Nerdopolis

Rating: 4 out of 5

Ultimate X-Men 89 is a transitional issue, setting status quo for the next arc, tying off loose ends, that also manages to one-shot the Shadow King and show more about Storm’s past. Bishop is gaining the trust of his team, even Wolverine, which will obviously be put to the test some time in the near future. Finishing off the barely mentioned cloning Wolverine storyline was a good idea, and brings the Sabertooth/Wolverine family relationship back to the forefront. Reader’s always love to hear about Wolverine’s past, and if the Ultimate line can be more specific and less ridiculous than the main universe, Logan’s character will be the better for it.

The Shadow King was one of the more deadly foes of the X-Men, so his handling here seems a little quick, and him a little under-powered, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of him. This is also where we see the origin of the brood, cleverly sidestepping their alien roots, which really have no place in the Ultimate Universe (or at least Ultimate X-Men). We also see the resolution of the Beast/Wolverine/Storm love triangle, once again leaving Logan dumped for the good guy. Last time that happened, he tried to kill Scott, so it’ll be interesting to see his reaction this time. All in all, a well written issue that touches on a number of important plot points.