X-amining Wolverine #23

"Endings"
April 1990

In a Nutshell 
Spore is defeated and Tierra Verde begins rebuilding. 

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: John Byrne

Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
As Spore attacks La Bandera, Wolverine bursts forth, alive after all, and flies into a berserker rage, slashing at the creature. The sight of Wolverine fighting back inspires La Bandera's ragtag army, and their inspiration in turn powers her. Working together, they distract Spore long enough for Sister Salvation to get close and use her healing power to destroy the monster, though doing so injures her hands and seemingly burns out her power. The next morning, with Caridad dead, La Bandera announces that she's heading for the capital city while Roughouse declares he's going to stay with Sister Salvation. Wolverine manages to track down Geist, destroying his armor and turning him over to La Bandera, who has helped take the city, and the the newly formed government.  

X-amining Wolverine #22

"Outburst"
March 1990

In a Nutshell 
Caridad transforms himself into Spore. 

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Breakdown Artist: John Byrne
Finishing Artist: Klaus Janson
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Wolverine is tortured on orders from Caridad, then returned to his cell, as Caridad fulfills his promise and reunites Sister Salvation with their son Palo, serving as a solider in his army. Wolverine, sharing his cell with Roughouse, worries what will happen if Caridad proceeds with his plan to infect someone with the tainted cocaine and Spore is freed. Caridad is still insistent on creating a superhero for Tierra Verde, and plans to use the cocaine on his son. Meanwhile, Wolverine urges Roughouse to break free of his chains, and when he hears Sister Salvation cry out, he does so, then frees Wolverine and they set out to find Sister Salvation and stop Caridad. However, despite his mother's objections, Palo is willing to receive the treatment, hoping to make his father proud and confidant his mother's healing abilities will keep him safe.

X-amining Wolverine #21

"Battleground"
February 1990

In a Nutshell

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Breakdown Artist: John Byrne
Finishing Artist: Klaus Janson
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Australia, the X-Men worry about Wolverine, with Psylocke able to sense his location but unable to read his thoughts. In Tierra Verde, Geist leads a search party through the jungle, ignoring La Bandera and the escaped prisoners to focus on Wolverine. However, Wolverine is suffering from the effects of the tainted cocaine, and though Sister Salvation is able to use her power to help him, the respites are brief. Meanwhile, La Bandera leads her group through the jungle, where they encounter a group of natives. Elsewhere, as Roughouse and Sister Salvation hide from Geist, Wolverine hallucinates that he's in World War II-era Germany fighting Nazis. After being injured in the hallucination, he sees Sister Salvation, who tells him only he can save himself. The hallucination continues as Wolverine attacks Geist, who is attending Adolf Hitler, but when he slashes open Geist, a creature called Spore spills out, encompassing Wolverine.

X-amining Wolverine #20

"Miracles"
January 1990

In a Nutshell
Wolverine battles Tiger Shark as he tries to rescue Roughhouse.

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Breakdown Artist: John Byrne
Finishing Artist: Klaus Janson
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Mike Rockwitz
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Tiger Shark drags Wolverine underwater, lodging Wolverine's claws into the coral shelf, trapping him there and leaving him to drown. Meanwhile, La Bandera leads an attack on the Tierra Verde Medical center, but discovers the political prisoners she'd hoped to rescue gone, the whole thing a trap set by Geist. Tiger Shark appears and tries to kill her, but she escapes. Upstairs, Caridad delivers his wife, Sister Salvation, to Roughhouse, who has agreed to use her powers on him in exchange for seeing her son. Below, Tiger Shark hunts for La Bandera, but Wolverine intervenes before he can kill the girl, having fought his way free of the coral. He manages to defeat Tiger Shark but tells La Bandera he needs her help, as he's lost his hearing.

X-amining Wolverine #19

"Heroes & Villains"
Mid December 1989

In a Nutshell 
Wolverine battles Tiger Shark in Tierra Verde. 

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Layouts: John Byrne
Finishes: Klaus Janson
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Mike Rockwitz
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Wolverine arrives in Puerto Verde, the capital city of Tierra Verde, in the midst of a battle between Tiger Shark and freedom fighter La Bandera. He intervenes when Tiger Shark gains the upper hand, and helps drives him off. Urging the young La Bandera to go home, Wolverine meets with a CIA contact as Caridad expresses his anger at Kingpin for sending Tiger Shark to his country without permission. Caridad and Geist then meet with Caridad's top scientists, who have located the specific field from which the altered cocaine that enhances physical abilities hails.

X-amining Wolverine #18

"All at Sea"
December 1989

In a Nutshell 
Wolverine battles Roughhouse aboard Geist's ship. 

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Breakdowns: John Byrne
Finishes: Klaus Janson
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Wolverine battles Geist's soldiers, until Geist invites him into his cabin, offering to ease his fears. Inside, Wolverine finds a shaved, unconscious Roughhouse as Geist tells him that he currently serves a man named Caridad, the President of Tierra Verde. After watching the super-soldier Nuke, on loan from the US government, destroy a rival drug processing factory, Caridad tasked Geist with creating a national superhero for Tierra Verde, which Giest is attempting to do via the unique properties of Tierra Verde's cocaine. Outraged that he's using Roughhouse as a guinea pig, Wolverine attempts to free him, but Roughhouse wakes up and, confused, attacks Wolverine. During the fight, Geist hits Wolverine with several tranqulizer darts, slowing him down and giving Roughhouse the upper hand, before Geist knocks him out as well.

X-amining Wolverine #17

"Basics!"
Late November 1989

In a Nutshell 
Wolverine is forced to rescue Roughhouse from a cybernetic Nazi. 

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Breakdowns: John Byrne
Finishes: Klaus Janson
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In the past, Wolverine stalks and kills a wild boar, leading to a discussion of his animal urges with Storm. The next morning, he departs via Gateway for Madripoor. In the present, Wolverine defeats Roughhouse in a bar fight at the Princess Bar, then celebrates his victory with his friends. Outside, General Coy sells Roughhouse to a mysterious stranger. Later, at the Royal Palace, Chief Tai discusses with the Prince a shipment of cocaine Coy tried to smuggle into the country from Central America, discovered by Patch. Unwilling to unleash the plague of cocaine on Madripoor, the Prince suggests Tai not pay much attention should the shipment disappear. From out of the shadows the mysterious stranger emerges, apologizing for the shipment of cocaine, handing over a payment from his employer, and assuring the Prince that since he can now retrieve the shipment, it'll never happen again. He then leaves the Prince with a warning about Patch.