X-amining Wolverine #114

"For The Snark Was A Boojum, You See!"

June 1997

In a Nutshell

Wolverine & Lady Deathstrike fight over the mysterious box while Ogun reveals himself. 

Script: Larry Hama
Pencils: Leinil Francis Yu
Inks: Edgar Tadeo
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicract's Emerson Miranda
Colors: Joe Rosas
Editor: Mark Powers

Previously, in Wolverine...

Plot
Tracking the possessed Helen, Wolverine encounters Damion Hellstorm, Son of Satan, who warns him to keep the mysterious box Wolverine received from Zoe Culloden safe. Just then, Lady Deathstrike attacks, seeking the box herself, which she claims is part of her family's legacy. At Wolverine's apartment, Storm and Phoenix open the box, and realize the importance of keeping it safe. As Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike fight, the possessed Helen reaches "her" apartment, discovering a weapons cache. Wolverine calls a truce, saying he'll give Deathstrike the box once he checks in with Zoe, and she agrees. Just then, Helen bursts into Wolverine's apartment, guns blazing, but Phoenix attacks the entity possessing her on the Astral Plane. As Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike arrive, the entity possesses Lady Deathstrike. Shifting her cybernetic features to reveal its identity — Wolverine's old sensei, Ogun — the Ogun-possessed Lady Deathstrike flees into the night. 

X-amining Sabretooth & Mystique #1-4

"Old Sins Cast Long Shadows" / "Torture" / "Willing Victims" / "Dead Ends" 

December 1996 - March 1997

In a Nutshell

Sabretooth & Mystique race AIM to get revenge on a Hydra scientist. 

Writer: Jorge Gonzales
Artist: Ariel Olivetti
Art Assists/Inks: Pier Brito (issues #1 & #4)
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Kevin Somers
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Sabretooth and Mystique break into a SHIELD helicarrier, to retrieve a mysterious capsule from inside a man's corpse, exactly where Destiny had predicted it would be found years before. Pursued by agents of AIM also after the capsule, the pair seeks refuge in Mystique's Swiss safehouse. There, Mystique reveals they can now have their revenge on the long-dead Catalyst, an agent of Hydra who captured and tortured them, along with Destiny, during their espionage days, using the capsule to destroy his Access program. Just then, they are attacked by AIM technoassassins sent by AIM's leader, the cybernetic Cypher. Sabretooth & Mystique escape, but Mystique realizes they are being tracked by Sabretooth's restraining collar, so she reluctantly removes it, but keep it with her as a failsafe. The duo proceeds to an island base of Hydra, already under attack by AIM. They split up, with Sabretooth falling into a piranha-filled moat while Mystique is ambushed after getting inside the citadel. 

X-amining X-Factor #135

"A Virtual Reality"

June 1997

In a Nutshell

X-Factor fights to keep Strong Guy out of the governments hands. 

Writer: Howard Mackie
Penciler: Jeff Matsuda
Inker: Art Thibert
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Kevin Somers
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Back at home with his family, Trevor Chase is angry Mystique can't stay with him longer, blaming X-Factor for keeping her away from him while starting up an X-Factor-themed video game. Meanwhile, Val Cooper alerts Forge that Strong Guy is being moved, and she suspects Jamie Madrox is going to try and free him from government custody, endangering his heart. Sure enough, Madrox takes out the agents transporting Strong Guy, prompting General Bowser to send in more operatives. They arrive at the same time as X-Factor. Strong Guy smashes the ground, triggering a shockwave, but his heart gives out again. As the troops prepare to fire, Polaris freezes their guns, then slows the flow of blood to their brains, knocking them out. X-Factor brings Strong Guy to Falls Edge, where Forge fits him with a makeshift pacemaker, telling him he's made arrangements with a surgeon for a more permanent solution using a device Forge has crafted. later, Mystique visits Trevor, who is a angry his game didn't go as planned. 

X-amining X-Men The Animated Series 4x05 : Proteus Part 2 - Patreon First

"Proteus Part 2"

Original Airdate

October 7 1995

Writer

Luanne Crocker

Plot

After recovering from their battle with Proteus, the X-Men chase down the villain, only to be overwhelmed by his reality-warping abilities once more. Deciding to change tactics, they seek out his father, Joseph MacTaggert, hoping to get to him before Proteus does. Their warnings fall on deaf ears, however. The next day, during a public appearance, Joseph is attacked by Proteus. The X-Men, staking out the event, attack him but with Wolverine paralyzed by fear, Proteus once again has the upper hand, but Joseph manages to escape. After visiting Joseph's house and seeing his family, Proteus attacks another public appearance. Moira threatens to use a device that will kill him, but Professor X convinces Proteus to let him into his mind, after which he convinces Proteus to stop his attack. After revealing his true form to Joseph, the pair reconcile, and Proteus returns to Muir Island with Moira to learn how to better control his powers.  

X-amining X-Man #28

"Dance With The Devil"

June 1997

In a Nutshell

Writer: Terry Kavanagh
Penciler: Roger Cruz 
Inker: Bud LaRosa
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Mike Thomas
Editor: Jaye Gardner

Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Angry with the Brotherhood for using him to retrieve cannisters of a toxic gas called Coldsnap and not swayed by Havok and Fatale's arguments that the Dark Beast of Nate's reality is helping Aurora, Nate storms off to get Aurora and leave the Brotherhood. When he wakes her up, she immediately comes on to him, only to shortly thereafter freak out at her naked form as her Jeanne-Marie personality surfaces. Reluctantly, Nate realizes Dark Beast might actually be her best chance for help, and leaves on his own. He finds Havok waiting for him at the exit of the Brotherhood's secret base. Havok once again tries to convince Nate to stay, arguing that the Brotherhood is the antithesis of the X-Men: they simply believe mutants should fight for their rights instead of for coexistence with humans. After Havok leaves, Fatale arrives, and kisses Nate. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Sebastian Shaw presides over the induction of Madelyne Pryor to the Hellfire Club, much to Selene's dismay. Back at the Brotherhood base, Nate confronts Dark Beast, threatening him should he fail to help Aurora. Then he proceeds to where the Brotherhood is keeping the containers of Coldsnap, triggering an alarm that draws Havok and Fatale. When they arrive, they discover the containers emtpy and Nate either unconscious, or dead. 

The Week That Was 030225: The 97th Oscars!

The Oscars

Hey, the Oscars were Sunday! 

This was a weird year for movies (in Oscars-terms) as the industry as a whole is still recovering from the twin blows of the pandemic and the strikes, while continuing to wage an unending battle against the encroachment of streamers (more on that below). The show itself, however, was mostly typical and mostly entertaining.