X-amining Starjammers #1-4

"Cepheid Variable" / "Nebulae" / "Collapsar" / "Nova"
October 1995 - January 1996

In a Nutshell
The Starjammers are caught in a war between the Shi'ar and the Uncreated!

Writer: Warren Ellis
Penciler: Carlos Pacheco
Inkers: Cam Smith, Mike Miller (issue #2), Mike Christian, Art Nichols & Andew Pepoy (issue #3),  Bob Wicek, Dan Panosian & Mark Pennington (issue #4)
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Joe Rosas
Computer Color: Malibu
Editor: Suzanne Gaffney
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Following the annexation of the Kree Empire by the Shi'ar, the Starjammers have been helping resettle Kree refugees on worlds of the Clench, a loose confederation of worlds independent of the Shi'ar, operating out of a Clench world called Standing Still. Meanwhile, planets - both Clench & Shi'ar - are being wiped out by the alien Uncreated who, having killed the being they believed to be their god, are wiping out all worlds which practice any sort of religion. When a small fleet of Shi'ar battlecruisers engage the Uncreated, they discover they only possess three ships, despite their massive power. During the ensuing fight, one of the three craft is damaged, though the Shi'ar sustain heavy losses. The Starjammers get caught in the crossfire, and end up hiding inside a nearby nebula. As Lilandra orders her Minister of Peace, a former supporter of her mad brother, to assemble an armada to face the Uncreated, the Starjammers discover the damaged Uncreated ship is hiding in the nebula as well. They manage to destroy it - gaining access to valuable intel about the Uncreated in the process - but the Starjammer is badly damaged and stalled as the Shi'ar close in.

X-amining Cable #26

"The Long Way Home"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
Cable & Domino return from the future but end up in Genosha

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Pencilers: Rob Haynes & Randy Green
Inks: John Lowe & BVD Larosa
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Mike Thomas
Separations: Malibu Hues
Editor: Lisa Patrick
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
In Genosha, Phillip Moreau & Jenny Ransome meet with Essex, a mysterious contact who is helping feed their rebel operation supplies and info. He tells them they're close to discovering the truth about Genosha, but warns he can no longer interfere, as he's too close to being discovered himself. However, he promises more help will soon be on the way. Shortly thereafter, Cable & Domino materialize in Genosha on their way back from the future, and are found by Phillip & Jenny. Elsewhere, Cable's arrival is detected by Sugar Man, who believes it is Nate Grey, and thinks that the time has come to reveal himself. In Hammer Bay, the Press Gang laments their fall from grace, but receives a message indicating they may soon have a chance to get back into the good life. Meanwhile, Phillip & Jenny bring Cable & Domino their base, dubbed Safehaven. Cable is impressed by their operation, but Domino is reluctant to stay and fight, especially since Phillip won't let them contact X-Force for fear their communications are being monitored. Cable prevails on Domino, however, and they agree to stay and help the rebels. Just then, however, the Press Gang teleports into the base.

X-amining Excalibur #92

"I Want You"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
Colossus joins Excalibur after jealously beating Wisdom to a pulp

Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Casey Jones
Inkers: Mike Miller, Tom Simmons, Joe Rubinstein & W.C. Carani
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Ariane Lenshock with Malibu’s Hues
Editor: Suzanne Gaffney
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Returning from their trip to the pub, Kitty bids Wisdom goodnight as he remains outside for one more cigarette. Out of the darkness, Colossus attacks, enraged at having seen Wisdom with "his Katya". Colossus savagely beats Wisdom, who manages to use his power to slice into Colossus' back. As the rest of the team responds, Brian & Meggan knock out Colossus, and the injured parties are taken to the medlab. Moira is able to repair Colossus' spinal injury with relative ease, but Wisdom remains in critical condition. Colossus is moved to a holding cell and, when he wakes up, receives a dressing down from Nightcrawler. However, Nightcrawler is sympathetic given all that Colossus has gone through, and gives him the cover story of needing to remain with Excalibur for observation of possible neural problems as a way for Colossus to stay with the team and make amends. Later, Kitty visits Colossus as well, telling him Wisdom will live, barely. Colossus insists he cares about Kitty, but she says if that were true, he never would have left her for someone else, or hurt someone she cared about. He asks if Wisdom is good to her, and she says yes, adding to herself as she phases away, "just like you were".

X-amining Generation X #10

"Death Wail Part 1"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
Omega Red attacks Banshee

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Tom Grummett
Inkers: Buckingham, Milgrom, Pennington and Fern
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Steve Buccellato & Electric Crayon
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Paige & Skin arrive at Proudstar Hall for Mondo's welcome party, and are greeted boisterously by their newest classmate. Jubilee, however, is bummed about Penance's relapse into a coma, and Banshee is late to the party. Monet flies off to check on him, and discovers him near death. Emma arrives and enters his mind in order to try and keep him alive, while sending the kids out after his attackers. Elsewhere, Emplate returns to Gayle Edgerton's estate, as their plans will soon be coming to fruition. In Banshee's mind, Emma relives specific memories of Banshee as an Interpol agent, hunting a serial killer with the assistance of a pre-Magneto Erik Lensherr. At the school, Jubilee ponders if the only way to help Penance is to enlist the aid of someone who knew her before she came to the school - like Emplate - while the rest of her classmates, with the help of Synch's aura, track down Banshee's attacker: Omega Red, who grabs Chamber with a tendril and announces he will them just like he killed their headmaster! 

X-amining Wolverine #96

"Campfire Tales"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
Wolverine, Storm, Cannonball & Caliban go camping; Cyber dies.

Script: Larry Hama
Pencils: Adam Kubert & Luciano Lima
Inks: Dan Green
Letters: Comicraft
Colors: Joe Rosas
Separations: Malibu
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
In the Canadian Rockies, Storm & Wolverine bring Cannonball & Caliban camping. As they sit around the fire telling X-Men "war stories", a bear stumbles into camp, nearly disrupting the cloaked surveillance being conducted by Zoe & Noah of Landau, Luckman, & Lake. After Wolverine, recognizing that the bear is merely hurt & afraid, stops its attack peacefully, Zoe begins to have second thoughts about their operation, and transports herself & Noah away, while Wolverine wonders to himself how he's going to tell his friends that the feral side of him is taking control. Meanwhile, in Egypt, the Dark Riders usher Cyber into a vault-like chamber. Suspicious, he attacks, but they manage to lock him inside, at which point a swarm of deathwatch beetles are released in the room, which devour Cyber, leaving behind only his adamantium skin, thereby giving Genesis the means to his end.

X-amining X-Force #49

"Target: X-Force"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
Shaw & Holocaust ambush X-Force

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Guest Penciler: Terry Dodson
Inkers: Lanning, Morales, Russell
Letterer: Comicraft
Colorist: Marie Javins
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
Holocaust tests out the new armor he's been given by Sebastian Shaw, but when he kills a Hellfire Club mercenary, Shaw's aide Tessa is forced to take telepathic control of him. Later, Boomer returns to her hometown & reunites with her estranged father. In New York, Caliban & Sunspot are exploring the Morlock tunnels when both are ambushed & captured by Shaw & Holocaust. Elsewhere in the city, Warpath & Siryn are out on the town, and are ambushed when Siryn stops to do some shopping. That night, Shatterstar leaves the club he once visited with Rictor and intervenes to save a young gay man from an attack, only to be attacked himself by Shaw & Holocaust. Back at Boomer's father's trailer, Boomer learns her mother is still alive, but just then, Shaw & Holocaust attack, blowing up the trailer. With all of X-Force now his captives, Shaw compliments himself on a well-executed plan.

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #47

"Big Trouble in Little Italy!"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
The X-Men help prevent the cancellation of the X-Babies

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inks: Cam Smith & Jesse Delperdang
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Kevin Somers
Separations: Malibu Hues
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
As Gog & Magog chase the X-Babies through Little Italy, Gambit & Bishop pick themselves out of the wreckage of the nightclub destroyed in their fight with the bounty hunters, then set out in pursuit of them. Meeting up with the X-Babies, Gambit & Bishop engage Gog & Magog again, but are close to being overwhelmed again when Iceman & Phoenix arrive. But even their combined power isn't enough to stop Gog from trying to swallow the X-Babies whole. Just then, Dazzler arrives from the Mojoverse, and orders Gog & Magog back there, before offering to let the X-Babies live with her. With everyone pleased by the arrangement, Dazzler and the X-Babies return to the Mojoverse. Back at the X-Mansion, Professor X calls Boomer into his office; he's made a decision about Sabretooth.

X-amining X-Man #10

"Confrontation"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
Nate meets Professor X!

Writer: John Ostrander
Penciler: Steve Skroce
Additional Pencils: Jan Duursema and Casey Jones
Inks: Bud LaRosa, Ian Akin and and Rob Hunter
Letters: Comicraft
Colors: Mike Thomas and Matt Webb
Separations: Malibu
Editors: Jaye Gardner and Lisa Patrick
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Nate Grey heads north, towards the X-Mansion. But he is waylaid by a hurricane and, struck by lightning, crashes onto a North Carolina beach. Meanwhile, Blaquesmith arrives at the mansion to warn Xavier about Nate. Meanwhile, Nate wakes up in a jail cell and is taken to breakfast at a nearby diner by the local sheriff who found him. At the X-Mansion, Blaquesmith tells Xavier about Nate's immense psychic power, , and they begin trying to locate the boy. At the diner, Nate learns about the Legacy Virus and prejudice against mutants, innocently announcing to everyone there that he's a mutant. Just then, Xavier & Blaquesmith locate him, and Xavier astrally projects to his location. He arrives just as Nate uses his power to put the increasingly angry crowd at the diner to sleep, and when he tries to scan Nate, he is detected, prompting Nate to pull Xavier out of the astral plane and into the real world. He then attacks Xavier, and though Xavier tries to reason with him, he quickly realizes Nate is too angry to listen, and that the only way to end their fight is to make Nate think he's killed Xavier. Returning to his physical body, Xavier tells Blaquesmith the encounter went poorly, as he fears Nate will never trust him or his X-Men now, but for the sake of the world, they must find him again.

X-amining X-Factor #117

"Adversaries...Old and New"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
Dark Beast lures out Havok

Writer: Howard Mackie
Penciler: Steve Epting & Stefano Raffaele
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Separations: Malibu Hues
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
In India, Haven struggles with the imminent birth of her child. She is confronted by Roma, and begs her help. But Roma tells her there is nothing she can do to stop the rebirth of the Adversary. Meanwhile, X-Factor is awoken by an attacking Sentinel, which turns out to be a test of their teamwork abilities overseen by Forge & Val Cooper. It ends when Havok uses his power to destroy the robot. They are watched by Random, transmitting what he sees back to Dark Beast & Fatale, but refuses to move in on Havok as ordered while the rest of the team is around. During the fight with the Sentinel, Wild Child gets knocked into Forge's lab, where he encounters the holographic Shard and is immediately smitten. Later, Mystique pulls Forge out of the team debrief and confronts him about his mood lately. He admits he's worried about the return of the Adversary, but insists he's dead, just like his mentor, Naze. However, a very much alive Naze wearily drives through the desert, knowing he must fight on. Back at Falls Edge, Havok receives a letter from someone claiming to be Scarlet, wanting to meet him at a nearby abandoned coal plant. He goes off alone, knowing full well the letter isn't from Scarlet, and finds Random waiting for him, ready to attack. Meanwhile, Roma meets Naze in the desert and notifies him that Haven has died, and the Adversary has returned!

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #327

"Whispers on the Wind"
December 1995

In a Nutshell
An amnesiac Magneto stumbles across an orphanage and is given the name Joseph.

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Roger Cruz
Inkers: Tim Townsend & Al Milgrom
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Steve Buccellato & Electric Crauon
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
A mysterious man stumbles across an orphanage, speaking German & displaying magnetic powers before falling unconscious. Later, he awakens and is tended to by Sister Maria, caretaker of the orphanage. As the man reveals he has amnesia tells him he can stay until he is well enough to travel. He is christened Joseph by one of the children. Time passes, and having grown fond of the children, he remains at the orphanage, helping work the land and look after the kids. Eventually, word of his mutant abilities reaches Colonel Ramos, who is eager to have a mutant's power at his disposal to further his criminal efforts. To that end, he has Sister Maria and the children kidnapped, to be used as leverage to coerce Joseph's cooperation. It doesn't work, however, as Joseph uses his power to force the location of the captives from Ramos. Joseph then goes to an old church where Maria and the children are being held in the basement. Sister Maria knows Joseph has come to save them, but when they emerge from the basement, they are shocked by the horror Joseph visited upon their captors. Seeing their disappointment in him, Joseph decides to leave the next morning, with Maria pointing him towards the X-Men as a potential place where he could find a home. Later, Maria recounts the tale of Joseph to Father Heclio, wondering if she has loosed the villain Magneto out into the world. Helcio responds that perhaps instead, she has given him the faith he needs to use his power to help humanity. All they can do now is pray that he finds his place in the world, and that the place is on the side of the angels.