At some point after Sukharov's death Volk was used as a test subject in a KGB experiment. His DNA was combined with DNA of a wolf. After the experiment he was able to transform into a werewolf-like creature at will.

  After the fall of the Soviet Union Volk became a mercenary, who only took jobs that really challenged him.

(Wolverine '97 Annual) - Volk was hired by a member of Operation: Zero Tolerance to kill Wolverine.

  Volk found Wolverine at Bull Hosek's bar and told him that he was hired to kill Wolverine. They fought for some time and Volk became more ferocious the longer the fight lasted. Wolverine had him on the ground, but didn't finish the job when he had the chance to kill him. Volk kicked him away and than sliced open the throat of Bull Hosek, who wanted to help Wolverine with a shotgun. Wolverine was now mad and attacked Volk again, but Volk wanted it that way. Wolverine stopped because he didn't want to play Volk's game anymore. Angered Volk jumped through the window and told Wolverine that he would now take away the gift he once gave to Wolverine.

  Volk went to Viktoria Suhkarov's suite at the Baltimore Hotel and waited there for her. Viktoria tried to shoot Volk when she saw him sitting in her suite, but Volk avoided the bullet. Volk was too tough to be knocked out by Viktoria's attacks and easily knocked her out. Volk kidnapped her and then called at Viktoria's room when Wolverine arrived to tell him that Wolverine could get Viktoria back again if he fought Volk one more time at the bridge in Siberia where Viktoria's father was killed.

  Over two days later Volk waited with Viktoria at the bridge until Wolverine arrived. He threatened Viktoria with a gun, but dropped it and Viktoria when Wolverine showed up to fight. During the fight Volk turned into his Werewolf-like form, but he continued to mutate further as the fight went on. Viktoria shot Volk, but the pain only made him angrier and more ferocious. The fight continued and Volk mutated even further until he was nothing more than a wolf. Volk's attacks stopped and Wolverine understood that Volk now had what he wanted. Wolverine stopped Viktoria from shooting the wolf and the wolf left ran into the woods. Afterwards Wolverine explained to Viktoria that it was Volk's plan all along to become a wolf to escape his human life once and for all.

Comments: Created by John Ostrander, Joe Edkin (both writers), Leonardo Manco (artist).

Volk is Russian and means Wolf.

The reference to the Soviet Union in this story works fine because Viktoria was still a child in that story and everyone else involved in the flashback was either dead, a slow aging mutant or a mutated werewolf-like assassin.

I rarely say something positive (about anything), but this Annual was IMO a good read.

Profile by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Volk has no known connection to:

• Dr. Volkh, of the Bogatyr @ Avengers West Coast#87
• Volkhvy, Slorenian Supreme Commander @ Force Works#5
• Volkon, son of Metoxo & Kratar @ Marvel Holiday Special 1994A
• any other character with a similar name

Dimitri & Viktoria Suhkarov have no known connection to:

• any other character with a similar name

Dimitri Suhkarov

Dimitri was a nuclear arms designer in the Soviet Union (topical). One night he tried to escape with his daughter Viktoria from Siberia. Wolverine was sent to help them, but the Soviet military and KGB agent Volk were after them and Wolverine couldn't stop them all from reaching Suhkarov. Before he could cross the a bridge across the Jensei River Dimitri was shot in the back by Volk and died.

--Wolverine '97 Annual (fb)

Viktoria Suhkarov

(Wolverine '97 Annual (fb) ) - When she was still young her father tried to escape with her from the Soviet Union with the help of Wolverine, but Volk killed her father before she could cross the Jensei River with him. Because Wolverine was a worthy opponent Volk let Viktoria live and leave the country with Wolverine.

(Wolverine '97 Annual (fb) - BTS) - She became part of the Canadian Secret Service and "Xavier's Underground".

(Wolverine '97 Annual) - Viktoria met with Wolverine at the Statue of Liberty in NYC. She thought it wasn't save to speak in the public and met Wolverine again in private at her suite at the Baltimore Hotel. Wolverine knew immediately that she was after Volk again and she gave him a file on Volk's and told Wolverine everything she knew about Volk's activities over the years including that he was hired recently to kill Wolverine. Wolverine wanted to know why she didn't just sent him the file and Vik told him that she wanted to be there when Wolverine killed Volk, but Wolverine didn't want her to get killed. She got angry and tossed the file against the door after Wolverine had left.

  That night Viktoria returned to her room with Volk waiting for her inside. She tried her best to take him down, but Volk was too tough and knocked her out and kidnapped her.

  Viktoria was brought to the stone bridge in Siberia where her father was killed. During Volk's fight with Wolverine Viktoria shot Volk, but the wound just made him angrier. The fight was over when Volk had transformed into a wolf and Wolverine stopped Vik from shooting the wolf. The wolf ran away, but Vik couldn't forget what Volk did to her father and swore that she would hunt him down.

--Wolverine '97 Annual (fb) (Wolverine '97 Annual (fb), Wolverine '97 Annual

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Wolverine '97 Annual, p31, pan5 (main image)