Hellverine #4 Review- How to Bring a New Comic Book Character to Life (Again)
From Marvel Comics
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Raffaele Ienco
The second week of March 2025 has ushered in another spectacular week in comics, with so many diverse, excellent new visions and climactic finales from so many acclaimed, established, and even new writers, it makes the responsibility of reviewing any of these titles seem trivial. Should I review the final issue of Jason Aaron’s bold, character re-defining Namor series that I have lauded and praised throughout its release cycle and am giddily awaiting to read in a collected edition? Should I once again review the increasingly excellent Phoenix series by Stephanie Phillips? A title that, at last it seems, explores the cosmic side of the Marvel comics universe in earnest fashion and includes some of the most beloved niche comic book characters that are sadly underutilized right now (bring back The Guardians of the Galaxy ongoing pretty please). Should I highlight the absolutely harrowing, inventive, thoughtful, and talented writing once more evident by rising star Deniz Camp in Assorted Crisis Events from Image Comics? A title that feels as if it reflects the beating pulse of our ridiculous, confused, and sordid society?
The truth is, I wish I had the time to review them all, and the point I am trying to elucidate is that I think every comic that was released this week is worthy of focused, praiseworthy conversation, especially in this period of bleak societal disillusionment…
However, if I have to choose just one title to elevate, highlight, and perhaps put on your radar as a faithful comic book reader, then I want to take some time to commend the surprisingly nuanced hybrid of two of Marvel Comics most iconic creative properties, the Ghost Rider and the Wolverine, in Benjamin Percy’s bombastically named, Hellverine series that has seen a revival this year.
If you are unfamiliar with Benjamin Percy’s work, some of his other notable work recently has been as the writer of the many “Predator Vs.” series at Marvel Comics which began with Predator Vs. Wolverine in 2023. I mention this series specifically, because it is another title from Percy that offers at face value, an obvious, perhaps gimmicky, appeal and yet in reality is an incredibly polished and engaging comic book story that has emotional weight and stakes that far surpass cursory expectations. With his latest work on the next chapter of Hellverine, Percy has truly cemented himself as a superb comic book writer who intimately understands the legacy characters he is utilizing as someone who can capably craft inventive, iconic new chapters in their story in addition to the overt spectacle and over the top aesthetic his stories are often rooted in.
For added context, the entity known as “Hellverine” was created by Percy back in 2023 in a crossover event with the Wolverine and Ghost Rider ongoing titles, where a new demonic “spirit of vengeance” named Bagra-Ghul possessed Wolverine and granted him traditional “hellish” power enhancements. After their inevitable separation however, Bagra-Ghul found itself bonded to the concept of “the Wolverine,” and sought out a new host, this time in the form of Wolverine’s deceased son, Akhiro, who was iconically killed by Sabertooth at the beginning of 2024 in Wolverine # 41.
This new incarnation of Hellverine, with Akhiro as the unwitting host, has allowed for an intense, visceral, revealing original series that feels almost like a Marvel Comics installment of True Detective. What’s clear from the series thus far, is that Percy and Ienco have carved out a truly unique, valuable place in the Marvel Comics sphere with this character that could very well have been an entertaining, but ultimately redundant, one off creation.
Yet what I arguably love most about this series, is its classic comic book sensibilities, exploring the fringe edges of the Marvel Comic Universe and the monsters that lurk therein, in a manner nostalgically reminiscent of Howard Mackie’s celebrated Ghost Rider series from the 90’s. As are “Spirit of Vengeance” protagonist journeys across the world on a bizarre quest that only the Ghost Rider can possibly understand, encountering characters and creatures increasingly more frightening and morally vacant than the last.
Hellverine is a series that should almost certainly appeal to fans of both Wolverine and Ghost Rider, but moreover, this series contains the kind of dark, graphic, and horrifying content that Marvel Comics so rarely delivers, which means that horror comics fans should not pass up the opportunity to celebrate this title as much as they have Phillip Kennedy Johnsons eldritch take on The Incredible Hulk. Additionally, the thematic weight of this series extends far beyond the realm of typical superherodom, exploring themes of depression, mental illness, trauma, and of course, the lingering fear of death.
Let’s talk more specifically about the series thus far and Issue #4, which means,
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
This new chapter of Hellverine has seen Akihiro become intrinsically tied to the fate of Bagra-Ghul and all rogue demonic spirits as he attempts to rationalize his existence in the world, having been brought back to life by the new spirit of vengeance. However, Akhiro’s narrative struggle stems from feeling somehow separate from all of the identities placed on him- neither alive nor dead, not quite Wolverine, not entirely a Ghost Rider, so who is he supposed to be?
This thematic question is so compelling related by Percy that even individuals unaware with Akihiro’s tragic history in comics can surely relate to his character. Additionally, this desperate search for identity is explored in literal fashion, with Akhiro and Bagra-Ghul venturing between the sites of Akhiro’s past trauma and violent deaths. All of which seems to be tied to a larger unfolding mystery involving the mystifying, violent murders of mutants throughout the world.
In issue #4, we return to the climactic setup we left off on in Issue #3 with Akihro drawn to his birthplace where he discovers that Mephisto (fittingly disguised as a shrouded figure) has cursed the village and transformed his deceased mother, Itsu, into a giant red monster that steals and possesses children.
As Akhiro battles Itsu as the Hellverine, he muses to himself about his strange fate, finally able to interact with and be held by his mother- just not in the way he wanted. Furthermore, Akhiro recognizes the greater significance of this manipulative encounter, having to literally “kill the past” so it can’t hurt him further.
Narratively, the battle being waged between Mephisto and his rogue agent, Bagra-Guhl already feels like a memorable, exhilarating new direction for the concept of the Ghost Rider in Marvel Comics. Yet, as is almost always the case in comic books lest we forget, it is the visual depiction of the battle between mother, demon, and the son caught in between in this issue that really drives home the lasting quality of the Hellverine title. Ienco’s art often renders the Hellverine in a manner more reminiscent of renaissance reliefs as opposed to traditional comic book art. This choice transforms the panels of this issue into stunning, emotionally complex scenes in addition to the bizarre, horror laden spectacle.
As Akhiro battles with his mother turned monster, we see Akhiro’s escort from the village, Haru confronted by his demonically possessed young son, Botan, as he struggles to stymie the wound inflicted on him by Itsu. As Akhiro severs the head of his own mother, the curse is lifted and we see Haru reunite with his horrified son as he says, “I love you more than my own life,” which is a fitting reminder of the emotional stakes of this issue as Akhiro is forced to choose eternal justice over his personal desires.
Akhiro departs the village, burning down his mother’s cursed home in a cleansing flame, and travels to the iconic Marvel Comics city of Genosha, now transformed humorously into a tech-utopia called, “Gigosha.” In montage fashion, we learn about the new horrors the Hellverine is destined once again to confront, a mysterious killer drowning innocent citizens throughout the city. Akhiro immediately surmises the reasoning behind this new demonic force, recalling his last venture to Genosha where he was drowned and killed by his own father, Wolverine (I told you Akhiro’s life in comics was fucked up.)
I love how this issue seamlessly moves from one unique villain of the week to the next, each laden with poignant emotional subtext that allows us to connect to our traumatized protagonist even more. Moreover, the creature design of both Itsu and the watery doppelganger of Akhiro, are wonderfully distinct and harken back to an older era of Marvel Comics with unique, tonally specific villains that feel naturally tied to our titular hero.
In the final pages, we see Akhiro facing off against his watery “other” who manages to consume him entirely before he can even transform into the Hellverine, drowning Akhiro in the image of himself, which is incredibly meta and thematically rewarding. Facing hisn watery grave, Akhiro remembers the last time he drowned, calling it, “sickeningly familiar,” until he begins to see strands of tendril-like red hair floating in the void, the signature hair of the lord of Hell, Mephisto, who warns Akhiro to “stop fighting him,” or he will “return him to the grave.”
The ensemble cast of the Marvel Comics universe is so vast that inevitably some characters are forgotten, some are killed off, some are rewritten entirely, and the ones that manage to stay relatively the same are often relegated to side characters awaiting some dramatic inclusion. Which is part of what makes Hellverine so special as a title. Rather than the revival of Akhiro feeling unceremonious, unearned, or too soon, Percy has created a specific, entertaining narrative that explores Akihro’s bizarre place in the Marvel Comics Universe in a grand and intriguing way that makes the character even more iconic and deserving of your readership. I for one have not read a lot of comics featuring Akhiro, but reading Hellverine makes me want to seek out the collections of The Uncanny X-Force and The Dark Avengers that I missed in the mid-2000’s where he featured prominently, which is one of the most essential, engaging reactions a comic book title can impart to its readers both new and old.
Please support your local comic book stores and pick up this chilling new issue of Hellverine, on shelves now!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
