Warning: contains spoilers for Wolverine: Black, White, & Blood #2
It’s amazing that Wolverine is so prominently featured in so much media explicitly made for children. While Logan’s actual power is regeneration, it’s his six claws that made him Marvel’s most famous mutant, and those adamantium blades tend to cause bloodshed. Despite this, X-Men media of all types have made a great deal of effort to not show his more violent side, which becomes much more noticeable when Wolverine fights his nemesis, Sabretooth. Cartoons and movies have found dozens of ways around showing the two rivals ripping each other to shreds, but in Wolverine: Black, White & Blood they just had their most violent battle ever.
The first story of the anthology, Unfinished Business by writer Vitya Ayla and artist Greg Land sees a doctor who may have found a way to eliminate a person’s X-Gene. This ‘cure’ earns the attention of Professor X who sends Wolverine out to the man’s cabin to investigate. Unfortunately, he finds only the doctor’s daughter, who tells Logan that her father was abducted by a monster with a man’s face. Knowing exactly who the culprit is, Wolverine suits up and tracks a trail of blood with the doctor’s scent. Deep in the forest’s heart, he’s tackled by the one person who hates him more than anyone else in the world; Sabretooth.
Victor Creed reveals to Logan that while he was hired to abduct the doctor, the reason he took the job was that he knew Logan would be sent out to look into matters. The evil mutant’s employer might be looking to completely eliminate all mutants, but Sabretooth doesn’t think of the job that way, all he sees in the mutant ‘cure’ is a way to kill Logan once and for all. The two put everything they have into the fight, Wolverine digging his blades into Sabretooth, and Sabretooth cutting into Wolverine’s side with his claws. Victor attempts to use his superior size to grapple Logan, but a headbutt from his adamantium skull breaks the monstrous villain’s nose. With a single swipe of his claws, Wolverine lops Sabretooth’s arm off. Before he can decide what to do next though, he realizes that he can hear someone wheezing. Wolverine’s heroism is different than other Marvel characters, but he can still put human life above his need for revenge. He rushes to save the wounded doctor, letting Sabretooth get away.
While the story presented is mostly just a fight scene, it does an excellent job of highlighting the difference between Wolverine and Sabretooth. Both have a burning hatred of each other, but Logan doesn’t let it consume him in the same way it consumes Victor. Still, when the opportunity presents itself, the Canadian hero doesn’t hold anything back. Their fight is as gory as you would expect from two characters named after predators. They cut and swipe away at each other until the snow around them is coated in their blood. Their mutant immortality is a nightmare here, as both heroes fight through pain despite numerous broken bones and open wounds.
It speaks to the character’s versatility that Wolverine is a violent anti-hero who eviscerates enemies, but also a gruff and good-natured member of the X-Men. Logan became one of Marvel’s most recognizable characters because he can so effortlessly switch between those two modes while still feeling like one character. Wolverine’s battle with Sabretooth in Wolverine: Black, White, & Blood #2 is a perfect example of how to build character through action.
