X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #55

"Invasion"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

The combined might of the Avengers, Fantastic Four & X-Men face off against Onslaught's Sentinels!

Story: Mark Waid
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inks: Dan Panosian
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Joe Rosas

Separations: Malibu
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot

As Onslaught's Sentinels descend on Manhattan, the X-Men & Avengers gather with the Fantastic Four on the rooftop of Four Freedoms Plaza, watching as chaos engulfs the city. Joined by Rogue, Gambit & Joseph, Captain America leads the heroes off to help the city and rescue Franklin Richards. Meanwhile, Onslaught tries to harness the captive Franklin's powers. Elsewhere, the Blackbird races back to New York, carrying Cyclops, Phoenix, Archangel & Psylocke, as well as the information from the Xavier Protocols which will hopefully help defeat Onslaught. At Four Freedoms Plaza, Reed Richards, Hank Pym and Iron Man attempt to come up with a way to counter Onslaught's powers. As the heroes continue their fights against the Sentinels, a massive citadel suddenly appears in Central Park, the result of Onslaught manipulating Franklin's powers. From atop the citadel, he declares the day marks the ultimate ascendance of the mutant race, then triggers a massive electro-magnetic pulse which sends the Blackbird crashing and leaves the heroes at Onslaught's mercy. Elsewhere, Ozymandias finds himself carving a statute of Onslaught, not as he is, but as he will be, while standing atop the ashes of the world. 

X-amining X-Force #57

"In the Company of Stranger Part 2: The Best Laid Plans"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

X-Force & X-Man battle Mister Sinister! 

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Penciler: Anthony Castrillo
Inker: Mark Morales
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Marie Javins
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

As Mister Sinister takes control of Nate Grey's mind, he is attacked by Caliban, attacking savagely in response to a subconscious trigger implanted in him by Apocalypse. Taking advantage of the ensuing opening, Domino triggers the self-destruction of Cable's armory, creating a massive explosion that puts some distance between X-Force, Nate and Sinister. Meanwhile, Warpath & Risque arrive at the mansion. As Meltdown comforts Caliban, distraught at having lost control, Nate attempts to draw knowledge of the Askani from Sunspot's mind in order to gain control over his powers, but this results in an energy backlash which takes the form of Blaquesmith. Elsewhere, Sinister comes across Siryn, and nearly kills her, but Shatterstar intervenes. When Sinister knocks him aside, Warpath & Risque attack, and Sinister is shocked to realize he has no idea who Risque is. During their fight, Nate tries to use his powers to read Sinister's thoughts, but Sinister redirects the attack, knocking everyone else out. He then departs with the unconscious Nate Grey. 

X-amining X-Man #18

"In the Company of Stranger"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

Mister Sinister seeks out Nate Grey, who is being guarded by X-Force. 

Writer: Terry Kavanagh
Penciler: Steve Skroce
Inker: Bud LaRosa & Rob Hunter
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Mike Thomas
Editor: Jaye Gardner

Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

In Egypt, Mister Sinister checks Apocalypse's tomb, confirming Apocalypse has returned. At the Xavier Institute, X-Force tries to determine their next move in the wake of Onslaught's attack. Nate Grey, staying with the team in the event that Onslaught tries to capture him, is impressed by their camaraderie, even as he worries about the girl he left behind. Meanwhile, Threnody is attacked at a church in Manhattan by the Marauders; she defeats them, but is then confronted by Sinister himself. Later, Sinister arrives at the X-Mansion, seeking Nate. He easily sidesteps the mansion's defenses and fights his way past X-Force, until only Domino & Nate are left standing. Sinister greets Nate, saying he may well be responsible for Onslaught's very existence. Nate attacks the counterpart to the man who killed Forge in Nate's reality but Sinister, who says he's studied Nate's abilities for the last week, takes control of his mind, putting Nate's massive power at his disposal as he turns to face Domino. 

X-amining Wolverine #104

"The Emperor of the Realm of Grief"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

Wolverine & Elektra learn the truth behind Onslaught's origins

Script: Larry Hama
Pencils: Val Semeiks
Inks: Chad Hunt
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft 
Colors: Joe Rosas
Enhancements: Malibu
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Wolverine travels to the Massachusetts Academy in search of Gateway. Climbing the roof, he asks Gateway if he knows any info about Onslaught which the X-Men would find useful. Gateway responds by sending Wolverine back to witness the time he was forced to kill Mariko. Back in the present, Elektra arrives, having tracked Wolverine, intent on honoring the wishes of her mentor, Stick, to bring him back to humanity. Upon hearing Stick's name, Gateway proceeds to show Elektra images of her death & resurrection. They realize he is showing them the worst moments of their lives, presumably to prepare them for what he knows of Onslaught. He then transports their astral selves to Avalon, at the moment after Wolverine had his adamantium ripped out by Magneto, when Professor X wiped Magneto's mind. They observe in slow motion as, during the act, Magneto's dark ego implants a seed in Xavier's consciousness, a seed which led to the creation of Onslaught. Returning to the present, Wolverine laments that Onslaught's existence is his own fault, as his vulnerabilities in turn led Xavier to leave himself vulnerable to Magneto's infection. 

X-amining Cable #34

"Loose Cannons"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

Cable battles the Hulk

Writer: Jeph Loeb

Penciler: Ian Churchill

Finishes: Scott Hanna

Letterer: RS & Comicraft

Colorist: Mike Thomas

Editor: Mark Powers

Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Cable, badly beaten by his encounter with Post, awakens in Baltimore as he senses the arrival of a new threat. He manages to grab a weapon off his motorcycle just as the Hulk - under the control of Onslaught - lands in front of him. Hulk, declaring he's there to kill Cable, attacks and Cable tries to telepathically bring Bruce Banner's consciousness to the fore. Instead, he merely triggers another of the Hulk's personalities, the meaner grey Hulk. Meanwhile, GW Bridge monitors the situation from the SHIELD helicarrier, as he receives word that the President has authorized martial law in Baltimore in light of the threat posed by Cable & the Hulk. Below, Hulk buries Cable in a diner just as Storm arrives on the scene. She calls up a wind that blows Hulk away, then helps Cable extricate himself from the diner. When Hulk returns, Cable & Storm work together, Storm hitting Hulk with enough lightning to stun him, giving Cable a chance to hit his mind with a telepathic "bullet", a last desperate attempt to get Banner to assert control. But once again, his attempt goes awry, as the grey Hulk is replaced by the savage, near-mindless, and even more dangerous Hulk.

X-amining Fantastic Four #415

   

"An Enemy Among Us!"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

Onslaught captures Franklin Richards

Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Carlos Pacheco 
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft 
Colors: Ariane Lenshore 

Editor: Suzanne Gaffney
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Franklin Richards & Charlie visit a circus created by Franklin, inadvertently populated by figures from Charlie's mind, before being interrupted by the return home of the Fantastic Four. Shortly thereafter, Professor Xavier visits the team; he meets with Mister Fantastic & Invisible Woman, asking them to let Franklin come study at his school so he can be kept safely amongst his own kind. At the same time, a contingent of Avengers, as well as Iceman and Bishop, contact Scott Lang, warning the Fantastic Four about Onslaught, but Onslaught knocks Lang out, then reveals himself as "Xavier" when Mister Fantastic & Invisible Woman refuse to give up Franklin. The X-Men/Avengers group soon arrives at Four Freedoms Plaza and engages Onslaught, but he manages to overpower them, as well as the Fantastic Four. As Apocalypse and the Watcher arrive in New York to witness the unfolding events, Franklin - still not realizing the true identity of his friend Charlie - is taken by Onslaught, thereby giving the villain access to the power of a god. 

X-amining Avengers #401

    

"Sins of the Father"

August 1996

In a Nutshell

A contingent of Avengers & Gambit track down the de-aged Magneto.

Story: Mark Waid
Penciler: Mike Deodato Jr. 
Inker: Tom Palmer
Letters: Bill Oakley 
Colors: John Kalisz 

Editor: Mark Gruenwald 
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Hoping to determine if Magneto is responsible for the creation of Onslaught, Gambit accompanies Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Vision, the Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver on a mission to find him. With Hank Pym detecting Magneto's energy signature in South Carolina, the group heads out, with Scarlet Witch telling Gambit about how awful her time in Magneto's Brotherhood was. Meanwhile, Rogue & Joseph are waiting for their car to be repaired, as Rogue hopes she can get Joseph to the X-Men before he remembers his past as Magneto. Just then, the Avengers arrive, and Quicksilver, recognizing Joseph as a younger version of his father, quickly attacks. Rogue leaps into the fray, desperate to stop the fight before it awakens Joseph's memories of his past, but when Joseph, acting in self-defense, apologizes for briefly trapping Scarlet Witch in a force bubble, she realizes Joseph isn't the monster her father was, and intervenes to stop Quicksilver & Joseph from further harming each other. Gambit, trusting Rogue, vouches for Rogue's explanation of Joseph's condition as an amnesiac Magneto. Once she learns about Onslaught, both Rogue and Joseph agree to accompany the Avengers back to New York to ensure Joseph has no ties to the creature, though Gambit isn't happy about what he senses between Rogue & Joseph. 

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #335

  

- untitled - 

August 1996

In a Nutshell

The X-Men & Avengers come together in the face of Onslaught's attack to plan their next moves. 

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Joe Madureira
Inker: Tim Townsend
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Colors: Steve Buccellato
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Ozymandias watches as his master, Apocalypse, awakens from his restorative slumber. Catching up on recent events by reading Ozymandias' mind, Apocalypse declares the Age of Wonders is coming to an end, as he finds Uatu the Watcher waiting outside Apocalypse's temple. Meanwhile, the Avengers & Nate Grey arrive at the damaged X-Mansion. After a brief scuffle, the X-Men inform the Avengers that Onslaught is Charles Xavier, and the two teams plot their next moves. On Muir Island, Excalibur digests the news about Onslaught, with Moira declaring that it is time to unseal the Xavier Protocols. Back at the mansion, Bishop apologizes to Gambit for believing him to be the one who betrayed the X-Men. Meanwhile, at a strategy session in the Danger Room, the Avengers decide to find Magneto and warn the Fantastic Four, given Xavier's apparent interest in their son, Franklin. Cyclops, fearing Nate Grey may also be a target, tasks X-Force with guarding him, while Storm decides to set off in search of Cable, who could also be a target. Wolverine, acting on a hunch, sets out on his own, while the incoming Psylocke & Archangel are directed to meet the departing Cyclops & Phoenix on Muir Island. In Manhattan, Dark Beast presents Onslaught his lair in the Morlock Tunnels, and promises to find Onslaught additional allies, with Onslaught declaring that soon, the planet will be his.