Issue(s): Power Man & Iron Fist #78
Cover Date: Feb 82
Title: "Slasher"
Credits:
Mary Jo Duffy - Writer
Kerry Gammill - Penciler
Ricardo Villamonte - Inker
Denny O'Neil - Editor

Review/plot:
This issue was reprinted in the Sabretooth Classics series. That helps, because otherwise you might not know that the villain of this issue is, in fact, Sabretooth, and that his friend, who wants him to stop going out and killing random people, is the Constrictor in civilian clothes and referred to only as "Frank". Sabretooth is always shown in shadows or with his face covered by a burlap mask.

The MCP doesn't even list Sabretooth as appearing in this issue. Sabretooth's killing sprees are depicted as a psychological addiction that costs him and the Constrictor a paying job.

They get run out of town by Power Man & Iron Fist with the help of Colleen Wing, Misty Knight, and El Aguila.

There's a pretty graphic near-rape scene in this issue (not directly related to the Sabretooth/Slasher plot), broken up by Cage & Fist.

Also in this issue, Harmony Young moves in with Misty Knight (now that Jean Grey is dead and Misty needs a roommate). And while investigating Sabretooth's slasher spree, Luke runs into his old girlfriend Claire Temple, now a doctor at the hospital one of the victims was brought to.

Later, Harmony catches Luke and Claire having a 'moment'.

Very interesting to have a story featuring established super-villains that never wear costumes or are even named.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Luke and Danny last saw El Aguila in Power Man & Iron Fist #66.
  
• Claire left Luke in Power Man #50.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Sabretooth Classic #2

It's weird that MCP wouldn't list Sabretooth; the Marvel Universe Handbook(an early version) clearly says he was also called the Slasher.

another of many cases where supervillains seem to fight the heroes better when they are out of costume. el aguila couldnt figure out why his electro-blasts didnt hurt "frank". villains should fight out of costume more often as heroes dont know what to expect.

I like how Sabretooth is obvious buddies with the Constrictor. Not only are they on a first name basis, but he takes a lot of guff from him too, even apologizing. Not behavior you'd expect from him if you only knew him from the X-Men comics. I like it. I wonder if there was ever a reunion later on?

However, as enjoyable as these issues are, there is definitely something lacking. When Claremont wrote Sabretooth, there was something very visceral and exciting about the character. Here he is just ordinary, not very intriguing or dangerous.

He was like that in all his early appearances. It's hard to reconcile the two versions as the same character.
Sabre tooth ends up being beaten up by Black Cat later, and there's no hint he has a healing factor, as he ended up in a hospital for pretty minor injuries.
He was hardly as interesting.

Closest to a Constrictor / Sabretooth reunion was in the Sabretooth solo arc at the end of the Weapon X series. They played poker with some other villains. IIRC Constrictor gives Creed some sass and he responds by saying something along the lines of if they didn't go way back he'd gut him for that remark.

I found the mystery absorbing. Duffy and Gammill were a great team on this title.

One of the letters responding to the issue guessed the pair were Frankenstein and the Wolfman. The solution fits so neatly!

Are we to suppose El Aguila's blast failed because Constrictor was wearing his costume under his clothes, and it protected him? I don't know why it would not have otherwise.