X-amining X-Men: Clandestine #1-2

"Dreams of Darkest Destiny" / "The Destine's Darkest Dreams" 

October - November 1996

In a Nutshell

The X-Men meet ClanDestine

Writer/Penciler: Alan Davis
Inkers: Mark Farmer
Letters: Pat Prentice
Colors: Rosas & Laughlin
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Issue #1: Xavier has a dream which he realizes is a memory, of helping two mysterious women repel an invasion by a demon named Synraith. As the original X-Men head into town, leaving Xavier to ponder this newfound memory, one of the women, Gracie Gamble, learns of Synraith's imminent return. She casts a spell to try and stop it, but instead, the spell splits and causes unforeseen happenings in two locations: the Xavier Institute, and Ravenscroft, home of Gracie's superpowered family, the clan Destine. There, Adam Destine and Kay, the other woman from Xavier's memory, are pulled into a portal, which the rest of ClanDestine traces to the X-Mansion. Meanwhile, when the Danger Room starts to act funny during a training session between Wolverine, Storm & Cannonball, Forge & Colossus are called in to help investigate. Just then, another rift opens, pulling in Xavier & Colossus. The X-Men debate going through the portal after them, but pull up short as it appears something else is coming through. 

X-amining Excalibur #57

"For Whom the Bell Trolls!"
Late November 1992

In a Nutshell
Excalibur & the X-Men team-up to rescue Alchemy from the Troll Associates.

Plot: Alan Davis
Words: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: Joe Madureira
Inker: Joe Rubinstein
Letters: Ken Lopez
Colors: Kevin Tinsley
Editor: Terry Kavanaugh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Tom Jones frantically tries to contact the X-Men for help rescuing his mom, only to be captured by shadowy figures. Later, as Excalibur is searching for Sat-yr-9, they comes across gold statues that turn out to be real people transformed into gold. Meggan leads the team back to their assailants, where they run afoul of the Troll Associates, who have kidnapped Tom. As the trolls escape, Captain Britain is turned to gold by Tom as well. As Nightcrawler sends Cerise to fetch Feron, the X-Men, having received Tom's earlier message, arrive in England. Wolverine tracks Tom's scent to where Excalibur is searching the sewers for him, and the two teams enjoy a brief reunion before Psylocke telepathically picks up on the psychic distress of Tom and his mother, whom the trolls have kidnapped to force Tom to work for them. The X-Men and Excalibur track Tom to a chamber behind a massive door. As Psylocke senses Tom and the trolls behind it, Cyclops orders Gambit to blow the door, just as Wolverine realizes from its smell that Tom has turned it into plastique, thus triggering a massive explosion when Gambit's thrown card detonates.

X-amining Excalibur #52

"All You Ever Wanted To Know About Phoenix...But Were Afraid To Ask"
July 1992

In a Nutshell
With the help of Professor X & Jean Grey, Excalibur learns the truth about Phoenix's relationship with Rachel.

Writer: Alan Davis
Breakdowns: Will Simpson
Finishes: Jimmy Palmiotti & Dave Hoover
Letterer: Michael Heisler
Colorist: Kelly Corvese
Editor: Terry Kavanaugh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
After seemingly encountering various X-Men from anachronistic times at the X-Mansion, Professor X wakes up in Braddock Manor, stunned to learn ten hours have passed since he projected his mind into the mind of Phoenix. With Jean's help to break down Phoenix's defenses, Xavier then projects Excalibur into Rachel's mind, where the Phoenix proceeds to share with them its history: from birth to its encounter with Feron & Necrom, then, much later, Jean Grey; it's subsequent "death", after which it first encountered Rachel, who had sent her mind back in time, and learned of her horrific future; how it sent a portion of itself back to the future with Rachel where, at the urging of Kate Pryde, used its power to send Rachel physically back in time and suppress her memories. When Excalibur asks where Rachel is now, Phoenix explains that while her physically body has been healed, her mind is still shattered after the encounter with Necrom, and Phoenix, having learned the hard way, is reluctant to try to repair it. So Phoenix is protecting Rachel's psyche until it heals itself. Returning Excalibur to the physical world, Phoenix, in control of Rachel's body, flies off into space. Meanwhile, a pair of police officers investigate the disappearance of all the people from a small, northern hamlet, as they are unknowingly watched by the Crazy Gang.

X-amining Wolverine: Bloodlust

"Bloodlust"
1990

In a Nutshell
Wolverine fights a renegade splinter group of an ancient evolutionary offshoot of humanity.

Story & Art: Alan Davis & Paul Neary
Letterer: Michael Heisler
Colorist: Bernie Jaye
Assistant Editor: Suzanne Gaffney
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
At a bar in Canada, Wolverine is suddenly overwhelmed by the same sensations as when he's violently attacking someone, drawing the ire of several of the patrons and triggering a bar fight. He's led outside by a woman named Saskia, and the pair are attacked by a group of savage bipedal creatures. Wolverine manages to slay several of them, but the rest capture Saskia during the attack. Feeling his animalistic side getting stronger, Wolverine mediates, then dons his X-Men uniform before setting off in search of Saskia. Along the way, he experiences another sensation of savage fury, and watches through someone else's eyes as a family is attacked by the creatures. Just then, he's confronted by another group of the creatures, who bring him onto the spirit plane of Alshra, where they introduce themselves as the Neuri, a race of beings who retreated to the north in the face of humanity's violence centuries ago, but have been forced south by pollution.