Claws II #3

Issue Date: 
November 2011
Story Title: 
Back and Forth
Staff: 

Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (Writers), Joeseph Michael Linsner (Artist), Dan Brown, Nick Filardi with John Faunch (Colours), Jeff Eckleberry (Letters), Dan Remollino (Production), Jake Thomas (Assistant Editor), Mark Paniccia (Editor), Axel Alonso (Editor in Chief), Joe Quesada (Chief Creative Officer), Dan Buckley (Publisher) Alan Fine (Executive Producer)

Brief Description: 

Wolverine wakes up inside a stasis tube. He breaks it open and cuts off the gas to the other tubes, waking up the rest of the group, including Civa. They are spotted by some Martians but Black Cat takes care of them. In the fight, a laser blast opens up the hull. Wolverine slashes the hull opens some more but accidentally causes an explosion that topples the ship they are on. As all the prisoners escape, Wolverine and Volcana Ash stay behind to destroy the Extractor and Overlord Omega. Outside, Killraven and the gang are attacked by a Martian robot but M’shulla saves them. Inside, Volcana incinerates the Extractor and Wolverine stabs Overlord Omega through the head. The Overlord explodes and the two run away, exiting the spaceship just as it explodes. Afterwards, Black Cat talks to Civa about the device and she offers to send them back home. They say their goodbyes and go back to their own time… only a few hours before they left. They arrive in the Savage Land on board Civa’s crashed ship. After convincing them they met her in the future, she asks what they want. Arcade and White Rabbit are fleeing some Savage Land natives and they come across Civa’s ship. Arcade introduces himself like he did previously, only this time Wolverine speaks out to him and blasts him with a weapon. Black Cat uses the ships weapons to anger a Pterosaur and cause it to attack the two villains. Afterwards, Wolverine tells Civa where to go to get help in fighting against the alien invasion. As she flies off, Wolverine and Black Cat are left in the Savage Land to enjoy their wild sides.

Full Summary: 

In the dystopian future, Wolverine, Black Cat and their allies lie unconscious in stasis tubes, ready to be launched to Mars on a spaceship. Wolverine wakes up and immediately wonders where he is. After realizing he is in a glass tube, he breaks it open and escapes. He smells gas and wonders what the place is. He soon spots Black Cat in another tube and smashes it open. She slowly wakes up and then leaps towards him and kisses him. Suddenly, then ship begins to rumble and Black Cat says she can feel the earth moving. Wolverine tells her it isn’t him and says they are taking off somewhere on a ship. The gas packed a punch but it wasn’t a match for his healing powers. Black Cat suggests rescuing Killraven and his crew and getting out of there.

Wolverine looks overhead and spots some pipes. Assuming they are gas pipes, he slashes at them and, with the gas supply cut off, the others wake up. After everyone is out of their tubes, Killraven thanks Wolverine. He says there had been reports of Martians kidnapping humans and taking them away on spaceships. Behind him, the alien Civa tells him it isn’t just humans. Wolverine says that whatever they’re doing they need to get off the ship.

Suddenly, they are found by some Martian soldiers and Black Cat leaps into action. With her clawed gloves, she pounces on one of them. The Martians tell her to submit before she is exterminated but she slashes him across the chest. Wolverine tells Volcana Ash that she has to admire her moves. Volcana looks on in amazement and says she seems crazy. Black Cat snarls back at her that she heard that comment, after which Volcana heads off to find the other prisoners so she can set them free. As Black Cat continues her attack, one of the Martians fires a laser gun and blasts a hole in the hull. She points the new exit to Wolverine, who widens it so they can escape. As he does so, he accidentally cuts a fuel line, causing a huge explosion that makes the ship topple over.

Afterwards, as the ship lies on the ground, split open, Killraven leads hundreds of freed prisoners out. As everyone else recovers from being thrown around, Civa comes over and asks Wolverine and Black Cat how she can thank them for saving her life. Wolverine says she will have a chance soon enough but they have to get off the ship before it explodes. As Wolverine tries to pick himself off the ground, Volcana comes over and offers him a hand. As he accepts it, they share a moment that doesn’t go unnoticed by the annoyed Black Cat.

Suddenly, they hear a voice telling them not to move. They turn to see Overlord Omega, the Extractor and some robotic drones behind them. Overlord Omega tells them they will never leave the ship alive and the Extractor order his “pets” to rip them to pieces. The drones scuttle towards the group but Wolverine slashes them to pieces. Volcana says they need to protect Civa and asks Black Cat if she can get her to safety. Civa tells her there are more creatures coming and she will need her help. Black Cat says that they do need her help but not here and not now.

Volcana goes over to Wolverine and points to the enemies. She says the big one is the Extractor and he tortured her. The other one is only known as Overlord Omega. Wolverine tells her to get her payback whilst he keeps the rest of the drones busy. She leaps at the Extractor and he threatens her as she does so. As Wolverine hacks through the drones, Overlord Omega watches him and tells him it’s useless as he is outnumbered. He then calls him pathetic. Wolverine takes offense at that and turns to the Overlord in anger.

Outside the ship, Black Cat escorts Civa to the waiting Killraven. He asks where Volcana and Wolverine are and Black Cat informs him they will be along soon; they are taking care of some unfinished business. The group is suddenly sent flying, as a laser beans strikes right next to them. They look up to see one of the three-legged alien robots standing over them. Killraven tells them to scatter, as it’s about to fire again, but before it can do so it is hit by a laser and explodes. The group turns to see M’shulla smiling at them. He tells them no worries; he is there to save the day. Carmilla runs over to her boyfriend and hugs him. After greeting everyone, he says that, once the ship fell, many of the enemies took off to other strongholds. He tells Killraven that he has saved many lives today. Killraven looks towards the fallen ship and says he did it with everyone’s help.

In the ship, Volcana is fighting the Extractor. With his metallic tentacles waving in her face, he tells her to die. Volcana says not to bet on it, as he will burn for what he did. She starts to glow red and radiate with heat. Flames start to come out of the Extractor’s helmet and, as Volcana increases in intensity, he finally explodes. Volcana stands over his burning remains, surrounded by fire.

A little way off, Overlord Omega is firing a laser gun at Wolverine but he keeps missing. Wolverine asks him if he has any idea how annoying his voice is. He fires another shot and hits Wolverine in the shoulder, but it doesn’t slow him down and the Overlord asks what he is. Wolverine leaps in the air and says it may be a cliché by this point but he is his worst nightmare. He tells him he had better think twice before kidnapping humans. With that Wolverine lands on the Overlord and embeds his claws and fist in his face.

As he pulls his claws out, he sees a green chemical leaking out from the Overlord’s face. Before he can do anything else, the Overlord explodes, sending both Wolverine and Volcana backwards. Volcana lands on top of Wolverine and she asks why he’s smiling. He tells her she’s hot, to which she says she has the ability to heighten her body temperature. As they run away, he tells her “that too,” and then says they better escape before something else explodes. Before they make it fully out, the ship explodes and both of them are sent catapulting through the air. Black Cat tries to catch Wolverine but they end up colliding and falling in a heap. Volcana is caught by Killraven.

Afterwards, the group stands a little way off the burning ruins of the Martian citadel. Black cat asks Killraven what he will do next. He tells her they will return the prisoners back to their loved ones and villages. Then they will set their sights on another one of these facilities. Unfortunately, there are many facilities and so few of them. Civa says that destroying the facility sends a message but also it makes it harder for them too. They will just have to keep changing the game plan. She has seen the savages annihilate many planets, including her own, but this one still has a chance.

Black Cat takes out the teleportation device and shows Civa. She says they were told Civa might be able to activate it and get them back home. Civa seems surprised to see it. She asks where Black Cat got it from as it’s a Jo’meh transportation device. She thought she had the last one. Black Cat asks if she knows how to use it. Civa opens the device and inspects it. She tells Black Cat that it is one of the devices she is using to battle the Martians. She has been travelling in their path, collecting technology from each dying race to arm the next. She says she believes their home is the time stamp still left on the device. So she can send them back to the exact time they left. Wolverine says that would be perfect but then asks if they can go back an hour before they left. Black Cat smiles, realizing what Wolverine is up to.

As Civa whispers something to Wolverine, Volcana tells Black Cat it is a shame to lose both of them, as they are so beautiful and full of life. Black Cat says they are not losing them. They just have to go back to their time to police their own troublemakers. Volcana looks at Wolverine and asks Black Cat if he is hers. She tells her he’s no one’s and then asks her if Killraven is hers. Volcana says that Killraven belongs to the people. Relations are hard and fast around here, as death is around every corner. They have to appreciate every moment.

Killraven tells Wolverine that he saved them all and for that he is eternally grateful. Wolverine says he doesn’t envy Killraven but he has a good crew around him. He says they are the best at what they do but they have lost so many. Civa says they have the requested co-ordinates for them if they are ready. Black Cat tells them to stay safe as they teleport away.

On her ship in the Savage Land, Civa is inspecting the monitors when the teleportation device behind her activates. Wolverine and Black Cat appear and Civa immediately points a gun at them. She tells them to stay where they are but Black Cat says they met her in the future and she sent them back in time using the Jo’meh device. Black Cat says that, now she thinks about it, if Civa is here she was also in the future at some point and she came back to this time. Or maybe she hasn’t been there yet and she landed in this time. Before she can finish Wolverine cuts her off and tells Civa her father’s name is Kilcher. He says she trained Mitweg warriors on Lumly Nine till she was sent off planet. She told him to tell her this in case they met again. He leans forward and whispers in her ear something else she told him. Civa blushes and says that he must be telling the truth.

Civa picks up the device and tells them that, as they know, alternating futures exist. The trouble is that, with apparatus like this, so much is unpredictable. She asks how she can help them.

Meanwhile, Arcade and White Rabbit are running from some Savage Land natives. Arcade says he will get Black Cat and Wolverine back for dumping them there. White Rabbit adds that she also took her coat. They come across Civa’s ship and start looking for the door. They notice the natives have stopped chasing them and White Rabbit spots piles of human bones around the ship. Arcade goes up to a spherical glass object on the ship and starts tapping it. He says he has never seen weaponry like it before. White Rabbit says that it’s a death ray and it will kill them like it did everything else. Arcade introduces himself to the ship and says he would very much like to meet whoever is inside. White Rabbit calls him insane. Suddenly, A small mechanical arm lowers down to him and a voice comes from it. It tells him to listen to the lady. Shocked, Arcade realizes whose voice is speaking.

Before they can react, the ship fires at them and they are thrown backwards into a bog. In the ship, Wolverine is at the helm, grinning. Black Cat says the next shot is hers but Wolverine says he isn’t done. As the two villains picks themselves up, White Rabbit says it’s bad enough they leave them there, now they have come back to torture them. On the ship, Black Cat takes control of the weapon and fires it at a tree. It causes a Pterosaur to fly away in fear as its eggs fall out of its nest. One of the eggs lands directly on White Rabbit’s head. On the ship, Black Cat gloats in her shot.

Outside, Arcade laughs at White Rabbit as she tells him off. A shadow is suddenly cast over them and the Pterosaur swoops down and picks both of them up. Wolverine and Black Cat exit the ship to watch Arcade and White Rabbit get carried away. Wolverine says he swears that’s the funniest thing he has ever seen; it almost makes it worth what they went through. Black Cat asks if he thinks it will eat them. He tells her if it does, it is in for some heartburn.

Civa comes out and says she has a mission she needs to get back to. When she asks if they have anywhere else they want to go, Wolverine tells her there’s some information she needs to know before she goes jumping around in time. She cuts him off and tells him he already knows her mission. The crash delayed her a bit and, once she is done with repairs, then she is going to try and recruit some help in this time period. She asks if he has any suggestions. He says he has a few and then asks if she has a communicator or phone. He goes off into her ship with her and leaves the Black Cat playing with a baby saber tooth tiger.

He comes out a short while later and the ship takes off. Black Cat is upset that her ride is going but Wolverine tells her he put in a few calls and pointed Civa in the right direction. He asks what the fuss is. Black Cat asks him if he’s forgotten where he is; there’s nothing but wild animals and… and… Wolverine interrupts her and points out they are in the Savage Land. What better place to act like wild animals? With that, he kisses her and she tells him he really is something.

Characters Involved: 

Wolverine

Black Cat

Killraven

M’shulla

Carmilla Frost

Volcana Ash

Mint Julep

Future prisoners

Civa

The Extractor

Overlord Omega

Martians

Arcade

White Rabbit

Savage Land natives

Story Notes: 

The scene of Arcade and White Rabbit running from the natives happened in issue #1 but with a different outcome.

Issue Information: 
Written By: