By Rebecca Gault — It takes a skilled writer to weave a time travel narrative. They are famously very thorny and very easy to lose a reader amongst; especially when there are multiple time periods to handle and multiple strands of the same narrative to tangle together. Writer Benjamin Percy does this admirably, and it especially shines in X Lives of Wolverine #4.

With three different time periods all being tackled in a singular issue, Percy makes the expert decision to tie them together through Logan’s narration. It’s a key structural decision and frames the issue through the lens of what it really means for Logan to relive his history in this way.

Percy is a writer who clearly understands Wolverine in a way that goes beyond the broadest brushstrokes of someone who is the best at what he does - even if what he does isn’t very nice. There is a real concern here about how Wolverine desires to be better and how Krakoa has become his home, something that becomes elucidated as he goes through some of the most traumatic spots of his past.

Artists Joshua Cassara and Federico Vicentini make a formidable team here. Vicentini tackles the World War Two aspect, and it’s clear from that arc that he is especially talented at fierce, high-octane art. With a distinct propensity for action, Vicentini’s work on the WWII section of the issue particularly shines. Not that Cassara is remotely close to slacking here either, of course. The work Cassara is doing on this series is potentially some of his career’s best, fluid and dynamic in a way that highlights some of Logan’s most brutal moments while also creating some beautiful scenery. Cassara’s splash pages are particularly standout here and offer a distinctly epic feeling to the whole issue.

The consequences and limitations of the time travel conceit are well laid out here and letterer Cory Petit does great work in setting up a psychic rapport between Xavier and Jean that looks great. Percy uses this as a way to underline all of these themes while still elegantly tying into the main narrative, all of which is building to the ongoing Omega Red plot; something that seems to be coming to a climax.

Week 7 of X Lives / Deaths of Wolverine is a strong outing for this book and one that moves pieces into place very deftly.

Overall: A deft weaving of three time periods that allows writer Benjamin Percy and his collaborators to set up some great character work for Logan, all underscored by some beautiful art. 8.5/10

REVIEW: X Lives of Wolverine #4

X Lives of Wolverine #4
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Joshua Cassara with Federico Vicentini
Colorist: Frank Martin
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
DAYS OF OMEGA PAST!
WEEK 7 – WOLVERINE. OMEGA RED. Together? 'Nuff said.
Price: $4.99
Buy It Here: Digital / Physical

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Rebecca is a literature student by day, a freelance writer by night, and a comics fan always. She is a big fan of everything superheroic and horrific. Right now, she can be found on Twitter at @phoenixfcrce.