Badrock / Wolverine #1

Issue Date: 
June 1996
Story Title: 
Savaged
Staff: 

Jim Valentino (writer), Chap Yaep (penciler), Jonathan Sibil (inker), Brian Haberlin (colorist), Extreme Colors (separations), Steve Dutro (letterer), Rob Liefeld & Eric Stephenson (editors), Bob Harras (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description: 

An inter-dimensional tyrant called Tyrax has set up a fortress in the Savage Land, where he has the Mutates working for him, and Sauron on his side, too. He plans to use the mutagenic machine to transform dinosaurs from the Savage Land, and create the ultimate army. In return for his assistance, Sauron will be freed of his human side, Karl Lykos. Wolverine is in the Savage Land, having some time away from the X-Men, when he is spotted by Sauron. Sauron wonders if the other X-Men are here, and whether he should warn Tyrax about them. He decides to take care of Wolverine himself, and engages the X-Man in battle, but Wolverine escapes his grasp, and Wolverine is made suspicious about whether Sauron is up to something. He tracks him to the fortress, and realizes he better get the X-Men here to help. However, his transmission is intercepted by Badrock of Youngblood, who is home alone during a storm, which is causing havoc with transmissions. Badrock takes the Youngblood Cruiser, while Wolverine finds Zabu, they approach the fortress, which is being guarded by two of the Mutates. Sauron meets with Ka-Zar who is being held prisoner in the fortress. Sauron informs him Wolverine is here, and warns Ka-Zar that when he is rid of his human side, he will come for him. Tyrax, with the assistance of Brain Child, has repaired the mutagenic machine, and they use it on one of the dinosaurs, transforming it into a humanoid-dinosaur. Badrock arrives in the Savage Land. Wolverine and Zabu see the jet descend and race to meet it, as does Sauron, who arrives first alongside several Mutates. Badock defeats the Mutates, and Wolverine soon arrives. He and Badrock exchange brief stories about what is going on, before Sauron puts Badrock under his hypnotic control and forces Badrock to fight Wolverine. Sauron leaves to go back to the fortress, and eventually Badrock regains control of himself. Sauron arrives to find Tyrax has mutated several more dinsoaurs, transforming them into the first of his army. Wolverine, Badrock and Zabu enter the fortress, and Zabu goes off on his own, while Wolverine and Badrock find the chamber where the mutagenic machine is being used. Zabu locates the prison where Ka-Zar is being held, and rescues him. Wolverine and Badrock face off against the mutated dinosaurs, while some of the Mutates try to stop them. Ka-Zar and Zabu soon join the battle, and Tyrax decides to abandon this plan, and escapes through his portal. Brain Child wants to go with him, but Tyrax throws him out. Sauron is soon replaced by his human side, Karl Lykos, and one large mutated dinosaur remains. Not wanting to kill any of the dinosaurs, Karl Lykos picks up a gun and blasts a hole in the citadel, enabling it to escape. Badrock and Wolverine debate the laws of the jungle, before they return to civilization as friends.

Full Summary: 

Beneath the permanent cover of the Antarctica continent lay a land lost to time. A real-life jurassic park whose verdant beauty has remained inviolate for millions of years. No one has ever attempted to tame this Savage Land or defile its pristine ecology... until now!

As dinosaurs roam the Savage Land, a large high-tech facility rises like a wound in the virgin flesh of the jungle. It is called Arcadia, a city out of time and out of place here. It is, in fact, like the ancient city Brigadoon, as it transverses dimensions, appearing wherever its master deems it should. And, on its arrival, so too comes the Conqueror. The Conqueror's name is Tyrax, once content to be a foot soldier in an inter-dimensional invading horde. His ambition grew beyond his humble station and he began to use his world's dimension-spanning capabilities to conquer in his own name, building his army on every world he subjugated with the ambition of consolidating them into a force powerful enough to rule his own homeworld. And upon this world, he discovered a weapon that may well provide him with the power to do just that. 'Did you procure the machine?' the gray-skinned, armor-clad, cape-wearing tyrant calls out to several Savage Land Mutates inside the chamber where he stands. 'Here is is, master. The mutagenic machine the great Magneto used to create us!' Brain Child announces, motioning to the machine where two of his fellow Mutates are putting it in place. Brain Child informs Tyrax that it is in sore disrepair, and unusable.

Tyrax declares that his technologies will rpaid it, and turning his attention to the two Mutates, Gaza and Barbarus, he tells them to be careful with it, lest they incur his wrath. 'Yes, master' the four-armed Barbarus replies. Tyrax then calls Sauron to his side, and the dinosaur-looking Sauron appears, warning Tyrax not to attempt to order him around with the same contemptuous tone that he employs on the Mutates. Sauron adds that he has joined forces with him not because he desires to be led by the nose as the Mutates do, but as a peer, so when Tyrax fixes this machine, he can cure him of the malady that curses him to half an existence, the persistence of his human half, Karl Lykos. The Mutates turn to look at Sauron give Tyrax this stern warning, and Lorelei can be seen standing at the back of the chamber. Tyrax tells Sauron that he is well aware of their bargain, and points out it is true that Sauron has fulfilled his obligation in securing the device. 'But I would caution you against ever taking that tone with me again! The next time I will not be so...generous about it!' Tyrax declares.

Angrily, Tyrax turns to the mutagenic machine, 'Now, let us see what we have here' he exclaims, before instructing Lorelei and Brain Child to stay here and assist him, while the others patrol the perimeters of Arcadia. 'I do not wish to be disturbed!' he booms. Sauron flies out one of the windows, 'And so you shan't “master”...but know that as soon as you have divested me of my human brain... Sauron shall feast on you first' Sauron thinks to himself.

Elsewhere in the Savage Land, it is known by the unwieldly name of Gigantasaurus. It may be the most deadly carnivore ever to exist, certainly at an overall length of fifteen meters it is the largest. And, on this day, the giant predator is, himself, being hunted... by a human killing machine! Wolverine a.k.a. Logan peers through some thick leaves at the massive dinosaur ahead of him. 'C'mon, baby, just one more step...don't spook now...' Logan thinks to himself, realizing that Storm was right when she said he needed a vacation, and the Savage Land is just the place for it. 'Now!' Logan tells himself as he pops his claws and leaps from the trees, dropping down towards the dinosaur, who turns toward the unfamiliar sound of the claws unsheathed, its roar loud enough to frighten every living thing within a quarter mile radius. Everything, that is, save the mutant diving for its back! Wolverine is as savage and brutal as any man or beast ever born. He locks within his breast a bestial rage, held in check only by an indomitable will. Yet always just beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed... as he unleashes it now, landing on the dinosaur's back, Logan shoves his claws into the creature, but the wounded monster thrashes, bellowing its rage and indignation, and throws the mutant X-Man from its back, a blow that would have killed a normal man.

Wolverine is flung into a nearby tree, and with his mutant healing factor, Wolverine is anything but normal. 'All right, baby' Wolverine mutters. He sees the great beast as an opponent in a deadly sport that only one of them can survive. Wolverine composes himself and stares at the dinosaur as it lunges, snapping at thin air with serrated teeth each over six inches long! Logan vaults over the creatures 157cm head, and plunges all six of his deadly claws into the creature's brain. It takes nearly half an hour for the giant creature to fall, bucking and thrashing all the way down. And, finally, when fall he must, the man who defeated him issues a victory cry in honor of his great opponent's nobility. Logan raises his claws overhead. It is a roar that does not go unnoticed – as Sauron flies nearby and sees Wolverine. Sauron wonders if the X-Men are here as well, and whether they know of Tyrax's plan and seek to stop it before it has begun? Sauron wonders if he should fly to warm Tyrax of their incursion, but decides to take care of this matter himself.

Wolverine's adrenaline is still at full throttle, he turns to the sound of leathery wings, 'Sauron!?' Wolverine shouts as he sees his foe swoop towards him, and barely escapes the pterodactyl man's vicious attack. 'I don't know how you discovered our plan, mutant... but I will not see you thwart it!' Sauron exclaims. Wolverine tells Sauron that he doesn't know what plan he is yammering about, nor does he care. 'But if it's a scrap yer looking for, I'm always ready ta oblige!' Wolverine calls out. Sauron continues on, flying away from Wolverine, he realizes that the X-Man doesn't know, and so he dares not risk the possibility of being injured by Wolverine and reverting back to his human form. 'Another day, Wolverine. Some other time' Sauron calls back, and Wolverine watches the villain fly off, deciding that is good, for after battling that gigantosaurus, he is more worn out than he would care to admit. Still, all his years with the X-Men have taught him to be suspicious of any “plan”. Wolverine makes his way through the jungle, following the direction Sauron flew off in, and when he sees the high-tech Arcadia sprawled out across the land before him, Wolverine realizes that he better call for back-up.

Washington DC, 'All right, unit one, we've got a priority red...let's scramble!' Alan Keever of Youngblood calls out. 'Some action, finally! I wuz beginning to think we'd become a sewing circle!' Knight Sabre exclaims as the team gathers together. Shaft tells his teammate to stifle it, as they have a job to do, and will get it done. 'Hey, wait up, guys!' someone calls out as they lumber over to the group. 'You can't leave me here all alone...' the gray-skinned, large male tells them. But he is stopped by Keever who calls him Badrock and tells him that if he doesn't want to be left out of the action, then he had better bring his grades up. 'Now hit those books!' Keever orders. 'It's not fair, Keever' Badrock complains. 'We're not going to let you flunk out of school, Thomas' Keever calls back. Badrock lumbers back to his quarters, 'Who'd a think it? Me, Badrock, wunderkind of the super-hero set, role model to millions... taken out of action by homework!' he mutters, adding that no one else has to do homework and that he is just getting picked on because he is a kid. 'It just isn't fair!' he calls out.

And so, Badrock sits at his desk, 'Calculus, ancient Mesopotamian cultures...who cares about any of this junk? What good will it ever do me? Especially when that new VR game is calling my name...I shouldn't...I really shouldn't' Badock thinks to himself, before going to over to the television and sitting up close to it with the virtual reality glasses over his eyes, he starts to play the game. 'Spaceman Spiffer is surrounded by horrible bug-eyed aliens... they want to eat his entrails and suck out his eyeballs...and other cool stuff!' Badrock exclaims. 'But he's got his zapotronic gun at the ready. Take that and that and some of that you no-good pug-uglies!' Badrock tells the game as he plays it. Suddenly, there is some static feedback, 'Yowtch! What the heck was that? Some kinda weird feedback coming from the headset?' he realizes, as the voice of Wolverine can be heard, trying to contact the X-Men, informing them that there is something going down in the Savage Land, he requests them to get down there pronto. 'Wow! Somehow or another that electrical storm blanketing the East Coast must've got this transmission scrambled' Badrock decides. He announces that he has always wanted to meet the X-Men and go to the Savage Land. 'Wonder if they'd let me go for the ride?' he asks, thinking of Storm, Cyclops, Gambit, Colossus and Rogue, but decides that they are a closed club – mutants only, so they would never let him go. He leaps up off the floor and realizes that the message did come to him, and boasts that he can handle this. 'I mean, what can the X-Men do that I can't?' Badrock comments. 'Plenty of things...but that's not the point! It's my duty as a card-carrying super hero to answer any distress call...well, that settles it. I'm off to the Savage Land!' Badrock decides.

Back in the Savage Land, Wolverine has made his way to the front gates of Arcadia, where he sees Barbarus and Gaza on guard duty. He wonders why the Mutates are guarding this city and decides that something is not right. He suddenly senses low breathing to his right, downwind, so whoever it is, is definitely a tracker. 'Just beyond this bush.. .ain't gonna let 'em get the -' Logan tells himself, when suddenly, there is a roar. 'Did you hear that, Gaza?' Barbarus asks. Gaza replies that of course he did, it was a lion's roar, and that it probably just found its dinner. 'Aye. Wish I had mine' Barbarus complains. The roar actually was that of Zaba, who is crouched before Wolverine, teeth at the ready. 'Zabu! It's me, Wolverine! You know me, boy. Check the scent' Wolverine calls out, offering his hand towards Zabu. 'Attaboy' Wolverine tells Zabu, before asking him what he is doing down here, where is his master – Ka-Zar?

The loin-cloth clad Ka-Zar is chained to a wall in a dark room, which Sauron suddenly enters. Sauron bids the “Jungle Lord” good morning and informs him that he ran afoul of a friend of his, the mutant Wolverine. 'The X-Men are here?' Ka-Zar asks. Sauron announces that it is just Wolverine, who knows nothing of Tyrax's plan, let alone that Ka-Zar is imprisoned here. 'Do not expect him to rescue you' Sauron declares. 'I expect nothing...save the inevitability of death' Ka-Zar replies. Sauron looms in over Ka-Zar, who is pushed back against the wall, and informs Ka-Zar that if his human side had allowed it, he would have killed him already. Sauron boasts that soon, the alien will repair the machine and he will be rid of Karl Lykos and his damnable conscience forever. Sauron moves back away from Ka-Zar, warning him that he will then return for him. 'I'll be waiting, Sauron' Ka-Zar responds. His words are brave, but hollow. The Jungle Lord thinks back to mere days before when he was ambushed by Sauron and the Mutates, held in thrall by the reptile man and taken captive. He had given up all hope of rescue... until now.

'...slim chance of finding him...got the ship's sensors trained to hone in on his signal's point of origin... hopefully he's still there' Badrock remarks as the Youngblood Cruiser glides past the Eternity Mountain Range, its sole occupant is, as usual for one of his tender years, preoccupied. 'Oh, wow! This is sooo cool! A herd of Hadrosaurs drinking at the pond!' Badrock exclaims. Video-camera in hand, he aims it out the ship's window, filming the dinosaurs that he sees – a Diplodcus, and some Anklysaurs. 'No wonder Steven Spielberg came down here to film!' Badrock declares. As the cruiser soars over the Savage Land, Badrock exclaims that this place is awesome, although he bets that it stinks. 'Whoa, that don't look right. What the heck is that? I've seen every documentary on this place on the Discovery Channel... and I've never see that before. Maybe I should swing in for a closer look!' Badrock tells himself as he flies towards Arcadia. Down below, Wolverine sees the jet and tells Zabu that it looks like reinforcements, so his signal must have got through. Wolverine can't make out the vessel's markings, but knows it isn't the X-Men. He wonders if it is the Avengers or Stormwatch.

Inside Arcadia, 'A jet, master! It encircles the city!' Lupo reports to Tyrax, who replies 'So? Shoot it down'. Lupo informs his new master that they have no such weapons. Tyrax instructs Lupo to have Sauron follow the jet and kill anyone who emerges from it. 'Now leave me, dolt! My repairs are almost complete!' Tyrax declares, calling out to Brain Child, instructing him to bring the Troodon. Brain Child ushers a small dinosaur towards the mutagenic machine and tells Tyrax that the beast is small but strong, so he doesn't see what purpose it will serve. 'That is because you are an idiot. Place it in position and observe' Tyrax commands. The dinosaur is placed into the device, and as Tyrax poins out, the mutagenic ray will evolve it from raging predator, into something almost human. 'ah, I see! By turning this on larger predators...' Brain Child begins. 'Yes, an army of Tyranno or Velociraptor men will be unstoppable!' Tyrax declares. Brilliant, master!' Brain Child agrees, as the transformed dinosaur emerges from the mutagenic machine, walking upright and with humanoid features. 'Yes, it is, isn't it?' Tyrax remarks.

Just outside the city several, dinosaurs scatter as the Youngblood Cruiser descends. 'Now to see if I can find Wolverine...or he can find me!' Badrock tells himself. Two parties do indeed attempt to find where the jet lands. One friendly – Wolverine. The other not – Sauron! Logan and Zabu rush to the jet, as Sauron descends from above. 'Hurry, you fools!' Sauron calls out to some of the Mutates. Badrock emerges from the jet, 'Got all the equipment I'm gonna need and – huh?' he thinks to himself as he is met by Sauron and the Mutates. 'What is it?' Sauron asks. 'Some inhuman monster' Lupo snarls. 'Hey, I'm not an Inhuman, I'm...' Badrock begins, as Lupo exclaims 'Kill it!', which causes Badrock to move towards the Mutates, 'Kill it?' he asks 'Well, that's not a very nice way to welcome me into the neighborhood. What would Mr Rogers think? If you ask me, I'd say you boys need a refresher course in manners...' Badrock tells them, slamming the ground, he suggests that maybe they could get that etiquette chick down here, 'Oh, what's her name?' he asks, before he punches Sauron's beaked face. 'Ugh!' Sauron responds. 'Ugh? No, that's not it. I'm almost positive'. Some of the Mutates turn and run, but Badrock is confronted by Gaza, who warns him that he will not be so flippant once he has faced the unfettered fury of Gaza. 'Oh really? Tell me when he gets here' Badrock replies, before smashing Gaza backwards, 'You guys're putting me to sleep!' he tells the Mutates as he breaks Gaza's glasses.

Badrock goes after the other Mutates, while Wolverine and Zabu arrive at the scene. 'Sounds like the party's in that clearing up ahead, boy' Wolverine tells Zabu, adding that it sounds like a whole flaming army is going at it. 'Maybe we're too...late?' Wolverine adds, as he arrives to find Badrok standing over the fallen Mutates. 'Huh? Oh, hi!' Badrock calls out to Wolverine. 'I'm Badrock, a big fan... I just love you guys' show!' Badrock tells Wolverine, adding that he is sorry for starting the party without him. 'Cool kitty-kat, though' Badrock remarks, looking at Zabu. 'Uh, yeah, right' Logan replies. Wolverine has seen many things in his time with the X-Men, but never anything quite like this. But nature he is a taciturn man, at this moment, he is, for want of a better term, speechless. The men shake hands, 'Yeah, nice to meet you, too, kid. Bedrock, isn't it?' Wolverine asks. 'Badrock' the younger man replies. 'Right' Logan responds, introducing the cat as Zabu. 'Yours?' Badrock enquires. Logan tells him that it belongs to a friend of his. 'Ka-Zar? Is that his place over there?' Badrock asks. Logan replies that it isn't, and that he doesn't know what is up with that, so he was going to investigate but was waiting for the X-Men to arrive.

Lying on the ground pretending to be out cold, Sauron wonders 'The X-Men are coming here? And perhaps the rest of Youngblood? No! They'll ruin our plans completely!' He realizes that despite his incredible hubris, there is no way Tyrax could ever hope to prevail against the combined might of the X-Men and Youngblood. Badrock explains that there have been these electrical storms for the last couple of days on the East Coast, and that he sort of intercepted Wolverine's call. 'You what?' Logan asks. 'On accident' Badrock claims. 'Well, ya did call 'em, right?' Logan replies. 'Uh, well, that is...' Badrock's voice trails off. 'Of all the stupid, lame-brained, grandstanding...' Wolverine mutters, when suddenly, 'BADROCK!' a voice calls out, and Badrock turns to the sound of his name, 'Huh?' he asks, while Wolverine urgently tells Badrock not to look into his eyes. 'Wha -?' Badrock begins, but too late, as Sauron's hypnotic gaze connects with Badrock, he tells him that the X-Man is his enemy. 'Yeah...' Badrock replies. 'Look upon his face – the face of evil' Sauron urges Badrock, while Wolverine calls out 'Badrock, no!' but realizes that it is too late, for the kid is in Sauron's thrall. 'Strike your enemy down!' Sauron commands Badrock. 'Yeah!' Badrock agrees. 'Kill him!' Sauron shrieks. 'Yeah!' Badrock declares as he moves towards Wolverine. 'Well, if that's the way it's gonna be, let's just get this over with!' Wolverine exclaims as he leaps up and kicks Badrock in the face, while Sauron skulks away, 'Now while these two fools kill one another...I shall make haste for Arcadia' he tells himself, determined to insure his cure before their respective teams arrive.

Wolverine tells Badrock that he has stood toe-to-toe with the Hulk, so taking Badrock down is going to be a piece of cake. But Badrock responds with a punch, sending Wolverine careening backwards. 'Kid packs quite a punch... but I've had worse' Logan tells himself. He gets up and pops his claws, 'Okay, kid, fun n' games time is over. Now yer gonna learn how the big boys do it!' Wolverine warns Badrock. He adds that he always thought the Youngblood guys were only in it for the money. 'Well, here's yer pay-off!' Logan shouts as he knocks Badrock backwards. He positions himself on the fallen Badrock, 'Ain't so much fun now is it -' he begins, before Badrock smacks Wolverine off of him, 'Huh? What's going... on?' Badrock asks as he gets to his feet. 'Hmph. Good one, kid. Ya knocked the wind outta me' Wolverine remarks, adding that it has been a long time since anyone's done that. 'Gonna be a lot longer till anyone does again' Logan boasts, before Badrock tells him too slow down. 'Peace, man, peace! I don't know what Sauron did to me... but it's worn off' he assures Wolverine, adding that they shouldn't be fighting, as they are the good guys. Wolverine agrees, and declares that it is up to them and Zabu to figure out what is going on inside that citadel.

At that moment, Sauron swoops into the citadel and informs Tyrax that the X-Men and Youngblood are on their way. 'Good! Then they will be the first to fall! Behold, Sauron!' Tyrax responds. 'See what this glorious machine has given me! The most powerful and vicious army in all of creation... the Dinosauroids!' Several humanoid-like dinosaurs appear on a platform, transformed by the mutagenic machine, they are the most deadly predators to ever live! 'You fool! What care I for -' Sauron begins, before Tyrax grabs him by his throat, 'I warned you never to address me in that tone again, Sauron!' Tyrax exclaims, tossing Sauron across the chamber, he warns him that next time it will cost him his life, not just this minor humiliation.

Wolverine, Zabu and Badrock have made their way into Arcadia, 'Funny... there ain't no guards' Badrock comments as he holds his gun, pointing it around the corridor. Wolverine tells him that he was just thinking the same thing, and suggests he keep his giant pea-shooter ready, while Zabu suddenly sniffs the air. 'What is it, boy? You gotta scent?' Wolverine asks. Zabu growls, and Badrock asks if they follow him, but Wolverine reports that his nose says Sauron went a different way. Zabu makes his way down one corridor, and Wolverine and Badrock go in a different direction, as Wolverine supposes that Zabu is on a different trail than them. 'Whatever' Badrock mutters as he looks at Zabu leave.

In the other chamber, Sauron has rebelled against Tyrax, 'If your machine is working, Tyrax, then I have no further use for you! Thjere is still enough of Karl Lykos in me to operate this device!' Sauron declares as he places his clawed hands on Tyrax's face. 'Sauron – No!' Tyrax calls out. 'Yes! This is one feast I am going to enjoy!' Sauron exclaims as he absorbs Tyrax's energy. 'Holy...' Badrock gasps as he and Wolverine pass the chamber, and looking in, Wolverine exclaims that it looks like they hit the jackpot. 'We got Sauron, the Savage Land Mutates, some guy that looks like an Atlantean... and a bunch'a pug-uglies down there, too. Whadda ya say, kid. Ya ready ta party?' Wolverine asks. 'I was born ready, Wolvie!' Badrock replies as they rush into the chamber, where the Mutates are watching Sauron absorb Tyrax, and the Dinosauroids stand at the ready. 'Then let's do it!' Wolveirne shouts. 'Ya-hoo!' Badrock exclaims as he follows the X-Man, who tells him that, by the way, his name ain't “Wolvie”.

Meanwhile, his feline senses have led Zabu down into the very bowels of this citadel, where a lone Mutate stands watch over a cell door, it is Amphibius, mutated to take on not only the appearance, but the natural abilities of a frog. Against the might of a 750 pound raging mad saber-toothed tiger... he doesn't stand a chance. Amphibius goes wide-eyed as he sees Zabu lunging towards him, and a voice calls out 'Zabu!' it is Ka'Zar. Zabu breaks the cell door down, and the Jungle King's soul warms to the growl of the giant cat. The two have been brothers since they were cubs, their bond is as strong as any man could have with beast, perhaps stronger. Zabu goes over to Ka-Zar who smiles, as Zabu leaps up at him. In a few moments, Amphibius will regain consciousness, and when he does, Ka-Zar will convince him that it is in his best interest to unlock the Jungle Lord's chains. One look at Zabu's fangs will assure Amphibius that this is, indeed, a wise move.

Back in the main chamber, 'Use yer gun, kid! Kill the dino-men!' Wolverine calls out as one of the large Dinosauroids tosses him into the air. Sauron continues to absorb Tyrax, while Badrock calls back 'I can't do that! The All-American boy does not kill!' Sauron glances back and sees Wolverine. 'Afraid so, Bub. And as soon as we're done here, yer next' Wolverine warns his foe. With Sauron distracted, Tyrax uses this opportunity to knock the pterodactyl-man off him, 'Sauron, you are a fool. You should never have let them distract you' Tyrax points out, before calling out to Lorelei and Equilibrius who are standing at the back of the room, and instructs them to attack the rock-man. Both Mutates use their powers against Badrock, causing him to clutch his head and exclaim that the whole world is spinning. Unable to concentrate, he cannot stand, and tumbles backwards. 'Hey, would you quit goofing with the Mutates, Rock? I could use some help here!' Wolverine tells Bedrock, as another Dinosauroid closes in on him. 'Then, my friend, you shall have it!' a voice calls out. 'Wha? I was wondering when you'd show up' Wolverine calls back as he turns to see Ka-Zar and Zabu enter the chamber.

'Sorry it took so long, old friend. I got a little tied up' Ka-Zar jokes, before he leaps forward and kicks Lorelei in the face, 'That should end Lorelei's song!' he exclaims, while announcing that Zabu will take care of Wolverine's large friend, there. Zabu lunges at the Dinosauroid, and Ka-Zar kicks Equilibrius in the face, before the Mutate can use his powers on him. Tyrax gets to his feet, 'No! They've ruined everything! How could three men destroy all my plans? I should kill them all!' he thinks to himself, before deciding that he must be above such petty conceits if he is to rule – and rule he must! Tyrax moves towards the portal and announces that he has conquered so many worlds and have yet even more to be conquered. 'If I shall not rule here, than I shall rule elsewhere -'. Brain Child sees Tyrax approach the portal, 'Stop, Master!' he calls out. 'Take me with you, sire! My intellect will serve you well. It is of no use here!' Brain Child pleads. 'Sorry, Brain Child! But where Tyrax goes – he goes alone!' the tyrant declares as he enters the portal, and pushes Brain Child out of it as the Mutate attempts to follow.

Suddenly, Sauron can feel the change start to happen. It grips him, mutating him back into his human form. 'Oh, thank God!' Karl Lykos exclaims as he appears in place of Sauron. One of the larger Dinosauroids has backed Wolverine up against a wall. 'Go on then, get it over with!' Wolverine tells it, but Badrock punches the creature in the face, knocking it over. 'Hey, Wolvie... heard you could use a hand' Badrock smiles as he extends his hand to his new ally. 'Never thought I'd be glad ta see your ugly mug, Cement' Wolverine replies. 'Aw, you say the sweetest things' Badrock exclaims, bedfore they, Ka-Zar and Zabu turn to see another giant Dinosauroid in the room. 'Yeah? Well he sure doesn't. Looks like we got the biggest, meanest one of all – a gigantasaur-man!' Wolverine declares. Ka-Zar informs Wolverine and Badrock that he and Zabu are ready to fight by their sides. 'Yeah, well let's hope ya don't die by our sides!' Badrock jokes. Karl Lykos then tells Wolverine and Badrock to move away from the beast, as he is going to turn the de-evolving ray on him. 'Now!' Lykos exclaims as he fires the de-evolving ray, which strikes the monster. The creature has no comprehension of what just happened to it, it simply bellows its rage and frustration.

'This is an improvement?' Badrock asks, 'No. But this is' Karl Lykos declares as he holds another gun, and prepares to fire it. Wolverine tries to stop him, pointing out that the creature is only doing what comes naturally. 'So am I' Lykos replies as he fires the gun at the wall, which opens a massive hole in the Arcadia fortress. The gigantasaurous turns uncomprehendingly toward the small creature with thev lightning, then at the hole in the wall the lightning made, and does what any creature would do as another bolt of lightning is fired over its head – it runs though the large hole. 'Wow! That was intense. Now what?' Badrock asks. Wolverine declares that they will de-evolve the rest of these animals to their natural state. 'And destroy that infernal machine once and for all' Ka-Zar declares, asking Lykos if he would like to do the honors. 'With pleasure, my friend. With pleasure' Lykos replies. 'So you're just gonna let them go?' Badrock asks. 'What would you suggest we do with them, Badrock?' Ka-Zar enquires. 'I dunno, lock 'em up, maybe?' Badrock suggests. 'For what? They've broken no law of the jungle!' Ka-Zar points out, as Wolverine tells Badrock that he is thinking like a civilian.

Wolverine explains that law of the jungle is all about predator and prey, they are predators, tried to make them their prey, stakes are life and death, there are no prisons here. 'Well, maybe there ought ta be' Badrock remarks. Ka-Zar adds that their prison is their own failure, and points out that they have been banished from this land, they have lost their home. 'Yeah, but -' Badrock starts to protest, to which Ka-Zar tells him that their laws are different than his, that is all. Wolverine asks Ka-Zar what he is going to do next, and Ka-Zar informs his ally that it has been too long since he has seen his wife, so he is anxious to return home. 'Gotcha. Yer aces in my book, Bub' Wolverine tells him. 'And you in mine' Ka-Zar responds. Wolverine turns to Lykos and tells him to take care of himself, too. Lykos tells Wolverine that he will, but, as he knows, it is hard to keep the monster locked inside. 'Yeah, I know' Wolverine replies, before asking Badrock what his plans are. Badrock announces that he is off to the land of shopping malls and hip hop, fast cars, faster babes and diet cola. 'What can I say? I'm a city boy!' he grins, before remarking that there is one little favour he would like Wolverine to do for him. 'Name it' Logan replies.

Shortly, 'These Polaroids are so cool!' Badrock exclaims as he holds up photos of himself, Ka-Zar and Zabu, and one of Wolverine and Zabu. He adds that he is going to be the envy of his block, not that he isn't already. Inside the Youngblood Cruiser, Wolverine shakes Badrock's hand and tells him that he done good, a lot better than he would have given him credit for. 'So does this mean we're gonna be friends now?' Badrock asks. 'Well, I wouldn't go that far...but you can give me a ride back to civilization' Wolverine replies. The Youngblood jet pierces the sky, past the Eternity Mountains, and out of the Savage Land. Wolverine asks Badrock if he has any brewskis on board, to which Badrock suggests Wolverine look in Knight Sabre's locker. 'So, where to?' Badrock asks. 'Westchester' Wolverine informs him. 'Where the X-Men live?' Badrock asks. 'Yup' Wolverine confirms. Badrock exclaims that he always wanted to meet those guys. 'Maybe we could team up or something? What's Jubilee doing these days?'

Characters Involved: 

Wolverine

 

Badrock, Knightsabre, Shaft (all Youngblood)

Alan Keever

Ka-Zar

Sabu

 

Sauron

Amphibius, Barbarus, Brain Child, Equilibrius, Gaza, Lorelei, Lupo (all Savage Land Mutates)

Tyrax

 

Various dinosaurs

Various Dinosauroids

 

In Illustrative Image

Colossus, Cyclops, Gambit, Rogue, Storm (all X-Men)

Story Notes: 

This issue is a collaborative between Image and Marvel Comics.

Sauron incorrectly states that his real name is Karl Lypos, when it is Karl Lykos. He is referred to as Lykos later in the issue.

Badrock mentions Steven Spielberg coming to the Savage Land to film, referring to the 1993 film “Jurassic Park”.

This issue features three pin-ups of Wolverine and Badrock with art by Chap Yeap & Jonathan Sibal, Todd Nauck & Robert Lacko, Marat Mycheals & Jonathan Sibal.

Written By: