Ultimate Wolverine # 1 2025 NM-

Ultimate Wolverine # 1 released on January 15, 2025, is the debut issue of an ongoing series set in the new Marvel Ultimate Universe (Earth-6160). It introduces a different, more tragic version of Wolverine as the Ultimate Winter Soldier, a mind-wiped assassin for a ruling council. 

The story portrays Wolverine as a silent, lethal weapon for the Eurasian Republic. He is deployed on a mission to eliminate "The Opposition," a mutant liberation group. 

• The Mission: Wolverine is deployed from a plane without a parachute and brutally infiltrates an Opposition hideout in a church.
• Flashbacks: Interspersed flashbacks show Logan's capture from the North American Union, where he was a "failed experiment" until doctors in the Eurasian Republic enhanced his healing factor and bones with adamantium, transforming him into their perfect, mind-controlled soldier, the Winter Soldier.
• Tragic Confrontation: During his assault, Wolverine confronts the Opposition members Nightcrawler and Mystique, who recognize him from his past life as their friend.
• The Brutal End: Nightcrawler attempts to appeal to the humanity he believes is still within Logan, but the mind-wiped Wolverine kills both Mystique and Nightcrawler without hesitation.
• A Hint of Memory: The issue ends ambiguously, with a hint that the scent of blood on his hands might trigger a flicker of recognition or melancholy, suggesting his humanity is not entirely gone. 
• Writer: Chris Condon.
• Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio.
• Setting: The series is part of the "Dawn of the Ultimate Universe" initiative, where the Maker (Reed Richards from the original Ultimate Universe) altered history to prevent many heroes' origins.
• Tone: The story is a gritty, silent, and violent espionage thriller with a focus on body horror and the psychological trauma inflicted upon Logan.