X-amining Excalibur: Air Apparent

"Air Apparent"
1991

In a Nutshell
Excalibur battles a mad scientist and his Air-Walker android.

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pencilers: Ron Lim, Brian Stelfreeze, Dwayne Turner, Jackson Guice, Rick Leonardi, Erik Larsen, James Fry
Inkers: Al Gordon, Karl Story, Klaus Janson, Tom Palmer, Joe Rubinstein, Erik Larsen, Don Hudson
Colorists: Glynis Oliver, Dana Moreshead, Ariane,
Letterers: Michael Heisler, Steve Dutro,
Asst. Editor: Mark Powers
Editor: Terry Kavanaugh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Excalibur is briefed by WHO about Dr. Cayre, a brilliant bio-physicist who has gone mad. He has recreated Galactus' android herald Air-Walker, who has subsequently gone on a rampage, equipped his Life Model Decoy lab assistant Norm with a nuclear warhead, and experimented on himself, giving him the ability to unravel a person's genetic structure with a touch. Excalibur proceeds to split up, with Nightcrawler defeating Norm, Shadowcat defeating a failed Air Walker prototype, Meggan battling the mercenary Coldblood before destroying Cayre's lab, Phoenix trapping Cayre himself in a prison of glass, Captain Britain destroying the rampaging Air-Walker, and Lockheed defending the lighthouse from some overzealous WHO agents.

X-amining Spider-Man #15

"The Mutant Factor"
October 1991

In a Nutshell
Spider-Man seeks out Beast for some family counseling.

Guest Writer/Artist: Erik Larsen
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Danny Fingeroth
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Spider-Man and his wife, Mary Jane, discuss the idea of having a baby. Worried about possible complications that may arise given his unique physiology, Spider-Man seeks out Beast, who is giving a lecture on genetics at ESU. Arriving at the lecture in the midst of an attack by the anti-human Powerhouse and the anti-mutant Master Blaster, Spider-Man helps Beast subdue the two attackers. The two then discuss Spider-Man's situation, with Beast giving Spider-Man an 85% chance of some kind of complication should he and his wife have a child. The two then intervene when they spot a monstrous creature attack a truck on the street below, chasing the creature into the sewers. Just as it's about to kill Spider-Man, a man and a woman appear, calling out to the creature, which transforms into a child, the couples' son. Beast tells the parents about the Nursery, a facility that can help them raise their mutant child, and promises to help make arrangements for them. Spider-Man returns home, and both he & Mary Jane agree they're not ready to have a baby yet.

X-amining Marvel Comics Presents #48-50 - Life's End

"Fist Fight" / "Child's Play" / "Breaking Point"
April - May 1990

In a Nutshell 
Wolverine and Spider-Man team-up to rescue a girl and her father from a group of evil mutants. 

Writer/Penciler: Erik Larsen
Inker: Joe Rubinstein
Letterer: Jade Moede
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Tery Kavanagh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Issue #48: Swinging through the city, Spider-Man spots Wolverine and, thinking he's someone posing as the dead X-Man, attacks him. However, he eventually realizes Wolverine means him no harm, and assumes he's a ghost of some sort. Wolverine then fills Spider-Man in on the situation: he's tracked a young mutant girl and her father kidnapped by a group of evil mutants to a nearby warehouse. He and Spider-Man sneak into the building, but are stopped by a gun pointed at Wolverine's head. Issue #49: Wolverine and Spider-Man dodge the laser guns firing at them, with Wolverine careful to maintain the ruse that he's still dead. After destroying the cannons, they're attacked by the evil mutants. As Wolverine battles the animalistic Bloodlust, Spider-Man realizes their leader, Critical Mass, is an old classmate of his.

X-amining Marvel Comics Presents #31-38

"Having a Wild Weekend" / "Dark Shadows" / "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" / "Like a Housewife" / "A Day at the Circus" / "Keep the Fire Burning" / "Dragon in Distress" / "There's No Place Like Home"
Nov - Dec 1989

In a Nutshell 
Excalibur battles Arcade and his Loonies. 

Writer: Michael Higgins
Penciler: Erik Larsen
Inker: Terry Austin
Letterer: Tim Harkins
Colorist: Tom Vincent
Editor: Terry Kavanagh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Issue #31: Excalibur is enjoying a quiet evening at home when Kitty's computer begins to act strangely. Suddenly, six bizarre beings emerge, calling themselves the Loonies. They attack and capture a surprised Excalibur, much to the delight of their imprisoned employer. Issue #32: Alone, Kitty encounters a massive cat named Rochester and discovers that he's a mechanical construct. Reprogramming him to go to sleep, she sets off to find whomever is responsible for the attack on Excalibur. Issue #33: Captain Britain awakens in a sea of alcohol and makes his way to a beach, where's he attacked by two earlier versions of himself. Meanwhile, Kitty discovers some kind of control room. Captain Britain is then rescued by a family hillbillies, who give him a ride towards the town of Blurberry, where he meets the patrons of a bar called Sneers. But the real Captain Britain remains a captive of the Loonies, plugged into some kind of mind-altering helmet.