Wolverine (4th series) #311

Issue Date: 
October 2012
Story Title: 
Sabretooth Reborn. Chapter Two: Nightmare in Red
Staff: 

Jeph Loeb (writer), Simone Bianchi (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Simone Peruzzi, Jason Keith, Morry Hollowell & Guru EFX (color artists), Comicraft’s Albert Deschense (letterer), Irene Y. Lee (production), Jeanine Schaefer (editor), Nick Lowe (senior editor), Axel Alonso (editor in chief), Joe Quesada (chief creative officer), Dan Buckley (publisher), Alan Fine (executive producer), Simone Bianchi & Simone Peruzzi (cover), Lenil Yu with Marte Gracia (variant cover)

Brief Description: 

Inside the Weapon X facility, Logan and Creed engage in vicious battle. Even though Logan killed Creed years ago, he realizes now that was a clone and that he is now fighting the real one. Just then, a number of Sabretooth clones attack Logan, while Creed leaves. Logan manages to fight his way out of the facility and makes his way to his aircraft. Even though he is able to take off, a number of the clones tag along and continue to attack him. Logan then decides to crash his aircraft into the Weapon X facility, causing it to catch fire. Weakened from the crash, Logan is saved by the mysterious red-haired woman. Teaming up together, they fend off the clones and eventually throw a sword with Japanese writing on it into the fuselage, causing it to explode. The duo are able to escape and board the woman’s helicopter. There, Logan learns who the woman is – Remus. She is Romulus’ twin sister and she wants Logan’s help in killing her brother.

Full Summary: 

Ever had one of those recurring nightmares? Some people dream about being in a plane crash. Or drowning. Or gettin’ buried alive. One thing they all have in common… you always wake up before you die. Now imagine… that very same nightmare… only now you’re awake. That nightmare is my life. Times a hundred. The total psycho I’m fighting is Victor Creed. Sabretooth. He should be dead. It’s not just something I want or he deserves. He actually, truly, in fact, should be dead. I should know, I chopped off his head with a mystical blade that made it impossible for him to return from the grave. As dumb as that sounds, it’s exactly what happened. But… even then… my gut knew something was wrong. I remember thinking…”Sabretooth’s scent… it’s different. I’m fighting the beast.” Should’ve listened to my gut. The “Sabretooth” I killed was a DNA replicant. A bio-engineered duplicate of the worst of mutant kind.

Inside the Weapon X facility, located in the Canadian north woods, Logan and Creed engage in vicious battle. Creed tells Logan that he’s actually missed the runt. All the time he was… away… he was training… learning… making himself smarter ‘til they met again. Logan replies that’s funny. The only thing he’s interested in learning is how to make sure he stays dead.

As their battle continues, a number of Sabretooth clones emerge from their containment tubes and join in on the fray. Seeing Logan pinned to the ground, Creed tells him that it’s not so easy when there’s dozens of him. Defiantly, Logan tells him there’s just more of him to kill. Walking away, Creed tells him good luck with that. If he survives tonight, he’ll finish the job all by himself tomorrow. Eventually, Logan emerges from the dog-pile and runs after Creed.

Can’t let that maniac back out into the world again. This has Romulus written all over it. Always claimed he knew more about genetics than Xavier or Magneto. Judging from what he accomplished here, he could be right. That doesn’t sit well with me at all. Odds are Vic is headed back to him. Gotta get to the air, look for tracks.

Once outside the facility, Logan notices that Creed is gone and immediately heads towards his aircraft. Turning on the jets, Logan is able to take out some of the clones with the fire that emits from the back of the aircraft. After taking off, Logan notices that a number of Sabretooth clones have clung to his transport. I was hoping for easy. Sabretooth is never easy. He’s messy. Covered in blood. And everything ends in death.

As Logan pilots his aircraft through the sky, some of the clones fall off while others are able to punch through the cockpit. Piloting the plane towards the Weapon X compound, Logan tells the clones to “remember this, you little bastards… you brought this on yourselves.” Logan then proceeds to crash the aircraft into the Weapon X compound, causing it to go up in flames.

Years. Years and years I’ve been at war with Creed. Been told we’re brothers. Related. Whatever. Now Romulus is in the mix. How does it all tie together? Where does it all end?

Emerging from the fiery wreckage, a wounded Logan falls to his knees. Just then, as he is about to get attacked by Sabretooth clones on fire, a female voice from behind tells him to get his head down. When he does, the red-haired stranger kills the clones who were about to kill Logan. I know that voice. Her accent… Italian with a hint of Japanese. A mysterious redhead who happens to save my Canadian bacon. I hate mysteries… but I do likes me a redhead.

Tossing Logan a sword with Japanese writing on it, the woman asks Logan how long it will take to heal that handsome face back up again. Catching the sword, Logan tells her long enough. He’d thank her if he knew who he was thanking. Did she say something about a handsome face? As they stand back to back, the woman asks Logan if he’s ready. Logan quips that he was just about to ask her the same thing. Facing off against the clones, Logan tells the woman that it’s a nice blade she tossed him. The woman states that it was a… gift. From a long time ago.

Logan asks here that she doesn’t mind losing it then. When the woman asks why, Logan says she didn’t say “no” and proceeds to throw the sword into the fuselage of the plane which explodes. Getting up off the snow, the woman and Logan see an oncoming helicopter. As the woman tells Logan that’s their ride, Logan tells her to wait. The woman says there’s no time. Creed has a pretty good headstart. Ugh. For a gal I don’t know, she sure knows an awful lot.

Inside the helicopter, Logan watches the Weapon X compound burn and states that it can’t burn down often enough. Turning towards the mysterious woman, Logan asks her if she thinks they got them all. The woman answers that he’ll know soon, won’t he? Logan says he guesses. Either Sabretooth’ll want to deal with it… The woman finishes his thought for him… or Romulus will. Her accent. Only one other person I know has that same odd mix.

Just then, Logan grabs the woman’s arm and asks her who the hell she is. Turning around, the woman says that not a lot of men live after they lay a hand on her. But… he always was the exception to every rule. Pulling her hand away from her sword, the woman passionately kisses Logan. Breaking their embrace, Logan pops two of his outside claws and places them under the woman’s chin. He then tells her that on “three,” either the truth of her brain comes out. One. Two.

The woman proceeds to tell Logan that she wishes it were this easy. Logan tells her uh-huh. She does know what comes after “two.” The woman states that he’s the one who wants to play games. Not her. Pulling away his claws, Logan tells the woman that he’s listening. The woman introduces herself as Remus. As in “Romulus and.” She needs a favor that will help both of them. She wants him to kill her twin brother. If this is a nightmare now would be a perfect time to wake up…

Characters Involved: 

Wolverine

Sabretooth

Various clones of Sabretooth

Remus (Romulus’ twin sister)

Story Notes: 

Wolverine lopped off Sabretooth’s head with the Muramasa blade back in Wolverine (3rd series) #55.

Romulus and Remus were twin brothers in Rome’s foundation myth.

Issue Information: 
Written By: