Marvel is celebrating Wolverine’s 50th anniversary with his ‘most violent’ story ever

Wolverine and Sabretooth are duking it out again. Not only is this being billed as their biggest fight ever, Marvel promises it to be one of the bloodiest.

Wolverine’s 50th anniversary is coming up, and Marvel’s going to be celebrating with a knock-down, drag-out fight. Naturally, there’s no better opponent than his old nemesis, Sabretooth. 

Wolverine and Sabretooth have a storied history. Whenever one is celebrating a milestone, the other likely isn’t far behind to dish out some pain. This time, things are going above and beyond expectations into an all-out war. 

The storyline event is a ten-part epic running through the main Wolverine series. Marvel is touting the event as their ultimate showdown, and the writer promises it to be the “most violent Wolverine story in Marvel history.”

Wolverine and Sabretooth fight for the last time (again)

“Sabretooth War” is slated to run from January’s Wolverine #41 through issue #50. The series will also be switching to a bi-monthly schedule, allowing issue #50 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Wolverine’s first appearance in Incredible Hulk #181.

The storyline will see Sabretooth and Wolverine cross paths in the wake of the Fall of X. Sabretooth was last seen in the mini-series Sabretooth & the Exiles, which ended with him leading an army of clones and promising a surprise for Wolverine’s birthday. Speaking with Marvel, writer Benjamin Percy explained why the two were finally being allowed to cross paths after years apart.  

“Sabretooth is the definition of big bad—one of the nastiest, cruelest, scariest villains in the 616 and Wolverine’s greatest nemesis,” Percy explained. “Which is exactly why we haven’t allowed their stories to intersect—during this age of Krakoa—until now. The tension has built up painfully, and now these two savage titans are going to claw and slash their way into each other’s lives again in what will be the most violent Wolverine story in Marvel history.”

That the fight should take place on Wolverine’s anniversary is notable. Since their rivalry was revealed, Sabretooth has maintained a tradition of stalking Wolverine and fighting him on his birthday. Often he’s used the opportunity to drive Wolverine into a rage by attacking or killing someone close to him. 

It is worth noting this isn’t the first time the two have been billed as having their final encounter, and often they’re presented as such.

1995’s Wolverine #90 saw Logan infamously lobotomize Sabretooth by driving a claw into his brain, which reverted the killer into a more docile state for years.

2007’s Wolverine #55 had what was billed as their last fight ever and ended with Wolverie decapitating Sabretooth. That death was undone in 2012 when it was revealed Wolverine had killed a clone.