Writer Chris Claremont

Pencilers Leinil Francis Yu / Carlos Pacheco / Jeff Matsuda / Melvin Rubi / Mike S. Miller

Inkers Edgar Tadeo / Jon Holdredge / Marlo Alquiza / Mike S. Miller

Colors Jason Wright & Tom Smith

Letters Richard Starkings & ComiCraft / em (which stands for Emerson Miranda

Cover Dated August 1998

Thanks to comicbookdb for having the full names of the creators, instead of just last names.

http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=14703

I wonder if the four art teams adds to my memory of these last two issues not being very good.

Issue opens with Sabretooth shouting that he is the king of the world – as Titanic came out a year earlier.  Claremont must have thought it was safe to evoke the phrase but it is 18 years later and that film is still the only thing I associate that phrase with.

I’m not sure who is narrating the issue, I believe it has to be Kitty as it isn’t the two savages in this issue.

Kitty is unconscious and Sabretooth threatens to rape her but she’s underage so I guess he has limits.  Except, that she has to be at least 18 by now, by the time Excalibur 120, she would have been at least 18 to 21.  But if it prevents Sabretooth from doing anything physically to her, then fine, she’s 17.

Lowtown, Madripoor.  Hand ninjas and Hydra goons are making their way through the city.  They get attacked by someone who looks suspiciously like Captain America.

Wolverine is in the sewers, he’s here to interrupt whatever scheme the two fractions have.  It feels like we skipped an issue between 126 and 127.  I get that he fell into the ocean but then he came back up and into another plot.

Hydra and Hand are concern as now it seems like the Hulk’s Mr. Fixit is also on Madripoor.

Wolverine, while smoking and drinking (as he’s super kewl) is the one to posted the story of Mr. Fixit being on the island nation.  His neck wound hasn’t healed yet, from Sabretooth so the smoking isn’t great for him.

Wolverine, who was also Captain America earlier, is now pretending to be the Hulk.  I could have sworn this issue was in the Erik Larsen run of Wolverine – which I super enjoyed.  Wolverine pretends to be the Human Torch next.

Hightown, Madripoor.  An elevator opens in front of a slew of guys with guns.

Shadowcat confronts Bao Tien.

Bao Tien has helped get Viper captured, when she reached out to him for help.

Kitty and Sabretooth are working together, we’re definitely missing pages.  This is definitely the most these two have hung out together.  In Exiles, versions of these two will be on the same team but they barely spent much time together there too.

Wolverine does his best impression of Storm, Cyclops and Beast – which is odd as if someone was doing things like Beast, I would think they were just doing a claw-less Wolverine impression.  Wolverine is doing all of this, so that those who are holding Viper know that Wolverine has friends and they are going to free Mrs. Wolverine.  Wolverine has reached out to his friend, The Police Chief Tai.  Tai isn’t able to provide any help, as he wants to live to see tomorrow.  Tai offers the helpful advice that Madripoor needs a new prince at the seat of power.

Later, Wolverine smells Sabretooth and is ready to attack.

Bullpen Bulletins.  On sale July 1 –
Cable 58
Captain America : The Classic Years TPB
Captain America, Sentinel of Liberty 1
Daredevil 379
Fantastic Four 9
Ka-Zar 17
Rampaging Hulk 2
Sensational Spider-Man 31
Sunfire & Big Hero 6 1 of 3
Thor 3
Uncanny X-Men 359
X-Men The Manga 12

Wolverine sees that Sabretooth and Shadowcat are working together.  Sabretooth likes the idea of having the next leader of Madripoor being a friend of his.

Issue ends with the Hand leader, Matsuo and Hydra leader, Hydra Comrade (I guess?) are set up a trap for our heroes.

Cutting Edge, letters from – Michael Bronnenberg of Fortuna, CA / Wendy Gonzalez of San Jose, CA / James Jones of Davenport, IA / Parnell L. Fleming of Brooklyn, NY / Julian Castro of Austin, TX