Wolverines #4 (Spoilers)

[Ambaryerno]

The issue begins where #3 leaves off, with X-23's dynamic entry blowing off Siphon's hands, and the first couple pages play out as we saw in the preview as the team holds off Siphon. Fantomelle and Culpepper bail, and Laura pursues, trying to convince her that they're just here to help. Neither are inclined to believe her, so Mystique takes a shortcut and just tranqs them, allowing the team to withdraw.

Fantomelle and Culpepper wake up aboard Changeling, and note that they weren't locked in. Clearly their captors realize that won't stop her from escaping if she wishes. So she takes advantage of the open door only to be confronted by Neuro on her way out, and brought to the briefing room where Shogun and Neuro are planning their heist. Meanwhile, Laura passes Sabretooth and Deathstrike in the corridor, where a much more Jerkass Creed is telling Yuriko that no one wants her there. She ignores the fight and heads for Daken's room (who has since woken up surprised to find himself alive) only to run right into a much nicer Creed offering to play cards with Daken to keep him company. Laura is briefly thoughtful of this, before letting Daken know they fought Siphon. Angry Daken is angry, and demands both of them get out.

At the briefing, Culpepper and Fantomelle demolish Sinister's defenses, planning step-by-step exactly how they can get through them. Fantomelle also immediately notices that Shogun has two voices in his head who can't agree on how to proceed (Ogun, of course, trying to convince Sharp to use his team as expendable resources to save himself) and calls him out that it could get EVERYONE killed. Mystique, meanwhile, is listening in and is actually impressed, though notes that 'Melle sees the entire thing as a game. We also see that she's begun actively putting her plans into motion, and that manipulating Deathstrike is a part of it.

Meanwhile (again), at Sinister's lab, Sinister has nearly succeeded at cracking open Wolverine's adamantium coffin and reveals his agenda: He wants to revive the Wolverine (duh). However before he can complete his task an alarm sounds. Sinister being Sinister, he's fully aware of what's about to go down and sets his defenses in motion, including a contingency involving time travel (sigh). The issue ends with a dramatic shot of the team leaping from Changeling. So so much for surprise...

This issue primarily serves to set up the confrontation between Sinister, the Wolverines, and the Paradise Crew. There's a little bit of development as Daken wakes up and isn't very happy, snapping at Creed and Laura. We also see Mystique putting her plans in motion, and what I HOPE is X suspicious having seen Sabretooth in two places at once, including one having a very nasty conversation with Deathstrike. ANYONE should be able to put 2 + 2 together, especially someone who's supposed to be as smart as Laura (though it DOES beg the question which Creed does she believe is the real one? The one who was sniping at Deathstrike -- and who we know is actually Mystique -- ACTS more like the Creed we know and love, while no one seems to buy Inverted Creed as the genuine article. Mystique does (or at least SHOULD) know, but it would certainly fit her plans not to share that information.

The layout of the pages, especially once we got Sinister at the bottom of each page, got a bit confusing at times, and in places it became a bit tricky to follow what was happening. Art was pretty good; Laura got her highlights back. She also had a bit of iffy dialogue, though still on the whole FAR better than what Bendis has done with her. As noted above this issue is mostly setup and there's not a LOT of advancement, but still keeps things moving at a brisk pace.

[Mr. Brightside]

Thanks for the summary, sounds interesting!!

[healed1337]

This issue probably would have flowed better if Daken's scene was written in one go rather than being split up, and then Fantomelle's planning would go back and forth with Mr. Sinister's attempts to breach Wolverine's adamantium shell. That way, it could have followed Fantomelle's line, "Impenetrable is a matter of perspective" with Sinister's "Nothing is impenetrable!"

Apart from the comic feeling out of order, it's a pretty good one and the build-up is kind of exciting.

[JackalsIII]

I'm hoping to pick up a copy at the store tomorrow, sounds like the series picked up again

[berserkerclaw]

Still not a fan of this art. Yeah the spit was off but it was ok. A good plot issue set to the assault.

[Moondoggie]

Bit of a weird issue it started off decently with lots of action but i found it really hard to follow what is happening. It's like "okay they are fighting dudes and Fantomelle is escaping but here is Mystique, okay they are back on the ship, Sabertooth wants to play cards, Deathstrike is doing stuff, Oh here is Sinister and he's angry, Okay now Daken is angry, Laura sad, Sabertooth wants Daken to deal, Daken more angry, Here is Sinister and things are exploding, end issue.

[sureshot]

Thanks for the summary, sounds interesting!!

Seconded. My only complaint as usual is that I hope one or more characters catch on to Mystique manipulating them for her own ends. As it makes no sense that no would not notice. Given that one of them the more angry one is Mystique. And as Ambaryerno pointed out Laura is intelligent enough to figure it out. Unless they keep writing her as clueless as everyone else.

[Jackraow21]

Still not a fan of this art. Yeah the spit was off but it was ok. A good plot issue set to the assault.

Agreed. Story was decent and Soule and Fawkes seem to be juggling a whole lot of characters fairly well, but the art is just killing me!

[All-New Valar Stercus NOW.1]

This IS the same artist that did the X-23 issue right? Hard to believe.

The thing with Laura and the two Sabreteeth was too obvious. Like that earlobe bit on Agent Carter.

I liked the plot progression once I could make sense of it.

[gambitxremy]

Are there even more sinister clones in this issue at the end

[True Believer Tony]

The art was atrocious and insulting to the Marvel brand and devoted readers. Errors throughout as well. Misplaced speech bubbles, Sabretooth and the boyfriend are drawn interchangeably, unless Sabretooth got beat up by the boyfriend?

And an confusing script as well. Who was Mystique impersonating? Just Sabretooth, right? Trying to rile up Deathstrike so she would go all out on the mission?

[Ambaryerno]

And an confusing script as well. Who was Mystique impersonating? Just Sabretooth, right? Trying to rile up Deathstrike so she would go all out on the mission?

I don't think it's the script that was confusing so much as it was the panel layout. And yes, so far she was just impersonating Sabretooth. I don't think it had anything to do with the mission, though, but is part of whatever it is that Destiny told her she needed to do.

[RetiredHero]

I almost forgot about the speech bubble error early in the issue. The art was also a turn-off for me. I thought the writing was pretty solid minus the slight jumping back and forth from Sinister's lab to Changeling. I wish I hadn't read the solicitations for the big surprise upcoming but I'm still immensely excited for it.

[gambitxremy]

I almost forgot about the speech bubble error early in the issue. The art was also a turn-off for me. I thought the writing was pretty solid minus the slight jumping back and forth from Sinister's lab to Changeling. I wish I hadn't read the solicitations for the big surprise upcoming but I'm still immensely excited for it.

Where those sinister clones working with sinister at the end of the issue

[RetiredHero]

Where those sinister clones working with sinister at the end of the issue

Issue #2 offers better art (perhaps a better interpretation of who they're meant to be) but I believe they are intended to just be lackeys of his own creation that essentially do all of his bidding. The only similarity is the trademark red triangle on his subjects but it's located on their chests and not the forehead. I'm probably not the best to ask since my Sinister history isn't too vast.