Marvel Team Up 150: Wound for Wound
This is the story of what Wolverine was doing during issue 189 when he set himself to avenging James MacDonald Hudson’s death. It replaces the original MTU 150 (which was the last issue of that book’s original run) which also guest starred the X-Men in a story so stupid that not only will I nut summarize it I won’t even link to a summary – if you want to read about the original you’re on your own. Since this is the last issue of one of his titles, I’m giving Mr. Parker a more unambiguous win than he normally gets.
The cover art is Wolverine and Spider-Man fighting off a wall of malevolent greenery. In the lower left-hand corner is a guest star circle with a head shot of a handsome man in khakis and the legend “Special Guest Star: Alan Rabinowitz!”
We don’t actually have an issue here, just an outline of what has to happen. This occurs during the events of GLF X-Men 189
Wolverine has been working his way up the Roxxon food chain trying to find the person who signed off Jerry Jaxon’s revenge plot against Jimmy Hudson. We watch him scare the bajeezeus out of one more hapless, soulless middle manager before he gets a name: Martin Cannon. Mr. Cannon was just named VP of Ecological Development and sent down to Belize. Logan scares his victim against making any sort of warning to Cannon and books a flight to Belize.
On the other side of Manhattan Peter Parker gets an early morning assignment from Jameson – nothing so dangerous as those trips to the Savage Land, just a jaunt down to Belize to provide photos for a profile on Alan Rabinowitz that the Bugle Science Reporter, Lara Corey. Rabinowitz is a native New Yorker, a biologist studying jaguars in Central America and has just started petitioning the Belize government for the development of a permanent Jaguar sanctuary. That sanctuary would place large swaths of Belize’s rainforest off limits for development. The pair get on the next fight to Belize.
On the plane Wolverine catches Parker’s scent and connects it to Spider Man. Since Wolverine is no threat to Parker the youth doesn’t get a comparable warning buzz, but he his instincts make him realize that the guy in seat 4C is dangerous.
In Belize Parker listens to the first half of the interview with Rabinowitz and is able to show off his general science chops to Corey and Rabinowitz. He also gets a tingle on his Spider Sense and is able to disrupt an sniper’s assassination attempt without his companions being any the wiser. Parker decides to keep an eye on Rabinowitz that night in case there’s another attempt, blowing off an obvious attempt at seduction from the lovely Ms. Corey.
Wolverine spends the day tracking down Cannon, finding him at the Brand facility. Said facility is absurdly well defended and contains apartments for the employees. Wolverine breaks into the facility to learn exactly what was going on. Cannon is in charge of the site, and is supposed to be overseeing Brand’s attempts to maximize the profit potential of the rainforest: first by sending in teams of techs to pull out all the native plant species for potential pharmaceutical and mutagenic use, then to strip the land bare for the wood’s value, then dig into the land for any mineral wealth. Not surprisingly Rabinowitz’ work will get in the way with the latter stages of the plan
Cannon was sent here because the sites first administrator, Hector Jose Alvarez, was too focused on the first phase of the project, claiming that he was finding plenty of valuable materials in the native fauna. Making use of his keen sense of irony Cannon made Amaro the subject of a test of said materials, mutating him into a new brand superhuman operative with enhanced durability, strength and various plant powers. Since Alvarez was also a skilled martial artist Cannon dubbed him Green Belt. When Cannon learns that the assassination attempt on Rabinowitz failed because of those peasy new York journalists he sends Green Belt, under the control of a Brand implant, to finish the job. Wolverine hears this and, after weighing getting Cannon now vs. helping Spider Man he opts for the latter, not wanting to risk any innocents dying – and wanting to give Cannon a little time to stew.
Parker, now as Spider-Man, has staked out Rabinowitz’s rooms and is there when Green Belt arrives. The battle is furious, but while Green Belt is able to assume an algae consistency to escape from Sider Man’s webs the wall crawler doesn’t have the same ability to free himself from Green Belt’s animated plants. Wolverine’s arrival in the battle makes the difference and the two super-heroes are able to defeat Green Belt and rescue Rabinowitz. The plant man turns into algae and dives into the sewers to escape.
Wolverine fills Spider-Man in on what he knows – including the fact that Cannon would have back up assassins to finish the job tonight before Rabinowitz can speak to the Belize government tomorrow – and Spider-Man has enough experience with Brand to find it all too plausible. The heroes decide that Rabinowitz is safest with them as they head back to the Brand base to finish things.
Rabinowitz stays with Spider Man but is separated from him when Green Belt attacks again, but knowing what’s going on Parker is able to deduce the frequency of the control device and counter it with a modified spider-tracer. Freed from Cannon’s control Alvarez turns his attentions to the Brand site, seeking to cover it with the jungle. Parker moves quickly to get into the computer center to salvage some hard evidence as the jungle rolls over everything.
Wolverine, meanwhile, has cut his way through Cannon’s now increased defenses, leaving battered and bloodied armored goons in his wake. He eventually locates Cannon, who has managed to find and corner Rabinowitz in the increasingly verdant site. Cannon is taunting Rabinowitz, saying that he’ll kill the scientist here, the jungle will consume the body and his plan of preserving the rainforest and the jaguars will vanish. Brand will regroup, move back in and continue, just as planned. Wolverine dives in the way, taking the bullet meant for the New York scientist, then pulls himself up to his feet and starts his pursuit as Cannon flees. The bullet slows Wolverine down and he isn’t able to find Cannon before the latter has made it deeper into the jungle, taking a sniper’s position. Cannon fires three or four times, hitting the mutant at least twice more (once bounces harmlessly off his skull, the other does more damage). Cannon takes aim to finish off Logan with a final shot when he is brought down by a jaguar.*
[*ED: you had to see that coming.]
Wolverine sees the great cat kill Cannon and looks down over the body. It’s a death, but it’s not enough. He brings the body back to the site, where every structure is gone, consumed by Green Belt’s rage. He finds Rabinowitz and Spider Man and the three return to the city. Spider-Man reveals that he was able to snag several hard drives from the base since Cannon wasn’t able to set off his self-destruct, and Rabinowitz is able to present those to the government the next day along with his request for the Jaguar sanctuary.
Not only is that granted but the Brand corporation is barred from operating in the company any longer. Parker is even able to give Corey a big scoop for the Daily Bugle that will give Brand a black eye in the states, with some photos to match. Rabinowitz is grated his jaguar sanctuary, and he also reports that Green Belt has been in contact with him, pledging himself to be the protector of Belize and her rain forests. Again, Wolverine reflects that he got some measure of vengeance it still doesn’t sit right. But a wound was inflicted. That will have to be enough.
