Now this is one of my favorite Mystique stories ever. I know, it’s a “Wolverine” graphic novel, but Mystique is in just as many panels as he is and she’s as much a part of the story line as Wolverine.

This book got Mystique right. She’s beautiful, dangerous and a terrorist. She’s willing to put innocent lives in harms way when it suits her needs and she’s not one to pull her punches.

All you really need to know about this story – which by the way is explained in the early exposition – is that Mystique has betrayed the X-Men once again, something that should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows their history. So the mission to get Mystique falls to Wolverine and he wants to do more than just get her, he wants to kill her.

So that’s how it begins, a relentless immortal killing machine tracking down a villainess that can take on the form of anyone she wants to. Playing upon her strengths Mystique takes on the forms of people who are surrounded by others who would die to protect her.

Throughout the story we are gifted with flashbacks that present the tale of Wolverine & Mystique’s first meeting and the intimate relationship they had in their past. It gave us a backstory to better understand of why Wolverine despises Mystique. This trade paperback also delves into how much pain Wolverine is forced to deal with in his line of work, from his ever-present injuries to the aches caused the adamantium bonding to his bones. It’s refreshing view of the hero and well thought out and explained.

Both stories were dark tales, violent and bloody, not made for the feint of heart. Their are no heroes in the story, just two dangerous people; one striving to survive and the other stiving to kill. This is my type of pulp story.

Now, on to the details.

Spoilers

The story begins with Cyclops asking Wolverine to ‘Get Mystique’ with the undertone that prescribes that he need not bring her back alive. So Wolverine hops on over to Afganistan where Mystique ingeniously makes him persona non grata and the locals deal out a ton of damage to him for her efforts. Mystique takes on the forms of a nun, a senator and even Wolverine himself in her efforts to evade him and for her troubles Wolverine gets shot to Hell and blown up, twice even.

Parallel to this story we learn about Wolverine’s introduction to Mystique. How they became lovers and how they began a life of petty crime together before Mystique apparently sells him and their cohorts out so that she can get away.

Eventually Wolverine goads Mystique into a final fight. Both are fall victim to what would normally be mortal wounds. Wolverine who heals from his wounds faster than Mystique makes his way over to her for the coup de gras. As he does so, she asks that he look into the mirror, to see his own betrayals and question whether he has any right to decide her fate with his own checkered past.

It is then that we learn that it was actually Wolverine who betrayed Mystique and her criminal associates in the past.

So the story ends with Wolverine leaving Mystique in the desert to bleed out and die while he returns to a life with friends who can trust and count upon him. But we all know, Mystique isn’t about to die that easily.

If you’re looking for a story of a caped super and a villain with a sense of morality this is not the graphic novel for you. But if instead you’re a fan of anti-heroes, pulp fiction and sexy cold-blooded villains you will absolutely love this tale.

Story
Artwork
Value
Can It Stand Alone
Cool Factor
Average