November 1996 - February 1997
In a Nutshell
In a Nutshell
Bishop and Shard's pasts revealed!
Writer: John Ostrander
Penciler: Chris Gardner,
Inkers: Terry Austin & Tom Palmer
Writer: John Ostrander
Penciler: Chris Gardner,
Inkers: Terry Austin & Tom Palmer
Art: Deodator Studios / Mozart Cuto (issues #2-4)
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Derek Bellman, Shannon Blanchard (issues #3-4)
Enhancements: Graphic Color Works, Malibu (issue #3)
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras
Plot
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras
Having accepted the holographic Shard as his sister, Bishop invites her to the X-Mansion in an effort to convince her to join X-Men. Shard is reluctant, not wanting to be seen only as Bishop's little sister. Bishop uses the Danger Room's holographic capabilities to explore the siblings' past. They revisit their harsh childhood and eventual recruitment into the XSE, where they are attacked by a group of Emplates during a training mission. Bishop's actions during that attack lead to him becoming a full XSE officer; a year later, Shard graduates as well. Years later, Bishop is made a squad commander and makes the unconventional choice to appoint Malcolm and Randall - two underpowered mutants who don't really like each other - to his squad. Ultimately, the team bonds during an attack on Harmony Base, a colony in which humans and mutants live together. Meanwhile, the ambitious Shard rises through the XSE ranks, becoming Bishop's superior officer while helping develop new holographic technology. When Bishop participates in a field test of the new technology and proves it doesn't work, he tries to mend things with Shard by giving her a tip he received from the captive Fitzroy about the location of the anti-human Exhumes' base. However, all Shard finds at the base is a pack of Emplates, and her squad is overwhelmed, with Shard herself infected. When Bishop arrived on the scene, Shard begs him to kill her before she becomes an Emplate. Instead, he takes her to the Witness where, in exchange for a year of Bishop's service, Shard's memories are downloaded into a holographic projector to preserve her existence. Back at the X-Mansion, Shard is touched to realize how much Bishop sacrificed for her, and agrees to stay with him among the X-Men, but in the course of their reminiscences, Bishop has come to realize she needs to build her own life with X-Factor.