As Marvel shares a preview of the upcoming ‘Sabretooth War’ arc, Wolverine‘s nemesis kicks off his return by brutally murdering the X-Men, with a particularly R-rated fate for Cyclops. After escaping the mutant island of Krakoa, Sabretooth has been on a deadly odyssey that introduced some shocking new allies. Now, he’s back, and he’s bringing an army down on the X-Men’s heads.
In a preview of the ‘Sabretooth War’ (beginning in January’s Wolverine #41) shared by AIPT, fans see Sabretooth brutally execute the X-Men. The most shocking fate is reserved for Scott Summers’ Cyclops, whose head is torn in half by the murderous mutant.
The gory scene sets up the sheer brutality that will mark the Sabretooth War, as Victor Creed unites an army of his multiversal variants to finally settle the score with Wolverine and the X-Men. The villains include the celebrity Sabretooth of Earth-12, Captain America Sabretooth of Earth-203, and the female ‘Savage Sabretooth’ of Earth-1912.
Wolverine #41 (2024) | |
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Release Date: | January 10, 2024 |
Writers: | Victor LaValle, Benjamin Percy |
Artists: | Cory Smith, Geoff Shaw |
Colorist: | Frank D’Armata |
Letterer: | Cory Petit |
Cover Artist: | Leinil Francis Yu & Romulo Fajardo Jr. |
SABRETOOTH WAR BEGINS HERE! THE MOST VIOLENT WOLVERINE STORY EVER TOLD! Get ready for the showdown to end all showdowns – WOLVERINE VS. SABRETOOTH! It’s been years since these heavy hitters have crossed paths in the Marvel Universe, but as Krakoa falls, so rises SABRETOOTH – and he’s out for revenge! They threw VICTOR CREED in the PIT, but he’s free and, wielding an army of Sabretooths, will prove once and for all why he is LOGAN’s ultimate nemesis. Co-written by literary powerhouses Benjamin Percy (WOLVERINE, GHOST RIDER) and Victor LaValle (The Changeling, SABRETOOTH) and drawn by artistic dynamos Cory Smith (CONAN THE BARBARIAN, GHOST RIDER) and Geoff Shaw (WEAPONS OF VENGEANCE, WOLVERINE: PATCH), don’t miss the inaugural issue in this multi-shipping saga leading up to the landmark issue #50! | |
The Sabretooth War Unites the Mutant Killer’s Variants
Sabretooth’s Army Includes a Captain America Victor Creed and One Who Killed the X-Men
It’s almost certain that Cyclops’ R-rated death doesn’t take place in Marvel’s main reality, but is instead the backstory of one of Sabretooth’s army of variants. Recently, in Victor LaValle and Leonard Kirk’s Sabretooth and the Exiles, Sabretooth discovered that his son Graydon Creed had been hunting him across countless realities. Beating Graydon, Sabretooth was left with his reality-hopping technology, and the ability to unite a multiversal team of killers (as well as taking control of Graydon’s army of zombie-like Sabretooth drones.) He also left his former allies the Exiles in the lurch, not knowing they’ve been given a secret weapon should they ever cross his path again.
The Classic Wolverine vs Sabretooth Fight Returns
Sabretooth’s Former Allies the Exiles Will Also Play a Role
Now, the Sabretooth ‘trilogy’ that started in LaValle and Kirk’s Sabretooth will come to a close, as the Sabretooth War redefines Marvel’s classic Sabretooth vs Wolverine fight. At the beginning of 2019’s X-Men revamp, Sabretooth was banished to the Pit – a psychic prison which he corrupted into his personal version of Hell. Escaping alongside several other mutant prisoners, Sabretooth killed and betrayed his way to freedom, destroying Professor Charles Xavier’s reputation along the way. Sabretooth wants revenge on the mutant nation that locked him away for killing a few lowly humans, and that revenge begins with Wolverine.
Wolverine and Sabretooth have been nemeses for years, but Logan truly isn’t ready for the war that’s coming next. Wolverine will face not only his classic villain, but multiple versions of Sabretooth – including one who apparently already slaughtered Cyclops and the X-Men right under his nose.
The Sabretooth War begins in Wolverine #41, coming January 10.
