X-amining Special Edition X-Men #1

"A Day Like Any Other"
February 1983

In a Nutshell
Kitty gives Illyana a tour of the mansion.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Dave Cockrum & Hilary Bart
Letterers: Tom Orzechowski, David Cody Weiss
Colorist: Andy Yachus
Editor: Louise Jones
Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot 
Feeling down, Kitty works out in the Danger Room until Illyana joins her. Kitty proceeds to give Illyana a tour of the mansion and its grounds, not knowing they are being watched. When the girls reach the hanger, Kitty notices an intruder alert, and they rush off to investigate. Reaching the living room, Illyana throws Kitty inside, where the X-Men, New Mutants and Starjammers surprise Kitty with a birthday party.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #164

"Binary Star!"
December 1982

In a Nutshell 
As the X-Men fight to escape the Brood, Binary makes her first appearance. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Dave Cockrum
Finisher: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Janine Casey
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Aboard Lilandra's spaceship, the X-Men are attacked by the Brood, under orders to disable the vessel and capture the X-Men alive. The X-Men fight back using the ship's meager weapons and their own powers, but the Brood manage to damage the ship's warp engine, preventing the X-Men from escaping. As Kitty dons a spacesuit to effect repairs, Carol is overcome by strange sensations. Though wounded by a stray blast, Kitty manages to fix the engine and the ship jumps to warp, though they lose contact with Kitty in the process. Meanwhile, Professor X and Illyana dine together in the newly rebuilt X-Mansion. Professor X worries that he can't read Illyana's mind, afraid she's hiding something, but is still too grief-stricken to press the matter. Back in space, Kitty awakens on the hull of Lilandra's ship to find Carol, transformed into the cosmically-powered Binary, outside the ship with her, and is told the X-Men managed to escape from the Brood. Bringing Kitty inside, Carol uses her newfound powers to recharge the ship's power cells.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #163

"Rescue Mission"
November 1982

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men escape from the Brood home world. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
As the Brood experiement on Carol Danvers, performing evolutionary modifications and altering her physiology, Wolverine sneaks into the palace and frees her. Back on Earth, Havok and Corsair teleport onto the grounds where the mansion is being rebuilt, confirming for Moira and Polaris that the X-Men and Lilandra have been kidnapped by the Brood, the price of an alliance which has given Deathbird the Shi'ar throne. Corsair departs with the Starjammers, determined to either rescue or avenge his son. A galaxy away, Cyclops awakens from a dream in which the X-Men transform into Brood to find Storm similarly entranced. He awakens her, and with the Brood's illusion fading, they encounter Wolverine and Carol. Freeing the rest of the X-Men, the team splits up, with half going to rescue Lilandra while the rest try to board Lilandra's starship, docked just outside the atmosphere of the planet.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #162

"Beyond the Farthest Star"
October 1982 

In a Nutshell 
Wolverine fights the Brood solo.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Pencils: Dave Cockrum
Inks: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Wolverine, bloody and alone, races through an alien landscape. He's attacked by a plant which sprays him with hallucinogenic gas. He imagines himself horseback riding in Japan with Mariko before they are attacked by two Brood warriors. Coming to his senses, he realizes the Brood are real. He fights them off, but gets ensnared in a massive web. As his body is wracked by sudden, tremendous pain, he remembers the party Lilandra had thrown for the X-Men aboard her ship, and being knocked unconscious by the Brood. When he awoke, he was somewhere else, surrounded by the Brood, but the X-Men weren't aware of them, trapped in an illusion. His intellect and his senses in conflict, Wolverine alternately accepted the peaceful scene along with the X-Men and reacted with horror as he and his teammates were seemingly attacked by the Brood.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #161

"Gold Rush!"
September 1982 

In a Nutshell 
A flash back to the first meeting between Professor X and Magneto.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
As Professor X struggles within his mind to overcome the alien evil growing inside him, the Starjammers' medic Sikorsky informs the X-Men that if Xavier loses the battle, he will die. Outside, Cyclops berates Storm for the incident at the Pentagon, pointing to an increase in anti-mutant sentiment in the government as a result. Storm rebuffs him, and he apologies, admitting that Xavier's condition is wearing on him. At his bedside, Lilandra tries to reach out to him, but Xavier's mind is reliving events from twenty years ago, in which he arrives in Israel to help psychiatric patients recovering from the Holocaust. At the hospital, he meets a young Magneto, calling himself Magnus, who is similarly working at the hospital, as well as a young woman named Gabby Haller. Xavier is able to telepathically help Gabby emerge from the catatonic state she entered as a protection against the horrors she suffered in the concentration camp. In the ensuing weeks, Xavier and Magnus debate the growing mutant situation while Xavier and Gabby fall in love, but one night the hospital is attacked by armored troops.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #160

"Chutes and Ladders!"
August 1982 

In a Nutshell 
Colossus' sister Illyana is kidnapped by Belasco.

Script: Chris Claremont
Pencils: Brent Anderson
Inks: Bob Wiacek
Letters: Tom Orzechowski
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
The X-Men are training on their island base while being unknowingly watched via a scrying device by a sinister figure. The figure calls out to Illyana, and when she wanders off, Kitty follows her. Illyana disappears inside a dark temple, and when Kitty enters, she vanishes as a circular patch of light appears beneath her. One by one the rest of the X-Men similarly vanish. Kitty awakens inside a sinister, grotesque room and is confronted by a warped, degenerate version of Nightcrawler and the ruler of the realm, Belasco. He imprisons Kitty inside a large crystal and calls forth his servant S'ym, ordering the demon to deal with the rest of the X-Men. As S'ym departs and the X-Men arrive in Limbo, Belasco gives Illyana an amulet containing a Bloodstone, telling her he intends to make her his apprentice and craft more of the Bloodstones.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #159

"Night Screams!"
July 1982 

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men fight Dracula.

Author: Chris Claremont
Guest Penciler: Bill Seinkiewicz
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
The X-Men arrive in New York to visit Misty Knight, but at her apartment they find only her roommate Harmony Young. Harmony agrees to let the X-Men crash at the apartment while Kitty visits her parents, and Kitty departs, escorted by Storm. Meanwhile, in New Mexico, Corsair catches up with Cyclops, Havok and Polaris, and ponders whether he'll stay on Earth or return to space with the Starjammers. Back in New York, the X-Men grow concerned when Storm doesn't return, at which point they are contacted by the hospital, Storm having been admitted with a slashed throat. When Colossus and Wolverine arrive at the hospital, they find Storm on her feet, believing she was mugged, and demanding to be discharged. Back at the apartment, Storm awakens to open the window and invite inside the fog hovering outside.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #158

"The Life That Late I Led..."
June 1982 

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men fight Rogue inside the Pentagon.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
On the X-Men's base in the Bermuda Triangle, Carol Danvers spars with the Starjammers while Dr. Corebau runs a series of biological tests on her. Meanwhile, Oracle of the Imperial Guard attempts to telepathically wake Professor X from his coma. Scanning his mind, she is overwhelmed by the presence of great evil in his consciousness. When she attempts to withdraw, Xavier subconsciously takes control of her mind and tries to user her power to kill himself before Wolverine severs their connection. Just then, Kitty draws the X-Men's attention to Senator Kelly, who is appearing on TV denouncing mutants in general and the X-Men in particular. Moira worries that the government might be able to track down the X-Men via the information Professor X shared with the FBI back when he was working with them, and Kitty suggests having the Starjammers create a virus capable of erasing all references to the team from the federal databases.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #157

"Hide-‘n’-Seek"
May 1982 

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men and Starjammers defeat the Shi'ar and save the planet.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Don Warfield
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Near Pluto, the X-Men and Starjammers are working frantically to repair their ship when Colossus suddenly collapses, succumbing to the still-healing injuries he suffered at Deathbird's hands. As he's looked after by Sikorsky, Lilandra reveals that she tried to contact Chancellor Araki via the imperial commlink in order to get him to call off the attack on Earth, but while a connection was established, he never answered. Desperate, Professor X establishes a mindlink with Nightcrawler and Kitty, still aboard the Shi'ar flagship, and tells them Lilandra is safe. While doing so, he senses an anomaly within himself, but when he attempts to probe it, his mind shuts down, putting him into a vegetative state. Meanwhile, aboard the Brood's ship, the Brood attack Deathbird for allowing Lilandra and the X-Men to escape, but Deathbird holds them off, promising to deliver the super-powered X-Men to them to be used as breeders for the Brood. Aboard the Shi'ar flagship, Nightcrawler and Kitty escape from their quarters just as Admiral Lord Samedar orders them killed.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #156

"Pursuit!"
April 1982 

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men and the Starjammers pursue Deatbird into space.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Don Warfield
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
As Tigra deals with the police, doing her best to use her status as an Avenger to keep them at bay, the Starjammer arrives above the city and teleports the X-Men aboard before racing for deep space in pursuit of Deathbird's ship. As the X-Men reunite with the Starjammers, their medic begins working to save the life of the gravely injured Colossus. Meanwhile, aboard the Shi'ar flagship, Nightcrawler and Kitty are shown a recording of Deathbird's attack on the X-Men by Admiral Lord Samedar, which ends with Colossus' apparent death, devastating and enraging Kitty. Samedar then contacts Deathbird, revealing a secret alliance between the two. Aboard Deathbird's ship, a captive Professor X awakens from a nightmare beside Lilandra, and learns that Deathbird is her sister. On the Starjammer, Corsair tells Cyclops about the Shi'ar attack that separated their family, and how Corsair witnessed the death of his wife at the hands of Emperor D'Ken before escaping and forming the Starjammers.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #155

"First Blood"
March 1982 

In a Nutshell 
The first appearance of the Brood.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Aboard the Blackbird, Cyclops is arguing with Corsair for abandoning his children when the plane is teleported aboard a Shi'ar Dreadnought. They are shortly joined by the rest of the X-Men and are informed that Lilandra has been kidnapped and taken to Earth, and that Corsair has been implicated. Xavier uses his position as Imperial consort to delay the Shi'ar from invading Earth for 24 hours, allowing the X-Men time to locate and rescue the empress. However, Nightcrawler and Kitty are left behind on the ship as a show of good faith, with Xavier downloading all his knowledge of the Shi'ar into Kitty's brain before leaving. On Earth, the X-Men contact both the Fantastic Four and the Avengers for help, but only Avengers member Tigra is available to help. Back aboard the Shi'ar ship, Kitty tells Nightcrawler that she's been able to use her computer skills and Professor X's knowledge to tap into the ship's primary computers. On Earth, Storm is showing Corsair around New York when they are attacked by Deathbird and an alien Brood.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #154

"Reunion"
February 1982 

In a Nutshell 
Corsair returns to Earth chased by a group of alien bounty hunters.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inkers: Bob Wiacek & Josef Rubinstein
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: D. Warfield
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Cyclops and Storm are playing handball in the mansion's gymnasium, eventually calling the game a draw as they are too evenly matched. Meanwhile, Corsair races toward Earth, pursued by a Shi'ar Dreadnaught. In the Bermuda Triangle, the rest of the X-Men are moving equipment into Magneto's old island base, Professor X having decided to relocate their headquarters in light of the damage to the mansion and growing anti-mutant sentiment in the country. In space, Corsair nears Earth, but his ship is damaged by the Shi'ar. At the mansion, Storm and Cyclops are having dinner together and discussing their respective desires for leading the X-Men when they're interrupted by Corsair's ship crashing into the lake. They pull him free, and when he awakens back at the mansion, Cyclops demands to know why Corsair has a locket containing a picture of Cyclops and his brother as children. Corsair tells him the children are his sons. Cyclops doesn't believe him, but Storm tells him it's the truth. Just then, a Sidrian Hunter bursts into the room, pursuing Corsair.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #153

"Kitty's Fairy Tale"
January 1982 

In a Nutshell 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Josef Rubinstein
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
As the X-Men recover from their battle with the Hellfire Club and repair the mansion, Colossus and Kitty put Illyana, Colossus' little sister, to bed. To help her go to sleep, Kitty tells her a story with characters modeled after the X-Men. In the caliphate of Nhu Yorkh, Pirate Kitty and Colossus meet a wizard named Xavier and a cursed prince named Cyclops who are on a quest to save Cyclops and his kingdom from Xavier's apprentice, Princess Jean, who has been consumed by darkness and transformed into Dark Phoenix. Just then, Jean attacks, destroying Pirate Kitty's boat, but Xavier is able to drive her off with a crystal containing her soul and Pirate Kitty is able to prevail on the dragon Lockheed to provide them transport. Outside Illyana's room, Wolverine joins Nightcrawler listening in on Kitty's story.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #152

"The Hellfire Gambit"
December 1981 

In a Nutshell
Kitty and Storm-as-White-Queen help free the X-Men from the Hellfire Club.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Bob McLeod
Inker: Josef Rubinstein
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Don Warfield
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
White Queen, in Storm's body and having learned of Storm's escape from the Massachusetts Academy, attacks the car being driven by Storm in White Queen's body. When the unconscious Kitty awakens and sees who she believes to be the White Queen driving, she phases out of the car, causing Storm-as-White Queen to crash. White Queen-as-Storm, clumsily reacting to the resulting fireball, flies away. Kitty comes across the unconscious body of Storm-as-White Queen and contemplates leaving her to die, but ultimately saves her and eventually accepts that Storm's consciousness is trapped in the body. At the mansion, Sebastian Shaw and White Queen-as-Storm gloat over the captured X-Men, with Harry Leland and a trio of guards mercilessly beating Wolverine to death.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #151

"X-Men Minus One!"
November 1981 

In a Nutshell 
Storm and White Queen swap bodies as Kitty Pryde leaves the school. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Jim Sherman, Bob McLeod, Josef Rubinstein
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Bonnie Wilford
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
The X-Men gather in Professor Xavier's study where they are told that Kitty's parents are pulling her out of Xavier's school, wanting her to study with students her own age. Though all the X-Men object, there's nothing they can do about it, and an upset Kitty runs to her room. Storm comforts her, but Kitty tells her that she's being sent to the Massachusetts Academy, the school run by the White Queen. Kitty leaves a week later, Professor X having confirmed that her parents are acting of their own free will, with Storm driving her to the academy. As Kitty receives orientation, Storm is visited by the White Queen and blacks out after a flash of light.

X-amining Marvel Fanfare #1-4

"Fast Descent into Hell!/To Sacrifice My Soul.../Into the Land of Death.../Lost Souls!"
March-September 1982 

In a Nutshell
The X-Men battle Sauron in the Savage Land.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Michael Golden (issues 1-2), Dave Cockrum (issue #3), Paul Smith (issue #4)
Inker: Michael Golden (issues 1-2), Bob McLeod (issue #3), Terry Austin (issue #4)
Letterer: Jim Novak (issues #1-3), Janice Chang (issue #4)
Colorist: Michael Golden (issues 1-2) Glynis Wein (issues #3-4)
Editor: Allen Milgrom
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Issue #1: Tanya Anderssen visits Angel at his Aerie and asks him to help her journey to the Savage Land. Thanks to a recent article, she believes her lover, Karl Lykos, is still alive and living there. Though Angel worries that Lykos may be in the Savage Land to keep his villainous alter ego of Sauron in check, he agrees to help Tanya. When word of the expedition gets out, J. Jonah Jameson, sensing a story, sends Peter Parker along with Angel and Tanya. Reaching the Savage Land, their helicopter is destroyed by a Pterosaur. Reaching the ground safely, they are attacked by the Savage Land mutants created by Magneto. Tanya escapes, but Angel and Spider-Man are captured, taken to Garokk's destroyed citadel, and used to test a machine meant to devolve them.  
Issue #2: Tanya is found by Ka-Zar and is finally reunited with Karl, but the group is attacked by barbarians led by the horribly devolved Spider-Man and Angel, and Tanya is captured. At the citadel, the Savage Land mutants' leader, Brainchild, uses the devolution machine on Tanya. Ka-Zar and Karl attack the citadel, destroying the machine in the process, but Karl is able to drain the mutant energy from Spider-Man, Angel and Tanya, restoring them to normal. However, the influx of energy causes Karl to transform back into Sauron, who flies off, declaring war on the Savage Land. As Angel and Spider-Man leave the Savage Land, Tanya decides to stay, still hoping to help Karl, and Angel promises to ask the X-Men for help.

X-amining X-Men Annual #5

"Ou, La La -- BADOON!"
1981 

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men help Arkon free his world from the Badoon. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Brent Anderson
Inker: Bob McLeod
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
The Fantastic Four respond to a police call regarding a woman with a laser gun. They arrive on scene and discover the woman is a Shi'ar agent, battling a group of invisible Badoon troops on her way to seek Professor Xavier's help. The Badoon kill her and capture Mr. Fantastic, Thing and Human Torch, leaving Invisible Girl to seek out Professor X. At the X-Mansion, Storm awakens from her latest recurring dream of fighting alongside Arkon as Invisible Girl arrives with her son. She informs the X-Men of the situation, and her information combined with Storm's dreams is enough to convince the X-Men to return to Arkon's world and help free the Fantastic Four. When they arrive on Arkon's planet, they are greeted by Sashia, apprentice to Arkon's Grand Vizier, who explains that she sent the dreams to Storm in the hope they would bring the X-Men to help free their world of its conquest by the Badoon. Though heavily outnumbered, Cyclops devises a plan which sends Storm and Invisible Girl to infiltrate the citadel to rescue the FF while Nightcrawler, Wolverine and Sashia attempt to destroy the Badoon stargate to prevent reinforcements from arriving, with Cyclops, Colossus and Sprite hanging back as reinforcements.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #150

"I, Magneto..."
October 1981 

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men attempt to stop Magneto's latest attack on humanity. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inkers: Joe Rubinstein and Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski and Jean Simek
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
From his island headquarters, Magneto issues the leaders of the world an ultimatum: destroy all their nuclear weapons within a week, or face his wrath. As Magneto debates the merits of his actions with a powerless Cyclops and Lee Forrester, the Russian submarine Leningrad launches an array of nuclear missiles at the island, which Magneto easily dispatches before sinking the sub. He then uses a device he's created that allows him to control the Earth's crust to turn the Russian city of Varykino into a volcano in retaliation and as a show of force. That night, as the X-Men are searching nearby for the shipwrecked Cyclops, their jet encounters a magnetic force field that sends it crashing into the ocean. Though the nearby Professor X loses telepathic contact with them, the X-Men survive and begin swimming towards a nearby island.

X-amining Avengers Annual #10

"By Friends -- Betrayed!"
1981

In a Nutshell 
The first appearance of Rogue.

Writer/Co-Editor: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Michael Golden
Inker: Armando Gil
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: M. Golden
Co-Editor: David Anthony Kraft
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
In San Fransisco, Spider-Woman rescues an unconscious woman falling from the Golden Gate bridge. Taking her to the hospital, she is identified as Carol Danvers, the former Avenger known as Ms. Marvel, but her mind has been wiped clean, essentially functioning at the level of a newborn. The doctors are mystified, but Spider-Woman puts in a call to Professor X. Arriving in San Fransisco, he confirms that Carol's mind was completely and forcibly erased, though he manages to pull a name and image of her assailant from her subconscious: a woman named Rogue.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #149

"And the Dead Shall Bury the Living!"
September 1981

In a Nutshell 
The X-Men investigate Magneto's old base. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Dave Cockrum
Inker: Josef Rubinstein
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Professor X is studying his files on Magneto, worried that the villain's relative silence of late means he's planning something big. Kitty interrupts him to show off her new costume, inadvertently phasing through his computers and damaging his research. He angrily sends her away, then calls the X-Men, who are still repairing the Danger Room, to a briefing. The X-Men are sent to investigate Magneto's antarctic volcano base, his last known location. En route, the X-Men discover a stowed away Kitty. She is scolded, but in the interest of time, the team doesn't turn back. Arriving at the base, they find it seemingly deserted but in better shape than they left it.