Ultimate Wolverine is an ongoing comic book series written by Chris Condon, illustrated by Alessandro Cappuccio, and published by Marvel Comics primarily based on the character of Wolverine. This version of Wolverine serves as the Winter Soldier, utilized by the Maker's Council to maintain their control of the world. The character was debuted in the one-shot Ultimate Universe: One Year In in December 2024, before the series began in January 2025.
Contents
Premise
Set in the Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, the titular character serves as the Winter Soldier, a mutant created and deployed in the Eurasian Republic by Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red, who serve as the "Tsars of Russia and Limbo" and members of the Maker's Council. The first issue released on January 15, 2025.
Plot
The Winter Soldier (#1-6)
Near the Eurasian Republic border that is close to Latveria, some soldiers are talking about Winter Soldier. They have heard rumors that he was originally a North American Union experiment gone wrong and was pieced together from the corpses of those who have died. Winter Soldier gets up and jumps out of the airplane without a parachute. He attacks a hideout of the Opposition that is run by Mystique and Nightcrawler. In flashbacks, the Winter Soldier is subjected to experiments that involve him being grievously injured and his memory wiped, with his healing factor enabling him to survive.
30 years ago in the North American Union, Professor Thorton records his latest research on how Weapon Alpha died moments after the adamantium-infusing procedure. The Maker comes in and hears of plans for a better world. After killing Thorton, Maker sees a picture of James Howlett and burns the building down. In the present, Winter Soldier attacks a group of soldiers and encounters Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red. After throwing Winter Soldier around, Colossus suggests testing him by sending some soldiers to fight him. The Winter Soldier slaughters the soldiers as the Rasputin family and Prostovich watch through surveillance cameras.
17 miles outside of Smolensk, Remy LeBeau / Gambit and Kitty Pryde meet with a woman who was sent by the Archangel. It is stated that Gambit and Kitty lost their prized possession Natasha Romanova, also known as Chyornaya Vdova, who they suspect has joined the Opposition. When the Winter Soldier attacks Vdova's truck and the mutant children onboard, Kitty recognizes him as Logan. After using her powers on Winter Soldier to restore his memories, Kitty kicks him off the truck.
After subduing the Winter Soldier, Prostovich surmises that something happened to him in the last mission. Prostovich enters a sphere beneath the Kremlin called the "Cerebellum" and has the Phoenix fix Logan's mind. A Directorate X log reveals that Charles Xavier's brain has been kept in cryogenic stasis after his death.
In Rasputingrad, a bar owner says goodbye to his patrons at closing time. While sweeping his bar, he tells Leech and Artie Maddicks that everyone is gone and that a driver from the Opposition will arrive soon. After serving the two food, the bar owner heads outside to throw out the garbage and is confronted by the Winter Soldier. A flashback reveals that the bar owner is Victor Creed as Logan has Creed promise to him that he will kill him if he becomes the Rasputin family's puppet. Back in the present, the fight is intensified as Creed rips off the mouth mask. Chyornaya Vdova shows up and hits the Winter Soldier with a dart while Creed tells Leech and Artie that their ride has arrived.
Logan (#7-12)
Logan is visited by Kitty Pryde, who consoles him as they meet with Abigail Brand and Mikhail Rasputin. Meanwhile, Dr. Alongya Prostovich has taken notice that Winter Soldier has been gone for too long. Omega Red attacks Prostovich and drags her to join Magik in Limbo. Logan has a brief argument with Sabretooth over not fulfilling his promise on what to do if the Rasputin family caught him until Kitty breaks up the fight. In Limbo, Magik scolds Prostovich for her failure and summons her demons to swarm her. At the Opposition's headquarters, Mikhail welcomes the new recruits. Beast then enlists Gambit, Sprite, Widow, and Guardian to accompany him on the mission and even enlists Logan, who Beast has not come up with a codename for. Sabretooth comes up with "Rosomahka", which Widow translates as "Wolverine". Meanwhile, Magik and Omega Red return to Colossus with Prostovich, who states that she found a way to harness power from the Cerebellum and needs time to test it.
At Zmiiyi Island in the Black Sea, Wolverine accompanies Abigail Brand, Beast, Black Widow, Gambit, Guardian, and Sprite in raiding a mutant prison to free some guards. As Sprite phases through the wall, Wolverine tells Black Widow that there is something off, as he has not encountered any guards. Going further, the group comes across Warren Worthington III, who kills Brand and Beast before the remaining Opposition members subdue him. Wolverine hears scientist Dr. Stragatsky have a transmission with Alongya Prostovich on the status of the Angel specimen. It is then revealed that Stragatsky is dead and that Prostovich has not received a contact from anyone.
As some soldiers are overseeing the Sentinel operations, one member is informed that Alongya Prostovich has arrived to inspect the X-S units. When they go towards the Carrier Sentinel, they find it defaced with an X. After taking a Carrier Sentinel for their use that was modified by Daniel's F.O.R.G.E. group, Wolverine, Black Widow, Sabretooth, and Mikhail Rasputin attack Lysenko and Prostovich's facility. As the facility is compromised, Lysenko and Prostovich escape with X-S Unit One.
At the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Sabretooth tells Wolverine that he is leaving to take Artie Maddicks and Leech across the border. At the Kremlin, the Rasputin family learn that Mikhail is still alive, with Colossus killing one of his top soldiers over this discovery. Alongya Prostovich informs Colossus about the three Sentinels that survey the western border; they are unable to see where Chernobyl used to be as it is being shielded by someone who can control cyberspace. Later that night, Sabretooth leads Artie and Leech away from the headquarters. Upon getting to his feet, Wolverine sees Omega Red leading the Sentinels and other soldiers. Wolverine breaks free from Omega Red's tentacles, slashes Omega Red, and grabs the Muramasa Blade as the rest of the Opposition shows up to fight. Sometime later, Colossus receives a letter from Mikhail and Omega Red's head.
Issues #13-16
Protests are occurring on the outskirts of Red Square, Moscow. While underground, Wolverine talks to Sentinel One about their next course of action. Sentinel One states that Jean Grey needs medicine as her body is failing and that they will need medicine from above. While traveling through the sewers, Wolverine encounters Ursa Major eating Crimson Dynamo's corpse. He figures out that Alongya Prostovich had manipulated Ursa Major's brain and decides to kill him. Wolverine makes his way out of the sewers and gets the medicine he needs.
In flashbacks, Magik met the ruler of Limbo and later gained control of the dimension. 40 miles outside of Luga, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and Sentinel One try and fail to find Magik. Wolverine goes into town to get some supplies and learns that a platoon of Eurasian Republic loyalists may be operating nearby. Wolverine finds the camp and takes out the loyalists. After subduing Lady Deathstrike, Grey gets into her mind and uncovers twenty possible locations where Magik may be.
On the outskirts of E.R., Chudei, near the Latverian border, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and Sentinel-One come across the aftermath of a massacre caused by a brainwashed soldier, who Wolverine ends up euthanizing. Just then, Wolverine starts losing control. Sentinel-One restrains Wolverine as Grey uses her Phoenix abilities to burn him back to normal. After regenerating, Logan tells them that he saw Magik in Limbo and knows how to get there.
In a flashback, Colossus finds his way into Limbo and reunites with Magik. At Balga Castle in the Eurasian Republic, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and Sentinel-One meet with a magic user who helps them get to Limbo. Wolverine and Grey enter Limbo and find the captive prisoners. As Grey frees the prisoners, Wolverine confronts Magik and impales her with his claws. Wolverine barely escapes Limbo along with Grey. Grey flies Wolverine away, with both knowing that they still have to deal with Maker.
Characters
Main characters
Wolverine / Winter Soldier / Logan - A mutant with healing powers and adamantium claws who is mind-controlled to serve the Rasputin family until he is freed by "The One".
Villains
Colossus / Piotr Rasputin - The leader of the Rasputin family and member of Maker's Council that rules the Eurasian Republic. Killed by the Phoenix specimen.
Magik / Illyana Rasputina - The sister of Colossus who is a part of the Rasputin family and member of Maker's Council. She is revealed to rule Limbo on the behalf of Maker's Council. Magik is later killed by Wolverine in Limbo.
Omega Red / Arkady Rossovich - A mutant with carbonadium tentacles who is a part of the Rasputin family and member of Maker's Council. He is later beheaded by Wolverine using the Muramasa Blade offscreen with his head being sent to Colossus and Magik.
Dr. Alongya Prostovich - A scientist and leader of Directorate X who worked on Logan. Prostovich was killed by Magik for giving in to Wolverine's demands to lower the Phoenix specimen.
Dr. Lysenko - A scientist and member of Directorate X.
Lady Deathstrike - A cyborg working with the loyalists to the Rasputin family.
Other characters
Mystique / Raven Darkholme - A shapeshifting member of the Opposition. She was taken down by Winter Soldier.
Nightcrawler / Kurt Wagner - A demon-like teleporting member of the Opposition. He was taken down by Winter Soldier.
Maker - A version of Mister Fantastic from Earth-1610 who traveled to Earth-6160 and altered its history.
Professor Thorton - A top scientist in the Weapon X Project who was killed by Maker.
Gambit / Remy LeBeau - A member of the Opposition who was responsible for the Mikhail Massacre, during which he supposedly killed Mikhail Rasputin. He was taken down by the Cerebomb.
Sprite / Kitty Pryde - A member of the Opposition. She was taken down by the Cerebomb.
Widow / Chyornaya Vdova / Natasha Romanova - A member of the Opposition. She was taken down by the Cerebomb.
Phoenix specimen / Jean Grey - She is kept in a spherical structure beneath the Kremling by Directorate X and was used to control the other subjects. The Phoenix specimen is later freed by Wolverine as she helps him kill Colossus.
Charles Xavier - He is mentioned to be dead. While his body is kept in stasis, Xavier's brain was removed and used for the Cerebomb.
Sabretooth / Victor Creed - A member of the Opposition who knows Logan and secretly uses his bar to help the Opposition smuggle mutant refugees.
Leech - A mutant refugee.
Artie Maddicks - A mutant refugee.
Organizations
Rasputin family - The ruling family of the Eurasian Republic, which operates under a Tsarist autocracy. They are also responsible for the "Rasputin Purge" that exiled Kraven the Hunter's family among others.
Directorate X - An organization loyal to the Rasputin family.
The Opposition - A group of humans and mutants who oppose the Rasputin family.
F.O.R.G.E. - A group in the Opposition.