Wolverine #46: Glory Days

We are officially over the halfway point in the Sabretooth War with Wolverine #46 being part six of the event. A lot has happened since the event kicked off in Wolverine #41, but Wolverine #46 raises the stakes and for the first time in the event things feel like they are in motion. Victor LaValle and Benjamin Percy’s respective contributions to the writing seemed obvious at first with the majority of each issue leaning heavily towards Sabretooth or Wolverine. This was the first issue that it was tough to tell just who was writing, and the series is better for it. This issue heavily features Sabretooth and Wolverine together, though it is light on dialogue from Wolverine. Thanks to Quentin who is under Sabretooth’s control, Wolverine is brainwashed to think he is back in the Team X days working a job with Sabretooth.

Cory Smith is back on art duties with Oren Junior assisting on inks and doing great work as always. The way they present what Wolverine is seeing versus what is happening is clear and well-executed with a bunch of side-by-side panels mirroring reality on Krakoa with the Team X-era illusion in a Central or South American jungle. Both views are visually interesting and have fantastic aesthetics. Krakoa tech and the Team X suits and gear are quite different and even the settings are different enough to not be distracting or jarring. Alex Sinclair’s colors do an excellent job differentiating things as well, aside from actually being underwater on Krakoa, the pink glow of Quentin’s powers is present in the Team X illusion. Aside from the stellar art, the writing in this sequence is quite interesting with Quentin noting to Sabretooth that he seems to be enjoying reliving the glory days. It adds another layer to Sabretooth’s hatred for Wolverine and his reasoning behind the whole charade, which we find out is to obtain Forge’s Neutralizer.

Aside from the main attraction of Sabretooth and Wolverine, Wolverine #46 also did a fantastic job balancing the other plots of the event. This issue features the Exiles gaining entry into Krakoa and we also see Laura as she makes moves to escape being held prisoner by the Sabreteeth. Laura’s sequences are illustrated fantastically on all counts with some great gore and action. The first five parts of this event gave readers a lot of pieces but it isn’t until now that they all feel like they are moving. This issue flows much better than the previous ones and feels much more focused and smooth. This issue certainly is a breath of fresh and a return to form to live up to being the most violent Wolverine story ever told.