? Is he going to act as some kind of double agent? It remains to be seen, but it’s an excellent development, one that has a lot of potential in the future. Wolverine works very well in the spy world, and it looks like Percy will be taking the book there soon.
Kubert’s art is wonderful as usual. There are so many great scenes in this book, but the best is a wide shot of Lowtown as Wolverine and Maverick escape Legacy House. It’s just a beautiful spread and captures the city perfectly. Frank Martin’s colors do wonders throughout the issue- and with Kubert’s recent work on the book in general. Kubert’s art is amazing, but Martin’s colors really give everything so much more depth. The art in this book would still be good if any other colorist was working on it, but Martin’s colors give the art that extra edge it needs to really shine.
Wolverine #10 is yet another Wolverine masterpiece from Percy and Kubert. It’s an action-packed, fast-paced issue that sets out the relationship between Wolverine and Maverick perfectly and then changes it forever. Percy really captures the essence of Wolverine in every chapter, and this one is no exception. Kubert and Martin’s art is amazing throughout; the two men are putting down some best of their career on this one. This book wraps up a short story while planting the seeds of the future, and it does adroitly.
