The Week That Was 120222

Twitter tumult, trading cards, shameless plugs

X-amining Generation X #4

"Between the Cracks"
February 1995

In a Nutshell
Banshee and the kids battle the Orphan Maker

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Chris Bachalo
Inks: Mark Buckingham
Letterer: Starkings & his Craftsmen
Hues: The Bucce and his Crayons
Head Reindeer: Bob Harras
Santa's Favorite Helper: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Attempting to take a field trip, Banshee, M, Skin, Synch & Jubilee are waylaid by a police roadblock. Nearby, a disfigured boy named Eliot has taken a teacher and some students hostage at a local school which refused to allow him to attend on account of being a mutant, prompting the police standoff which closed the roads. At Xavier's School, Chamber attempts to make friends with Penance, while Paige studies the Grotto's schematics. Meanwhile, the rest of Generation X arrive outside the hostage situation. As M and Skin keep an eye on the cops, Jubilee works her way into the crowd and decides to sneak into the school, while Synch attempts to lock onto Eliot with his power. Instead, he draws out the Orphan Maker, waiting nearby to kill Eliot's parents. As the rest of the group battles Orphan Maker, Jubilee gets inside the school, just as Eliot lets all the kids free, the teacher having died, his heart giving out from the excitement. Jubilee realizes he's just a scared kid, and Synch confirms he's not even a mutant. Orphan Maker, disgusted by Eliot's parents failing to fight for him, breaks off the fight, deciding Eliot is already functionally an orphan. Skin notes the irony of Eliot being treated like a mutant without having any of the benefits, as Banshee insists Eliot was one of them, albeit one who fell between the cracks, just as reality crystallizes around them.

X-amining X-Factor #27

"Gifts!"
April 1988

In a Nutshell 
X-Factor celebrates Christmas. 

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciler: Walt Simonson
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
On a rooftop near the Empire State Building, Marvel Girl and the X-Factor kids join the rest of the team and a group of reporters. The kids introduce themselves to the reporters, including Trish Tilby, before Iceman creates a massive ice Christmas tree to replace the Empire State Building's damaged antenna. As X-Factor heads back to the ship, Cyclops spots a TV broadcasting Madelyne's message imploring him to find their son. Shocked, he leaves to be alone. Meanwhile, Iceman brings the kids past the children's ward of Roosevelt Hospital, containing children injured or orphaned by Apocalypse's attack, en route to the ship. Arriving, the kids acclimate themselves to the ship's computers while Jean, motivated by Maddie's message, visits her parents, revealing her resurrection. Back in Manhattan, the kids are surprised by a massive delivery of Christmas gifts donated by the public following their earlier interview.