X-amining X-Force & Cable '95

"Fun, Fun, Fun!" / "The Gamut"
1996

In a Nutshell
Cable & X-Force help the Impossible Man motivate his kids

Writer: Jeph Loeb, Todd Dezago (2nd Story)
Pencilers: Matt Ryan & Ruric Tyler
Inkers: Mark Pennington, Andrew Pepoy, & Ian Akin
Art: Daerick Gross (2nd Story)
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Matt Webb, James Houston (2nd Story)
Color Enhancement: Malibu Hues
Editors: Lisa Patrick & Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras
Special thanks to Mark Waid: Ambassador to Poppup

Plot
X-Force & Cannonball are vacationing on a South Sea island when they're interrupted by the Impossible Man, who wants their help disciplining his three kids. Cable refuses, but as the Impossible Man proves more and more of a nuisance on their vacation, he eventually relents, only to learn that the Impossible Man's three kids are teenaged slackers. However, when the sea monster known as the Kalinator attacks the island and swallows X-Force, Cable is able to motivate them into action, driving off the beast and rescuing X-Force. With his kids newly inspired to become superheroes, Impossible Man thanks Cable and finally departs.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men '95

"Growing Pains"
1995

In a Nutshell
Cannonball & Husk infiltrate an anti-mutant cult to rescue their sister.

Writer: Terry Kavanagh
Penciler: Bryan Hitch
Inker: Bob McLeod
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Cannonball arrives at the Massachusetts Academy to pick up his sister Husk. Accompanied by Storm, Bishop, and Wolverine, they return to their family home in the wake of their sister Joelle falling in with a militant anti-mutant cult called Humanity's Last Stand, thanks in large part to her boyfriend, a man known as Preacher, who paints the strange visions he experiences. Hoping to blend in, Cannonball & Husk infiltrate the group's compound, leaving the other X-Men behind. They find their sister, and Husk continues to explore the complex while Cannonball tries to talk some sense into their sister. However, the two mutants catch the attention of the group's shadowy leader, and Cannonball is attacked by armored agents of the group. Meanwhile, Husk gets deeper into the complex, and overhears a conversation with the group's leader. She is found out, however, and badly beaten. Meanwhile, Cannonball manages to escape and comes crashing into his mother's home, where he entreats the rest of the X-Men to help him rescue his sisters. He leads them back to the complex, and while Cannonball rescues Husk, Bishops finds Joelle and Preacher while Storm & Wolverine battle the group's armored operatives. During the fight, Wolverine realizes they're actually Nimrod Sentinels, and Preacher disappears. Ultimately, Bishop is able to turn the energy of the Nimrods against them, but the X-Men are forced to leave when the local authorities are called, though they leave with both Husk & Joelle, and Cannonball is pleased to have at least exposed the truth of the place, which he believes will change the minds of some of the group's members. Joelle just hopes the still-missing Preacher will remember her. Preacher, meanwhile, is painting a canvas of Joelle.

X-amining Generation X '95

"Of Leather and Lace" / "The Very Personal and Very Private Journal of Monet St Croix"
1995

In a Nutshell
Generation X rescues Mondo from the mysterious Barrington

Story: Scott Lobdell & Jeph Loeb, Scott Lobdell (2nd Story)
Breakdowns: Wood and McManus
Pencils: Jeff Matsuda (2nd Story)
Finishes: Lightle, McManus, Sienkiewicz, Panosian, V.Russel & Chaloner
Inkers: Vince Russel and Rurik Taylor (2nd Story)
Letters: Rich and Dave at Comicraft,  J.T Babcock  (2nd Story)
Colors: Moreshead and Kalisz, Dana Moreshead (2nd Story)
Editor: Mark Powers
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Cordelia Frost brings Mondo to Shinobi Shaw, hoping her control over the powerful mutant will lead Shaw to grant her the title of White Queen within the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle. He declines, however, and the pair are then attacked by agents of Barrington, who kidnap Mondo. With her leverage gone, Cordelia reluctantly turns to her sister, Emma Frost, for help retrieving him. Unable to determine Cordelia's true intentions, Emma agrees to help her, and leads Generation X to battle Barrington's men and rescue Mondo. Meanwhile, Penance suffers a seizure, and Banshee turns to Moira for help, leading the pair to finally discuss Moira's infection with the Legacy Virus. Later, after returning to the school, Mondo decides to stay with Generation X and enroll, much to Cordelia's dismay. She vows to one day get even with her sister.

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) '95

"A Sinister Heart" / "Words"
November 1995

In a Nutshell
Genesis targets Mr. Sinister through his relationship with a former actress.

Writers: J.M. DeMatteis & Ralph Macchio, Scott Lobdell with Matt Idelson (2nd Story)
Pencils: Terry Dodson & John Paul Leon, Ramon Bernardo (2nd Story)
Inks: Jon Holdredge & Shawn Martinborough,  P. Craig Russell (2nd Story)
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Mike Thomas, Mike Rockwitz (2nd Story)
Editor: Mark Powers
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Beast & Jean Grey are at Beast's cabin in the Catskills, awaiting the arrival of Cyclops & Archangel for a weekend of relaxation, when they're attacked by the Dark Riders. Jean is captured, but manages to leave a faint telepathic trail for Beast to follow. Jean is taken to a Hollywood mansion, where Genesis, master of the Dark Riders, has captured an old woman named Faye Livingstone, drawing the attention of Mr. Sinister. Genesis wants Jean to read Faye's mind in order to learn why Mr. Sinister secretly visits her every year. Sinister, held at bay with Faye captured, recalls his romantic relationship with her in Depression Era Hollywood, how she ultimately found his secret lab and he was forced to hold her captive in order to conduct genetic experiments on her. Beast arrives and fights his way inside the mansion, where he convinces Jean to do as Genesis is asking and connect Sinister and Faye's minds. Once she does so, the pair share a final dance, and Faye tells Sinister she knows that, despite his cruelty, he truly did love her. Faye then dies, and Genesis leaves, having found no weakness in Sinister to exploit. Mr. Sinister then allows Beast & Jean to leave as well. They return to the cabin, ruminating that it is not their powers, but their capacity for love - which Sinister rejected - that gives them their strength.

X-amining Wolverine '95

"Lair of the N’Garai" / "What the Cat Dragged In"
1995

In a Nutshell
Wolverine battles a resurgent N'Garai.

Script: Larry Hama, Chris Golden (2nd Story)
Pencils: J.H. Williams II, Ben Herrera (2nd Story)
Inkers: Mark McKenna with Gray & Palmiotti, Vince Russell (2nd Story)
Letters: Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Colors: Kevin Somers, Ian Laughlin (2nd Story)
Separations: Electric Crayon
Editor: Mark Powers
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
On the grounds of the mansion, Wolverine comes across the Cairn, the interdimensional portal used by the N'Garai to enter the world from their dimension. Spotting one of the demons, Wolverine attacks, and ends up following the demon into the Cairn. When the mansion's motion detectors sense the fight, Nightcrawler, visiting the X-Men to check in on Wolverine, teleports into the woods and follows Wolverine through the Cairn. In the N'Garai home dimension, he sees Wolverine fighting a large number of the demons. Shocked by Wolverine's ferocity, he nevertheless comes to his friend's aid. Their fight draws the attention of the N'Garai leader, Kierrok, but Wolverine is able to match whatever Kierrok dishes out. When Kierrok dispatches a wave of demons to attack the mansion, Wolverine & Nightcrawler escape through the Cairn and fight them back. Wolverine then wants to return and finish the job, but Nightcrawler stops him, and Kierrok reveals he intentionally led the mutants out of the dimension; Wolverine's savagery made it clear he'd kill every N'Garai if possible, something Kierrok won't allow, so he closes the portal. As Wolverine returns to the woods, the rest of the X-Men arrive on the scene, and Nightcrawler expresses his concern over Wolverine's mental state, even as Wolverine himself realizes it's only a matter of time before he loses control, and that no longer scares him.