Wolverine (2nd series) #79

Issue Date: 
March 1994
Story Title: 
Cyber! Cyber! Burning Bright!
Staff: 

Larry Hama (script), Adam Kubert (penciler & cover), Mark Farmer & Mike Sellers (inkers), Pat Brosseau (lettering), Steve Buccellato (coloring), Bob Harras (editor), Tom DeFalco (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description: 

In Scotland, Logan is attempting to cash a check. However, the banks won’t allow him to do so without proper identification. Just then, a mystery woman shows up by the name of Zoe Culloden. She shows Logan that the authorities are looking for a large man with adamantium arms, whom immediately recognizes as Cyber. Zoe then takes him to the offices of Landau, Luckman and Lake. There, she accuses Logan of killing her mentor, Mr. Chang. Logan flings a sword at her and tells her to analyze the blood from it. She will find out who killed Chang from it. In another area, Cyber concocts a plan to use death watch beetles to eat Logan’s flesh and then he can sell his adamantium. Cyber soon finds Logan and proceeds to attack him. During the battle, Cyber is able to snap the bone claws on Logan’s right hand in half. However, before he can finish off Logan, Zoe drops a filing cabinet on top of Cyber, crushing him. She then grabs Logan and they leave the building. Once in her car, she asks Logan where they are going. Logan tells her to head out to the coast, Muir Island.

Full Summary: 

In a bank on Highmarket Street in Edinburgh, Scotland, three guards in haz-mat gear have their rifles pointed at Logan. He tells them that all he wanted to do was to make a withdrawal, ain’t they carryin’ this frugal bit a little too far? One of the guards informs him that they are Special Air Service; he best not be makin’ light with them. Another mentions that he’s a bloody cheeky terrorist hairball he is. Still another says that he thinks they’re bloody jocks, ‘e does.

Just then, a lady dressed in combat gear and with her eyes covered, tells the guards to get back on the street and be on the watch for a great hulking laddie with metal all up his arms, the man they have their guns pointed out is nae the man they want. When one of the guards asks her who she is, the lady replies Zoe Culloden. Pulling out a laundry list of ID cards, she tells them to read the middle card and dinnae say the ministry’s name aloud. Upon doing so, the guard informs his compatriots to fall out, they’ve been superseded.

With the guards gone, Logan asks if he can get his check cashed or what. Zoe tells him that he cannae cash the cheque withoot some more substantial identification since the very reason the S.A.S. was there was because a certain gentleman claimin’ to be one Mr. Logan, Esq. NMI, NGN, attempted to empty the account. He then subsequently inflict severe and grievous damage to the premises.

Surveying the ripped apart vault, Zoe says to Logan that she cannae think of anything that could wreak such havoc with a steel vault door other than adamantium, can he. Logan asks her how did she know it wasn’t him. Zoe replies because she dinnae rate a “darlin.” Logan tells her not on the first date. Zoe adds that she ran a scan on him and he dinnae hae’ any background traces of adamantium at all. That cannae be. It’s as if some unimaginable force had drawn all the composite metals and salts out of him. Logan tells her that it is a long story.

When Logan then asks how does she know it wasn’t him, Zoe informs him bank surveillance camera. When she pulls up the computer enhanced playback, Logan recognizes the man on the screen as Cyber. He’d been wondering where that ol’ polecat had got himself off to, now about his check. Zoe tells him that he may not be the imposter who did the damage, but he hae nae proven himself to be the real Mr. Logan. Popping a single bone claw, Logan asks how’s that for starters.

At the Edinburgh University department of anatomy, the professor informs the man before him that he’s afraid that is quite impossible. They can’t be trotting out the relic fore every tourist with a penchant for the macabre or they’d be doing nothing but that. He tells the man to come back after the one-o-clock gun and take the regular tour. The man, Cyber, replies by grabbing him by the neck and lifting him high over his head. As he does he tells him that maybe he didn’t hear him right, he shows the bones, or he’ll show him his. The professor tells him that he can see that a research dispensation is in order there.

Leading Cyber into a room, the professor asks that he is working on a masters thesis. He can tell he’s a scholar by the sagacious glint of erudition in his eyes. Cyber tells him that he’s been studyin’ all right. You might say he soaked up enough enlightenment to blow a dozen minds. The professor then shows him the William Burke relic. As he lifts open the coffin, he mentions that it’s rather fitting, seeing as how William Burke and his associate William Hare earned their niche in history by strangling sixteen people and selling the bodies to the medical college for dissections. With a wild look in his eyes, Cyber tells him that he knows the story, he can almost hear old Burke talkin’.

In his mind, he hears Burke saying that this ‘un went a bit rrripe, cannae do naught but strrrrip it down to the skelington and shellac it for a bonny display. Hare asks Mr. Silas Burr what he says. He asks if he’s seen the death watch beetles at worrrrk. The skeleton, wearing the tatters of Wolverine’s yellow and blue costume says that he just showed up in Edinburgh, just like he figgered he would. Can’t he track his brain pattern? Why go after his money, when he can have his adamantium skeleton. Cyber replies yeah, he has adamantium skin, but ol’ you-know-who as got an adamantium skeleton. He can have both, yeah, he can. Since he knows how it can be done. The professor, puzzled, asks who he is talking to. Cyber tells him ghosts, little man, ghosts.

In the bank, Logan asks Zoe if she’s satisfied. He then says to her what is it to her anyhow. If she’s not a government agent, all she needs to know is that he’s not the joker who peeled the safe. Zoe tells him that she is a consultant to the ministry. She has a varied clientele and she is empowered to release his funds at her own discretion upon positive identity verification. She then asks him to step this way, she has one more test.

Before long, they are heading up a flight of steps. Logan asks what is she, head o’ security? Zoe tells him that she doesn’t work for the bank; she’s an agent of a firm that has diverse interests in far-flung corners of the globe. The firm that administers the trust that pays dividends into his account at the bank downstairs. When they reach an office door, Logan recognizes it as belonging to Landau, Luckman and Lake. He mentions that she works for them – figures. She’s their type, same as him. He then tells her to tell him something, what happened to her Scots burr? Zoe replies that she can adapt her speech to her environment. It is a handy talent in one who is employed by a firm with such geographically scattered interests, a talent that was nurtured in her by her mentor in the company, Mr. Chang.

With that, she brings down a sword-strike against Logan, who blocks it with the sword he is carrying. As they begin to do battle by way of sword, Logan asks her that she worked for old man Chang. Zoe tells him that Chang rescued her from a horrible orphanage in Bucharest. He named her for an empress and a battle. When she is able to knock Logan backwards, she tells him that she wants to know how he came to his end in Madripoor, drained of blood and crushed by a collapsed building.

As their battle continues, items in the office are knocked around. Some of those items include a picture of a younger Mr. Chang and Logan, a Logan database, a Project X file, Wolverine press cuttings, Logan Canadian records, Logan Spanish Civil War records, Patch Madripoor news clippings, and an article from June 1944 when Canadian troops entered France.

Out on Princes Street, Cyber walks down the street and is annoyed with all of the foreigners around. He is also gettin’ sick o’ traipsin’ around the world, followin’ his money, waitin’ for him to show up. Just then, Cyber gets a telepathic feeling of where Logan is. Before he can react on it, a jeep approaches him and attempts to run him down. Before long, Cyber trashes the jeep and tells them that he doesn’t have time to mess with them, he has an appointment over on Highmarket Street.

In the offices of Landau, Luckman and Lake, Logan continues to defend himself against Zoe. As he does, he asks her if she thinks he did in old man Chang. Zoe says didn’t he? Inspector Tai of the Madripoor constabulary had his suspicions. Logan is able to knock Zoe backwards and tells her that Tai suspects everybody, that’s why he’s still runnin’ the cop show in low town. He then takes his sword and flings it at her, sticking it into the wall mere inches from her head. He tells her that he’s not playing games with her anymore and tells her to use her hi-tech wrist doo-dad to run a spectro-graphic analysis of the blood on the sword. Then, she can polish it up and return it to him with an apology.

At that moment, Cyber rips open the door and tells Logan that he figures he’s the one who’s got an apology coming. He tells Logan that he wants him to say he’s sorry. Logan replies that he wouldn’t apologize to him if he ran over his mother with a cement truck. With that, he lunges himself at Cyber, knocking him backwards. At the last second, Cyber grabs a hold of a set of stairs and hold himself steady with one arm. He then tells Logan that he ain’t no coyote, he don’t take no unnecessary falls. Logan begins to climb up Cyber’s back and responds that he’s ain’t no cute and lovable roadrunner. Cyber admits that’s a fact, and that he is really building up some heavy bad karma with him. In fact, he has pushed him over the edge into bad karma overload.

As Cyber attempts to pull himself up on the stairs, Logan stands above him and says to him that he guesses he can’t lower himself in his opinion by smacking him with a piece of wood. Cyber tells him that it ain’t nothing but fly-swats on adamantium-laced skin, he’s just wasting energy. Logan informs him that he’s getting’ a certain degree o’ satisfaction.

Inside the offices of Landau, Luckman, and Lake, Zoe runs the scan on the sword that Logan tossed at her. Back on the stairs, Cyber continues to stalk Logan. As he does he asks Logan what it’s gonna be. Does he want the claws full of poison, or the claws full of hallucinogens? Logan challenges him that talk is cheap, let’s throw down. Cyber replies by charging Logan and tackling him. Within moments, they continue to tumble and descend down the many flights of stairs until the reach the hard ground below.

Once they reach the ground Cyber informs Logan that just for that, he ain’t about to let him off lightly with either set of claws. No, he’s going to feed him alive to the death watch beetles. Then, he’s going to sell his famous skeleton to some old buddies of his. Logan pops his claws and tells Cyber that he wouldn’t hold his breath about gettin’ too good a price, the goods have depreciated some. Cyber exclaims that his claws are bone and asks what happened to the…

Somewhere, off in the distance, a cannon is fired. Cyber turns and questions it and that gives Logan the opportunity to slash Cyber across the face with his claws. As he does he tells him that it’s time to get his face ripped off. Cyber is able to grab his arm and tells Logan that a mug like his don’t come off so easy. He then adds that he knows what they say, beauty’s only skin deep but ugly goes to the bone. With that, he slams Logan to the ground and pins his right arm beneath it. He then brings his other foot down hard on Logan’s claws, breaking them in half. When he does, Logan screams in pain. Cyber laughs at the sight and tells him that he is a funny sight, crabbing around, howling in pain like one of them cartoons. Now, all they need is for a safe to fall down on top of… No sooner does he say that, as does a filing cabinet falls on top of him, crushing Cyber beneath.

From up above, says that she didn’t have a safe so she had to make do with a filing cabinet. Carrying the sword, she tells Logan that there are some interesting blood stains on the sword. Was it some sort of living vampire that killed Chang? Did he kill it? Logan picks himself up off the ground and says that’s three more questions than he feels like answerin’ right then and now he has some unfinished business with the slime that’s oozin’ out from under the cabinet. Zoe grabs him and tells him there’s no time for that; they have to make themselves scarce.

As they exit the building, some military troops ask Zoe if some big bloke in a metal jumper came through there. Zoe tells them that they’ll find him filed under “C.” As they enter Zoe’s car, Zoe asks Logan where they’re going. Logan tells her north west, to the coast, to Muir Island.

Characters Involved: 

Wolverine/Logan

Zoe Culloden

Cyber

Various guards and employees at a bank in Scotland (all unnamed)

Professor at Edinburgh University (unnamed)

Various visitors to Scotland (all unnamed)

Various military personnel (all unnamed)

In Cyber’s delusions:

William Burke

William Hare

In pictures:

Logan and a young Mr. Chang

Story Notes: 

Wolverine last faced Cyber back in Marvel Comics Presents (1st series) #85-92.

This issue explains how Cyber’s mental powers came to fruition. It was after he was dumped in the vat of hallucinogens back in Marvel Comics Presents (1st series) #92.

Landau, Luckman, and Lake were first mentioned in Wolverine (2nd series) #5.

Mr. Chang was attacked by Roughhouse and Bloodscream back in Wolverine (2nd series) #5. The building was brought down by Roughhouse’s brute strength and Bloodscream proceeded to drain him of his blood.

Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner are famous characters from Warner Brothers. They are antagonists to each other with the Coyote constantly chasing the Roadrunner.

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