Wolverine’sson has returned from the dead, rejoining Marvel canon asMephisto’s new personal Ghost Rider.Nicknamed the “Hellverine,” Akihiro has gained a plethora of new powers, thanks to his Spirit of Vengeance, in addition to his already fearsome mutant powers. Now, one of Wolverine’s most iconic abilities is getting a power boost thanks to the mystical might of hell itself.
Hellverine#1– writtenby Benjamin Percy, with Raffaele Ienco – is the debut issue of Akihiro’s personal journey since his hellish return. Before being brutally mauled to death by Sabertooth, Akihiro’s life was largely defined by his hatred for Wolverine
Following his resurrection, Akihiro struggles to understand his new purpose and the incredible appetite for vengeance that lingers in his soul. No longer is the mutant guided by personal vendettas; when the world is full of sinners far more deserving of vengeance than the Wolverine, Akihiro has more important things to focus on.
As The “Hellverine,” Wolverine’s Son Takes On A Vital New Role In The Marvel Universe
Hellverine#1–Written by Benjamin Percy; Art By Raffaele Ienco; Color By Bryan Valenza; Lettering By VC’s Travis Lanham; Cover Art By Kendrick “Kunkka” Lim
Both Logan and Akihiro share the same mutant powers. While most only consider their shared bone claws, they each possess a second pherokinetic mutation. In short, they can track others’ pheromones and manipulate theirs to varying amounts of effects. However, Akihiro’s acute senses have undergone a supernatural augmentation, allowing the mutant to sense the presence of evil. Akihiro and his family are all naturally gifted trackers, butas the Hellverine Akihiro, can see into an entirely different world defined by a spiritual nature.
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While this ability may be new to Akihiro, it is a standard power that all Ghost Riders possess. Akihiro is stepping into a new realm with significantly greater evils than he’s ever faced before. Compared to the near-endless borders of Hell and evil that exist unseen to most, mutant affairs and petty acts of revenge are mundane issues. Not only will Akihiro have to overcome his overwhelming new sense, but he’ll need to learn quickly the cost of being bound to Mephisto’s service. If Johnny Blaze has proven anything, the Devil is always over a Ghost Rider’s shoulder.
As The Hellverine, Akihiro Struggles With A New Craving For Vengeance
Fortunately, Akihiro doesn’t seem like he will be as much of a slave to Mephisto as Johnny Blaze or Wolverine were. After bonding with Wolverine the first time, Akihiro’s Spirit of Vengeance, Bagra-ghul, changed, moving away from Mephisto’s grasp and accepting its new role as a Spirit. Unfortunately, this means that Akihiro has an untamed demon bound to his soul, and his cravings for vengeance won’t soon disappear. Now that the mutant’s senses have been tuned to the immoral and evil, he will have to choose to suppress his infernal urges or to deliver Hell’s fury to the wicked.
Akihiro has steadily been given a meaningful redemption arc over the past decade-plus of stories, and nowHellverinegives the character the opportunity to make the case for himself as a full-fledged hero.
As the series pushes forward, Akihiro will be pulled to the most important and tragic locations of his past. First to the horrific blood-soaked patch of snow in the North Pole where Akihiro was resurrected, and next to his birthplace in Japan. TheHellverineseries promises a dark and spiritual mystery, one that will testthe new Ghost Rider’s developing powers and expand on the growing mythos surrounding his being. Now, it’s only a question of which soul will crave vengeance more, Akihiro or Bagra-ghul.
Overall, this new role for Wolverine’s son is most notable for the way that it marks a turning point for the character. As mentioned, thecharacter’s role in Marvel lorehas long been defined, naturally, by his relationship to his more famous father. Initially introduced as a villain, Akihiro has steadily been given a meaningful redemption arc over the past decade-plus of stories, and nowHellverinegives the character the opportunity to make the case for himself as a full-fledged hero. By also making him the latest incarnation of Ghost Rider, Marvel has seemingly gone all in on Akihiro.
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As the Hellverine ignites on his path toward lethal vengeance, he will also have to deal with a new level of mystical threats. No longer facing fellow mutants, Akihiro is against angels, demons, gods, and soon, Doctor Strange. To possess a Spirt of Vengeance is both a burden and a responsibility. The Spirit does not discern the severity of one’s sins when its gluttonous craving for vengeance swells. Hellverine already struggles to keep his emotions in check, living most of his life consumed by hate. To maintain his current existence, he’ll have to prove his heroism to Strange’s standards.
This will prove to be a challenge for the character, which in turn is what makesHellverinesuch a promising book, because it has already introduced a strong struggle for its protagonist to overcome in its pages. Where exactly the journey will take Akihiro, and by extension, readers, is wide open to speculation this early in the title’s run, and that is precisely what makes it a must-read for Marvel Comics fans, especially fans of Wolverine and Ghost Rider, but also anyone who is the publisher’s most compelling new saga.
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Akihiro has never been considered the calm and collected type, promising him to become the most feral Ghost Rider to have existed. It is said that a Rider’s power is only limited by the host’s ability to wield it, but Akihiro has long proved to have the mental and physical fortitude to handle the spiritual weight of Hell’s flames. Armed with near identical powers to his father and now bolstered with a Spirit of Vengeance,the son of Wolverine is soon to be an unmatched lethal threat to the sinners and evildoers of the world.
Hellverine#1is now available from Marvel Comics.
Wolverine
The human mutant Wolverine (a.k.a. Logan) was born James Howlett, blessed with a superhuman healing factor, senses, and physiology. Subjecting himself to experimentation to augment his skeleton and claws with adamantium, Logan is as deadly as he is reckless, impulsive, and short-tempered. Making him the X-Men’s wildest and deadliest member, and one of Marvel Comics' biggest stars. He’s played in Fox and Marvel’s movie franchises by Hugh Jackman.
