ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Sabretooth,’ Issue #5

As Sabretooth and the other Pit occupants slowly recruit sympathizers on the surface of Krakoa, seeding unrest and chaos, Sabretooth makes a deal behind everyone’s back. As a result, Cypher and Krakoa do the unthinkable—release Sabretooth. So with newfound freedom, what’s Sabretooth’s next move? Sabretooth #5 is written by Victor LaValle and published by Marvel Comics, with art by Leonard Kirk, colors by Rain Beredo, and letters by VC’s Cory Petit.

Sabretooth #5 doesn’t do much to end things but instead introduces the next chapter in Sabretooth’s new “freedom.” While I can’t convey specifics because that would lead to spoilers, I can say that LaValle takes an interesting turn with Sabretooth and gives us a nice dose of foreshadowing that’s intriguing enough to get you to buy the next book.

But as it stands on its own, this issue is a bit lackluster. There’s no big wrap-up, character development, or revelation besides the foreshadowing. There are just a whole lot of new questions that are obviously meant to funnel readers directly into the next chapter. It’s a whole lot of setup and moving characters around for what’s to come (and what’s to come looks to be pretty big). While personally, what’s foreshadowed makes up for much of this, it’s nevertheless an issue that feels off due to its pacing and the sudden inclusion of new characters. These additions are a by-product of Hellions. But while it makes sense, their introduction feels off-handed and lends even more to the feeling that it’s all just a setup for the next chapter.

Despite the off-ness in the story, there’s still entertainment to be had between the dialogue and art. Sabretooth’s snark, Nekra’s hot-headedness, Cypher’s ire, and the peculiarities of the new additions to the character roster all make Sabretooth #5 a fun read. The new characters are unsurprisingly an odd bunch, injecting just enough quirkiness without being over-the-top. And the art injects even more life into the issue.

Kirk has been with this series from start to finish, so the excellent art shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone at this point. With expressive faces and fun action sequences, Kirk marries the art with the dialogue excellently. And with the character lineup getting even more extensive, Kirk handles each of their likenesses expertly (not to mention, Doug’s living suitcase is pretty cute). Likewise, Petit’s colors bring a sense of time and place to the art, with the Pit taking on a darker, more muted palette than Karkoa’s surface.

With the dialogue often bouncing between Sabretooth’s inner monologue and spoken word, the use of different speech bubble shapes keeps the dialogue easy to follow. Petit’s letters never clutter the panels or distract from the artwork.

Sabretooth #5’s purpose is obviously to set up the next chapter for Sabretooth and the other exiles from the Pit, which certainly makes this issue feel rushed at times. Nevertheless, it still provides some entertainment even if filled with many more questions than answers. If anything, the ending will definitely have you excited for what comes next.

Sabretooth #5 will be available on July 6, wherever comics are sold.