Wolverine #172Wolverine #172
Title: “Stay Alive! Conclusion”
Writer: Frank Tieri
Penciller: Sean Chen
Inker: Norm Rapmund
Colors: not named
Editor: Mike Marts
Alpha Flight tells Mauvis/Wendigo to put Wolverine down. Mauvis says that it seems that Wolverine was not the only one to be called by Les Dieux du Nord for their cause. Sasquatch says that it seems like Wendigo is a little more chatty than usual. Puck asks what is with Wendigo’s “Pepe le Pew talk”. Snowbird says that she senses that this is not the Wendigo they have fought in the past, but that there is an even greater thought that his people had thought was addressed. Mauvis/Wendigo says that he smells the stench of the gods on her and that he is going to feast on her bones because of it. Guardian says that he thinks Snowbird will pass and tells everyone to take their places. Mauvis/Wendigo throws Wolveirne at them, but Puck catches him in the air. Pucks hands Wolverine off to Shaman. Sasquatch has Wendigo around the neck with his arm while Snowbird bites Mauvis as a panther. Mauvis lets off a blast at Guardian. Wolverine tells Shaman that he is very glad to see him and that he is even happy to see Guardian. He asks how they knew to come there. Shaman says that Snowbird lost connection with her people and so they headed here where the connection is. Shaman says that and the fact that it is on live television. Wolverine says that it seems like Snowbird’s people called all of them together since Mauvis has to be stopped. Wolverine says that he thinks Mauvis’ supped up Wendigo powers is feeding the “mystical column” and that the column is blocking the Northern Gods enabling Mauvis to take over Canada. Wolverine says that all they have to do is get rid of the column and watch Nelvanna and her gang take care of Mauvis.
Mauvis pins Sasquatch against the ground with his hands around his throat. He says that one that wears the form of a Great Beast coming to the defense of the Northern Gods is akin to him being a traitor. Mauvis/Wendigo takes a bite out of Sasquatch’s arm. Aurora charges at Mauvis and says that she and Walter just got back together again and that she prefers him in one piece. Mauvis grabs Aurora with one hand and says that he senses a fragmented mind within her. He sends Aurora away and brings Jeanne-Marie out. Guardian blasts Mauvis/Wendigo’s hand and says that is enough of that. Jeanne-Marie lies on the ground just repeating “non” to herself.
Shaman asks what they are going to do. Wolverine says that there is no way in, but Shaman takes something from his bag and says that they will just have to find “other means”. Wolverine says that he was hoping that Shaman was going to pull out something more substantial than a twig. Shaman plants the twig and says that Logan surprises him. He says that for one attuned to nature he doesn’t understand its power. The twig rises out of the ground and starts wrapping itself around the column.
Jeanne-Marie asks Walter for help, but
Sasquatch says that she may have to wait since there is a
ten-foot Frenchman on his back. Snowbird tells Walter to tend to
his beloved and that she will stop Mauvis’ charge. 
She turns into a
wendigo and attacks Mauvis/Wendigo on his own terms. She hits
Mauvis across the face. Mauvis grabs Snowbird by the throat. He
suddenly notices what Shaman and Wolverine are doing. He says
that he has underestimated Wolverine again and lets off a blast.
The blast destroys the tree and makes the column even stronger
than it was. Snowbird’s connection to her people is weakened
further and she passes out from the strain. Mauvis turns to the
dead Wendigo and brings him back to life. Mauvis says that Canada
used to be a far more interesting place than it is now. He says
that Indian mysticism was much more at work and that there were
creatures other than the Wendigo that called it home. A bunch of
monsters rise up out of the ground and Puck says that he thinks
that they may just be on over their heads. Mauvis says that it is
only a matter of time now.
Guardian tells Alpha Flight that Wolverine is right and that half of them will attack the column while the other half keeps the monsters busy. Guardian tries to tell Wolverinbe what he wants him to do, but Wolverine says that he isn’t with Alpha Flight anymore and that he already has his role picked out. Wolverine dives into Mauvis.
Guardian says that Shaman knows the most about this and asks how they should attack it. Shaman says that they need divine help. Shaman says that the Northern Gods didn’t bring back Snowbird to have her killed by the likes of him. Shaman blasts Snowbird and brings her back to life. Snowbird says that she is weak, but Shaman tells her to gather her strength and add it to his. The two of them blast the column together.
Mauvis stands above the defeated Wolverine again. He sees Shaman, Snowbird, and Guardian attacking the column. Mauvis starts to leave to deal with them, but Wolverine leaps after him and plunges his claws through Mauvis’ tail. Mauvis spins and decks Wolverine.
Puck is trying to get Jeanne-Marie to snap out of it while Sasquatch is dealing with the monsters. He asks them for a little help. Puck yells at Jeanne-Marie that he doesn’t care if she is afraid and that if she doesn’t snap out of it that her boyfriend is going to die. Suddenly Jeanne-Marie springs to life. Sasquatch says that seemed to work. He says that Jeanne-Marie is still in charge, but that she is using Aurora’s powers.
Mauvis says that this is Wolverine’s end. He says that he has never met as big a nuisance as him. Wolverine sticks Mauvis in the leg and causes him to scream. Wolverine says that it seems like Mauvis is getting weaker and says that it was a mistake to resurrect the dead beasts. He says that with that and maintaining the column while fighting him it seems that he is stretched to the limit. Guardian tells Sasquatch and Puck to help Wolverine keep Mauvis back. He tells Jeanne-Marie to concentrate a vortex around the column. Wolverine tells Sasquatch that there used to be this trick that he used to do. Sasquatch tells Wolvie to say no more and gives him a “fastball special”. Wolverine figures that even though his claws didn’t have an effect before that now with it weakened and metal being a bane to most magics that it just might work. Wolverine’s claws sink in and the column is shattered. All Mauvis’ power flows back into him and he uses it to attack everyone.
Suddenly the Northern Gods appear in the sky. They say that they were too lenient with their punishment all those years ago and that it is a mistake they mean to rectify. Mauvis says that he will not be defeated and lets off a blast. The Gods just catch the blast and tell Mauvis to consider it lucky that it is not their way to kill or he would be dead. The god lets off a blast. They say that his former prison wasn’t formidable enough, but they will give him one more appropriate. Mauvis is being sucked into a type of vacuum. Mauvis is clawing to stay and even takes a bite out of his own arm for a strength boost, but Wolverine stabs Mauvis in the shoulder. Mauvis starts dragging Wolverine in with him and says that if he is to be imprisoned that at least Wolverine will be going with him. Suddenly Mauvis has a vision and says that Wolverine’s life is about to be so awful that it is worse than anyplace he can take him. Mauvis lets go and is sucked into the vacuum.
Mauvis stands up in his new prison to find the Great Beasts looking down on him. Tundra says that he is so small and suggests throwing him back.
The Northern Gods tell Wolverine and Alpha Flight that they are in their debt. They say that for now they have to take their leave, but that at least they know that heroes are protecting Canada. Wolverine asks Shaman if he has any idea what Mauvis was talking about. Shaman says that visions of the future aren’t his strong point. Puck says to forget it and that he can buy them a beer. Guardian says that Puck is right and that Mauvis was probably just trying to scare him. Wolverine says that they are probably right.
Leader’s Lair rating: 7.5 out of 10
Sean Chen is an amazing penciller. He has great storytelling ability and a nice clean style that is very enjoyable to look at. The story on the other hand is a little lacking. I like the idea of other beasts like the Wendigo being around to be resurrected, but it seems to me that the whole issue is resolved by the Dues ex Machina. I little corny in my opinion. Still it was an enjoyable couple issues of a book that I don’t really care for…