Review by Win Wiacek

As seen in Hunting Season, Wolverine and a desperate coterie of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents repulsed an invasion by a sentient virus from an incredible alien microverse, which almost united humanity under one all-dominant intellect. In Paul Cornell’s clever script, Wolverine’s astounding healing factor proves crucial in defeating the infective invasion. However, the defeated pathogenic plunderer had managed to turn off his mutant healing ability in the final encounter, leaving the formerly immortal warrior little more than a tough old guy with enhanced senses and really heavy metal bones.

Before this transformation unfolds, ‘Mortal’ (illustrated by Mirco Pierfederici) describes how the barely recuperating James Howlett adapts to his new normal. There’s a realisation just how much of his previous moment-to-moment existence revolved around instantly healing from everything ranging from a shaving cut to jumping off a building. Rattled, unsure and perhaps afraid for the first time in his life, he doesn’t need the call to arms that comes when the news arrives that mutants and metahumans who can control viruses are being systematically murdered all over the planet.

Alan Davis returns to illustrate the six chapter title story, which begins as Wolverine sneaks a hand-picked team into African world power Wakanda, seeking to steal crazed criminal the Host from custody. She is the last remaining being with the power to affect micro-organisms. Wolverine is inevitably confronted by the lethally efficient Black Panther and is soon in a ferocious fight he can’t win.

As if the virus and lack of healing ability aren’t challenging enough, Mystique and Sabretooth choose this moment to reactivate old rivalries. Worse still, Sabretooth now leads ninja assassins the Hand.

This cruelly cutting collection amplifies two simultaneously desperate situations, but there is a chance for Wolverine’s restoration as the microversial microbe monster could restore Wolverine’s healing factor. This provides the tense finale accompanied by another bizarre vision of the cosmic observer known as The Watcher, indicating that whatever is going on it’s of significance to the entire universe.

To be continued in Death of Wolverine Prelude: Three Months to Die Book One, titled Mortal for the UK release.