STORY BY
Brian Michael Bendis
ART BY
Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco
COLORS BY
Paul Mounts
THE STORY SO FAR
Wolverine has killed Hank Pym and he and Sue Storm have returned to an alternate timeline present that is no better than the one they tried to fix. The Avengers are no more and a mash up version of the heroes we know are now calling themselves The Defenders and the world is now ruled by a tyrannical Tony Stark. During an attack by Morgana Le Fey, two Stark helicarriers collide over New York.
AGE OF ULTRON #9
New York is destroyed in a massive fireball caused by the helicarrier explosions and many of our heroes lay dead. Wolverine crawls out of a mountain of rubble with his left leg stripped down to the bone. After five days, he heals and sets off to fix this grand mistake he knows he’s responsible for. A dying Tony Stark warns him not to go back. He pleads with him that time is a living organism that can be injured and even killed. But we all know our favorite Canuck ain’t listenin’.
Wolverine opens up another paradox in time when he confronts himself at the moment before he kills Hank Pym. He manages to talk himself down, explaining that time must go forward in its original form and Ultron must exist. The only difference is that Pym must be convinced to install a fail-safe virus that can shut down Ultron before turning against humanity. Can Pym be trusted to do the right thing and can he succeed? If so, there is one loose end that must be taken care of. Two Wolverines can’t exist in the same timeline. By reasoning with Pym to create a friendlier Ultron and stopping Wolvie’s second timeline from ever happening, the second Wolverine will have no time to return to and must be destroyed.
PROS
This issue is all about what Brian Bendis does well. His handling of the characters flows naturally, leaving them in tough spots that show their resolve and intelligence without excessive chit chat. Both Peterson and Pacheco’s art showcases the story well, shifting us nicely from a modern comic book look for the present to a bronze age look for the past.
CONS
As much as I love the sheer power of this issue’s cover, must they display such a massive spoiler for all the world to see?!!!
GRADE
A
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My problem with this issue, (and I’ve enjoyed AOU so far) is technical. Wolverine can’t kill Wolverine. I know I’m geeking out here but it’s technically not possible.
I still call this story a confusing mess where the main villain doesn’t show up until the very end. I can follow time travel and alternate realities to the T but this… ugh!
Good god… HEADACHE!!!!