Comic Review: Ultimate Wolverine #1 (2025)

 A new universe, a new Logan — but does new mean better? Ultimate Wolverine #1 is a comic that balances between impressive visual presentation and a narrative that leaves much to be desired. While the start of this new series had the potential to introduce something fresh into the X-Men mythos, it ultimately leaves a mixed impression — beautiful on the outside, hollow on the inside. It's one of those comics that look spectacular at first glance but, upon a closer read, leave you feeling unsatisfied, like something essential was missing. For fans of the Ultimate Universe, it might be an intriguing introduction, but for more demanding readers — unfortunately, it offers little more than surface-level aesthetics.

A Game of Appearances

Let’s start with what worked best: the artwork. The visuals are stunning — full of detail, raw atmosphere, and expertly chosen color palettes. Logan’s red suit against the snowy Russian backdrop looks incredible. You can clearly see the illustrator’s attention to detail and the colorist’s great work. The panel composition, the intensity of action scenes, and the contrast of hues create a highly immersive atmosphere that speaks directly to the imagination. The graphic style is cold and calculated — which fits Logan’s emotional state — but may deter those who prefer a more classic, warm portrayal of Marvel heroes. Regardless of opinions on the story, it's hard to deny that visually, this is a polished and impressive product.

What About the Story?

Unfortunately, the story doesn’t fare nearly as well. The plot feels like a hybrid of “What if Wolverine were the Winter Soldier,” where instead of character development or deepening the mythos, we get an abridged action movie. It’s fairly predictable and doesn’t bring much new to Logan beyond a redesign and new setting. For those expecting a fresh take on the character — this may be a letdown. The narrative follows familiar beats: a mysterious, silent warrior, a dark past, a violent present, ambiguous supporting characters. Yet we get no deeper motivation or internal conflict from Logan, leaving the entire story on the surface. Even the symbolic use of prayer by Nightcrawler feels overused and clichéd — more like a storytelling reflex than a deliberate literary choice.

Narrative Missteps

The story attempts to build an air of mystery — Logan remains silent the entire issue, and the plot jumps across timelines without any location or time markers, which makes the narrative hard to follow. Even simple cues like “Moscow, 5 years ago” are missing, and without them, the story becomes confusing. What could have been a cleverly structured, non-linear narrative just feels chaotic. The reader has no temporal or spatial anchors, which causes disorientation, especially during the more action-heavy scenes. One of the more visually impressive moments — Logan jumping from a plane and brutally dispatching enemies — loses its punch because it’s unclear where it’s happening and in what context. There’s also a lack of inner monologue or reflection that might have grounded the story and given us insight into Logan’s emotional state, instead of relying solely on the “silent killer” aesthetic.

Issues of Value and Style

It’s also hard to ignore the price tag. $5.99 for a single issue that contains little content, even less dialogue, and no real story breakthrough — that’s a steep investment for such a “thin” narrative. If you're looking for depth, drama, or the political undertones seen in better Ultimate titles — you won’t find it here. The comic offers visual pleasure but lacks reading satisfaction. Compared to competing titles from DC or other Marvel runs, this one feels weak in terms of content-to-cost ratio. Additionally, the lettering in this issue is a step backward — it’s unclear, poorly placed, and sometimes downright unpleasant to read. For a comic that relies on minimal dialogue, that’s a surprisingly big issue. Rather than enhancing the atmosphere, the lettering ends up weakening it.

Who Is This Comic For?

If you're into stylish, visually raw stories with a brooding Logan who kills without saying a word — this might be your thing. But if you’re expecting something more — narrative with edge, emotional depth, the traits that made the X-Men what they are — you might be disappointed. Ultimate Wolverine feels more like a Marvel-branded product than an organic expansion of the mutant universe. It’s a piece designed to look good on a shelf, but not necessarily to leave a mark. While there’s potential — especially in future issues — the first one doesn’t give enough reason to be genuinely excited about what’s next. Fans of noir aesthetics or brutal minimalism may find it intriguing. For everyone else — it’s just another variant that’s easy to skip.

Pros:

+Amazing visuals and color work

+Dark atmosphere and interesting supporting cast

+Logan’s new design might intrigue some fans

Cons:

– Lacks character depth and meaningful story

– Confusing non-linear narrative without location/time cues

– Price doesn’t reflect value

– Poor lettering that disrupts immersion

– Recycled MCU-style tropes, lacking distinct voice

Conclusion: Ultimate Wolverine #1 is a stylish yet emotionally cold introduction to an alternate universe. It has atmosphere, but no heart. If this series wants to last, it needs to prove it has more to offer than brutality and good looks. For now — it's just a glossy intro that dares not risk anything beyond a new suit for an old wolf.

My Score: 6/10