X-amining Uncanny X-Men #217

"Folly's Gambit"
May 1987

In a Nutshell 
Dazzler fights the Juggernaut.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Jackson Guice
Inker: Steve Leialoha
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Oliver & Scotese
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
On Muir Isle, the X-Men train, pitting Rogue, Dazzler and Longshot against Psylocke, unknowingly observed by one of Dr. Doom's scanbots disguised as a trawler fisherman. Over breakfast, Banshee evaluates their performance, while Moira and Callisto attend to the recovering Morlocks. Later, as the X-Men work out, Callisto taunts Dazzler for being weak, causing her to storm off in a huff. Needing a break and frustrated with the life of an X-Man, Dazzler takes a boat to the nearby town of Ullapool. Drawn by music to a local pub, she spends the evening dancing and enjoying herself, making friends with Conal, one of the locals. As they leave the pub, however, they're nearly rundown in the street by a car, and Dazzler recognizes the driver from the X-Men's files: Juggernaut.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #216

"Crucible"
April 1987

In a Nutshell
Storm fights Crimson Commander, Stonewall and Super Sabre.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Jackson Guice & Dan Green
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
In the Adirondack Forest, a near-savage Wolverine is struck by a car, damaging the vehicle and stranding its occupants. Elsewhere, Storm and Priscilla set a trap for Super Sabre, one that will likely kill him, but when the super speedster approaches, Storm fails to spring the trap, refusing to kill, much to Priscilla's frustration. On Muir Isle, Moira MacTaggert is awakened by the arrival of the rest of the X-Men, returning to the island with the last of the massacre survivors. Back in New York, Crimson Commando and Stonewall discover the trap Storm refused to spring. Realizing she passed up an opportunity to kill Super Sabre, Stonewall begins to doubt whether Storm is really the criminal they think she is, though Crimson Commando remains certain. On a nearby ridge, Super Sabre is ambushed by Storm. Though she manages to overpower him, Priscilla triggers an avalanche, seemingly burying them both.

X-amining New Mutants #50

"Father's Day"
April 1987

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants reunite and defeat Magus. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Jackson Guice
Guest Inker: John Beatty
Letterers: Orzechowski & Buhalis
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Co-Creators: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod

Plot
Alone in Limbo, Illyana fights off a horde of demons infected by the transmode virus, led by a similarly-infected S'ym. Desperate to stop them, she plunges her Soulsword into the crowd, thinking of Professor X as she hopes to disrupt Limbo itself. Later, on an alien world, the Starjammers barter for supplies, when Charles Xavier suddenly detects a familiar mental presence. He tracks it to a slave auction, where a captured Illyana is being sold off. He claims her as his own, blowing the Starjammers cover and forcing them to quickly retreat to their ship. Illyana is relieved to see Xavier again, and fills him in on all that has happened in his absence. Realizing he can read her mind for the first time, Xavier theorizes that Illyana's attempts to destroy limbo instead purged her of her demonic side while casting her out, her mutant power sending her to the last person she was thinking of. Hoping to reunite the New Mutants, Xavier and Illyana return to Limbo, where Illyana is forced to reclaim her demonic side in order to hold S'ym at bay and keep Limbo under her control.

X-amining New Mutants #48

"Ashes of the Heart"
February 1987

In a Nutshell
Half the New Mutants end up in a future ruled by Sentinels. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Jackson Guice
Inker: P. Craig Russell
Letterers: Buhalis & Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Creators: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod

Plot
Accidentally scattered through space and time by Illyana, Sunspot, Magma, Karma and Wolfsbane find themselves in a future ruled by Sentinels, in which most of their teammates have been killed. They're are quickly attacked by Sentinels, but are rescued by adult versions of Sam and Dani from this timeline. Meanwhile, at Xavier's mansion in the present day, Magneto discusses the New Mutants' absence with Stevie Hunter, repeating his belief that they are still alive, and that he won't abandon them. In the future, Sam tells the New Mutants about the history of his timeline and how the world turned against mutants, while Rahne is shocked to learn just how cold and distant the adult Dani has become. Sam explains that most of the surviving mutants have fled Earth to live on Lila Cheney's Dyson Sphere, something which rankles Roberto. Just then, the Sentinels announce they've captured Lila and intend to execute her.

X-amining New Mutants #47

"My Heart for the Highlands"
January 1987

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants meet Robert the Bruce. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Jackson Guice
Inker: Kyle Baker
Letterer: L. Lois Buhalis
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Creators: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod
Stars: New Mutants

Plot
In Limbo, to which Illyana teleported the team to escape Magus, Roberto wakes up to discover the rest of his friends unconscious. Suddenly, a group of demons arrives and carries Illyana away. He follows them and prepares to rescue Illyana when it appears the demons are going to kill her, but S'ym appears and explains to Roberto that the demons are merely casting a spell to revive Illyana. Sure enough, she soon wakes up, then revives the rest of the team. They discuss the situation, and Warlock offers to sacrifice himself to Magus to save everyone else, but everyone agrees to stand by him. Just then, Magus appears, having tracked the New Mutants to Limbo. They quickly find their powers are no match for him, but Karma manages to possess him long enough for Illyana to blindly teleport everyone out of Limbo.

X-amining New Mutants #46

"Bloody Sunday"
December 1986

In a Nutshell
"Mutant Massacre" comes to New Mutants. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Jackson Guice
Inker: Kyle Baker
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
As an alarmed Lockheed alerts the New Mutants to the return of the X-Men, Illyana teleports to Muir Isle to enlist Moira's help in treating the injured. They arrive back at the school at the same time as the battered X-Men, who are leading a group of wounded, dying Morlocks. Moira immediately sets up a triage center, and the New Mutants help gather equipment, run supplies and treat the wounded. Throughout the day they work, overwhelmed by the horror of the situation. Doug, however, notices that Warlock is acting differently, constantly scanning the sky but refusing to explain why. Meanwhile, Karma, worried that if the Marauders are targeting mutants they could go after her younger siblings, tries to call them, but gets no answer. Illyana offers to teleport her to their apartment, but they find the place deserted., and when Karma turns on the lights, she triggers a bomb.

X-amining New Mutants #45

"We Were Only Foolin'"
November 1986

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants deal with the suicide of a young mutant. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Jackson Guice
Inker: Kyle Baker
Letterers: Buhalis & Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Creators: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod

Plot
The New Mutants and Kitty Pryde are invited to the spring dance at the local high school. Though the New Mutants generally have a good time, Kitty is less excited until the principal introduces her to Larry Bodine, a recent transfer student. Though Larry is geeky and a little awkward, he and Kitty hit it off. However, Larry is secretly a mutant, and a group of kids, ignorant of this, bully him by threatening to call X-Factor, scaring him. After the dance, the New Mutants, Kitty and Larry go to Harry's Hideaway, and Larry, desperate to fit in, tells some of the latest mutant jokes he heard at the dance. Not surprisingly, Kitty and the New Mutants turn cold towards Larry, and call it a night. Returning home, Larry discovers an X-Factor flier the other kids stuck into his jacket, scaring him further. Unbeknownst to him, however, Rahne has followed him home, suspecting his anti-mutant jokes were part of an act, and she watches as Larry uses his mutant power to create hard light sculptures.

X-amining New Mutants #44

"Runaway"
October 1986

In a Nutshell
The New Mutants fight Legion. 

Presenter: Stan Lee
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Jackson Guice
Inker: Kyle Baker
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Elaine Lee
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Creators: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod
Stars: The New Mutants

Plot
Rahne is visiting Moira in Scotland when a piece of lab equipment suddenly falls over, threatening to crush Moira. Rahne does her best to push her out of the way, but Legion is nearby and David Haller is forced to hand over control of his body to his Jack Wayne persona in order to telekinetically save Moira and Rahne. Refusing to be caged again, Jack sets off an explosion in the lab and runs off. In New York, Dani is suddenly awoken by Rahne's pain, felt through their psychic rapport. She tries calling Muir Isle but doesn't get a response, so she gathers the rest of the New Mutants and explains the situation. With Magneto away, Illyana teleports the team to Scotland, but they arrive later in the day.

X-amining New Mutants #42

"New Song For Old"
August 1986

In a Nutshell
Sam visits home, fights and makes up with Lila Cheney.  

Writer: Chris Claremont
Breakdowns: Jackson Guice
Finishes: Kyle Baker
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Elaine Lee
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Returning home to visit his family, Sam gets a cold reception from his brother Joshua. Torn between his responsibities to the New Mutants and his family, Sam decides to return home for good, to help around the farm and guide Josh. He visits Lila, putting on a concert in nearby Charlotte, along with Dazzler, who is still in disguise as part of her band. Sam and Lila discuss Lila's impending visit to meet Sam's family. She shows him a present she plans to give his mother, but Sam is outraged that Lila would give his mother something she'd stolen. Lila is appalled Sam would think that of her, and Sam blasts off, their relationship effectively over. The next day, he confronts Josh, who expresses both jealousy at Sam for getting to leave home and resentment that he shirked his responsibilities to the family. Later, Sam talks with his mother, who tells him things are well in hand at home and urges him not to leave Xavier's school.

X-amining New Mutants #41

"Way of the Warrior"
July 1986

In a Nutshell
Dani fights Death for the life of an old friend. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Breakdowns: Jackson Guice
Finishes: Terry Austin
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Stars: New Mutants

Plot
Dani flies Brightwind home to visit her parents at their ranch in Colorado, filled with doubts about herself and her place with the New Mutants. The next morning, she heads to the mall, where she encounters Pat Roberts, a local boy and old friend who proceeds to harass Dani. When Dani sees an image of Death appear above Pat, she rushes off. As Pat and his friends leave, Dani watches astride Brightwind, hoping to prevent his impending death, but the onset of a blizzard forces her home. The next morning, with her parents stranded at another ranch, she finishes the household chores, telling Brightwind about how, before she joined the New Mutants, she and Pat were best friends, until the day her power manifested and she created images of his greatest fear and desire in front of his whole family. Ever since, he's hated her. Just then, she picks up a distress call from Pat on the CB radio. She flies into the storm atop Brightwind and finds his crashed truck, with a wounded Pat inside.

X-amining New Mutants #40

"Avengers Assemble!"
June 1986

In a Nutshell
Magneto fights the Avengers. 

Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Jackson Guice
Inker: Kyle Baker 
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Michelle Wrightson
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
The Snow Valley sheriff contacts the Avengers, alerting them that Magneto intends to kidnap some students from Emma Frost's Massachusetts Academy. They agree to help the sheriff and stop Magneto. Meanwhile, at the Massachusetts Academy, Cannonball, Magma and Jetstream train together, but Cannonball is distracted and performs poorly. Jetstream confesses to the White Queen that all of the New Mutants are suffering from nightmares and not sleeping well, leaving her to worry that her psychic surgery may not have been entirely successful. As dawn breaks, Magneto and Warlock are heading for the Academy when they're attacked by the Avengers, whose initial volley severely injuries and weakens Warlock. A fight between Magneto and the Avengers breaks out, with the Avengers firmly believing Magneto to still be villainous while Magneto does his best to protect Warlock and not cause serious harm to the Avengers.