Warning: The following contains spoilers for “Sticks and Stones,” in Wolverine: Black, White & Blood, by Steven S. DeKnight, Paulo Siqueira, Oren Junior, Andres Mossa and VC’s Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
Wolverine is often known for his violent and savage nature. Sometimes, Logan will go into a berserker rage, losing control of everything except for his instincts. These occasional animalistic urges make him well-suited for the jungles of the Savage Land.
Wolverine’s first journey to the Savage Land was fairly early into his time with the X-Men. In 1978’s X-Men #114-116, by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, Marvel’s Mutants were stranded in the Savage Land following an arctic battle with Magneto. Logan and his fellow X-Men learned to survive, although the brash young Wolverine seemed a little too eager to engage in violence at times. This killer instinct became an issue when Wolverine met Sauron, who hypnotized him as soon as they engaged in battle. Ultimately, however, the X-Men worked with Ka-Zar and Sauron’s alter-ego, Karl Lykos, to stop Garokk, the Petrified Man.
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Even though the Savage Land is theoretically a location shared by all of Marvel’s heroes, Wolverine and the X-Men have returned to the Savage Land enough times to make it seem like the exclusive domain of Marvel’s mutants. Another notable trip to the Savage Land occurred in 1993’s Wolverine #69-71, by Larry Hama and Dwayne Turner. At this point, Logan had matured a bit, leading his own team of Rogue and Jubilee into the Savage Land. The X-Men were to investigate the mutates on the Savage Land and report back to Professor X. Once there, Logan fought Sauron again, while his fellow X-Men also encountered Lykos’ mutates. Wolverine saved the people of the Savage Land and even spared Sauron, an act that was unthinkable a few years prior.
One of Wolverine’s most memorable adventures in the Savage Land came in 2005’s New Avengers #5-6, by Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch. After Lykos escaped prison, Logan tracked him to the Savage Land, where he also encountered the New Avengers. Once Sauron and his forces were beaten, Wolverine joined Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, a move that would last for years to come. In Secret Invasion #1, by Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu, Logan joined his fellow Avengers on another journey to the Savage Land. There, they tangled with a group of Skrull imposters from a bygone era.
Wolverine didn’t just go to the Savage Land with the X-Men and the Avengers, however. In 2013’s Savage Wolverine #1-5, by Frank Cho, Logan teamed up with Shanna the She-Devil. The two worked together to destroy an alien being called the Dark Walker, who had trapped them in the Savage Land. Wolverine slashed his way through dinosaurs, ancient felines, tribesmen of the Savage Land and even the Hulk, just to send this being home.
By the time Wolverine made his next major trip to the Savage Land, in 2013’s Wolverine & the X-Men #25-28, by Jason Aaron and Ramon Perez, he’d fully matured. Logan took his students from the Jean Grey School to the Savage Land so he could teach them basic survival. Along the way, Wolverine fought his brother, Dog. The ensuing battle taught Logan’s students not just how to survive, but how to be heroes.
This lengthy history with the Savage Land was encapsulated in the untold tale, “Sticks and Stones,” part of Wolverine, Black White & Blood #4, by Steven S. DeKnight and Paulo Siqueira. Just like his first trip to the Savage Land, Logan fought Sauron, before teaming up against Garrok. Of course, at the end of the story, Wolverine and Sauron attacked each other again. Ultimately, Wolverine is very well-suited for the Savage Land. At face value, this hidden land embodies Wolverine’s personality. The sheer simplicity of the Savage Land allows Logan to hunt, feed and live in nature. It’s not hard to find something to fight or kill in the Savage Land, either. Wolverine is a survivor, and the Savage Land is the perfect place for survivors to thrive.
Over time, the Savage Land has also been a marker for how far Wolverine has come. Logan first came to the Savage Land as a wild, uncontrollable loner. Yet, over the course of several years, Wolverine returned to the Savage Land as a leader, an Avenger, a teacher and overall, a hero. Logan has gone through so much during his comic book history, and the Savage Land serves as a benchmark for all of the big changes in his life. Throughout his journey, Wolverine has become a better man. Even so, Wolverine is the best there is at what he does. Whenever Logan needs to get some fresh air or find something to hunt, he’ll always have a place in the Savage Land.
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