The marvelous mutants from Britannia take the hunt outside London to snare skulls of the most dangerous game — and snatch new life from the jaws of death — in the latest Excalibur. At the bidding of the sorcerous Apocalypse, Excalibur stalks genetically-engineered warwolves at the Bloodstone hunting lodge for their magical essence in the “The Unspeakable and the Uneatable, Part II” from writer Tini Howard and artists Wilton Santos and Marcus To. If Captain Britain and Excalibur fail to neutralize the last remaining warwolves before spoilsport Cullen Bloodstone springs his devious trap, it’ll be their heads on the chopping block.

Spawned in the Mojoverse, the quicksilver-skinned warwolves are Excalibur’s oldest foes, appearing in the special-edition Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn, that precluded the mutants’ original monthly series. The shapeshifting warwolves are a lupine-breed of otherworldly predators, with a disturbing capacity for speech and vampiric powers that drain prey of life. After their besting at the hands of Excalibur, the warwolves have spend years in captivity at the London Zoo, reverting during that time to a more animalistic demeanor. When Apocalypse insists on the skulls of warwolves as magical foci for an interplanar beacon to communicate across realms, Excalibur is charged with obtaining the grim spell components by whatever means necessary.

In Excalibur 7, “The Unspeakable and the Uneatable, Part I,” the strike team, including Gambit, Rogue, the druid Rictor, Jubilee, and Captain Britian, discovers the warwolves have been freed from captivity only to become the quarry in ritual bloodsport at Cullen Bloodstone’s hunting lodge outside London. Compelled to play Cullen’s callous game, Excalibur pursue the warwolves across the English countryside while Bloodstone hounds their every step.  Harvesting the grisly trophies proves daunting, as the warwolves are wily prey and loathe to concede their silvery skulls. In the latest Excalibur, “The Unspeakable and the Uneatable, Part II,” the hunting party is broken up when Cullen Bloodstone’s intentions reveal that the warwolves are not the only quarry in his fox chase.

While the mutants are successful in their objective and in their attempts to mollify Cullen Bloodstone, the gruesome bloodsport reaps unexpected rewards in the guise of a now-orphaned warwolf youngling. Sparing the fragile creature’s life out of mercy — and against the wishes of the intimidating Apocalypse — Captain Britain brings the suckling warwolf to the island refuge of Krakoa and into the care of Rachel Summers. With hopes that Rachel’s unique brand of psychic control will aid in the lone warwolf’s rearing, Captain Britain leverages her stature to force Apocalypse’s will and reflect the virtue he has called on all of Krakoa to demonstrate. In acquiescence, Apocalypse muses ominously, “Mercy is its own power. Perhaps it will suffice, at a cost.” Will the orphaned warwolf hear the call of the wild? Or will Excalibur gain a formidable ally in the wars to come? Excalibur #8 is available now at a comic shop near you.

  • Excalibur #8 Writer: Tini Howard Artist: Wilton Santos Cover Artist: Mahmud Asrar HARK! THE HUNT FOR TRUTHExcalibur emerges from the woods with a journey before them. Their destination: Starlight Citadel.

More: Warwolves of London: Excalibur’s Oldest Enemies Return

Source: Marvel