Laura Kinney: Wolverine #5: Some Evil Cannot Be Allowed To Exist

It’s part two of Laura and Bucky’s team up! Erica Schultz continues to write an excellent dynamic between the two. There’s a fun connection between the much older Bucky and the young woman, an implied respect for each others abilities and a very natural connection based on their painful pasts, which they discuss after all the action. There are no bells and whistles here, the plot moves quickly. it’s all explosive violence and combat showing off these two warriors abilities in the field. They aren’t perfect, and they both make mistakes but Schultz and the art team do a wonderful job of showing just how well both of them roll with the punches and get the job done no matter what.

As for the villain, a long lived Hydra Nazi scientist with a penchant for robotics and mutant cruelty is really just the kind of SOB we want to see get their ass kicked, especially given events in the real world. Hat’s off to Schultz who doesn’t shy away from having the Laura do what needs to be done. Bucky says it “there’s REAL evil in the world ‘Laura…Real evil like him. and he needs to be stamped out” and in the moment Laura is reflective of who they were, and the evil they have seen and done themselves and then she gives the Nazi exactly what he deserves, sparing Bucky the task of doing it himself. What I enjoy after all the action is Laura’s self reflection. I like that while the issue showcases how extremely adept Wolverine is, it also takes a moment to remind us that Laura is still a young woman figuring things out. That’s what I have always loved about Laura as Wolverine versus her dad. She isn’t her dad, she’s capable of going another way, she isn’t locked into endless cycle of violence that follows her father (that’s who he is and we love him that way) she is the promise of something better.

Giada Belviso gets to really show off Wolverine and Bucky in action this round as they tear through killer robots and explosive moments in pusuit of their quarry. We get a Classic Fastball special, an explosive deadly rescue and a lot of shredded broken robots. Belviso’s wolverine is all hard and sharp angles you can cut yourself on at any time but she still incorporates some classic cartooning body language and facial expressions to emphasize the great dynamic between the characters. Plenty of fun Nazi robot shredding sound effects from VC’s Cory petit and a bright wide color palette from Rachelle Rosenberg round off the issue to complete my favorite arc from the series so far as Laura says goodbye to Bucky and is unwittingly plunged into her next adventure.